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External HD - Cheaper Time Capsule?

S

Skydiver32

macrumors member
Original poster
May 15, 2009
70
0
I need to buy an external HD for me to use Time Machine.
I've been traveling alot lately, so I was thinking of getting something similar to the Time Capsule where I could get wireless (distant) connectivity.
I would like to leave the HD home while traveling, since I already trashed 2 HD by dropping them.

Has anyone used this:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9234321&type=product&id=1218064407075

There older reviews but these are from the older models.

Any other suggestions?
 
Do you already have a wireless network? If not, you might get an Airport Extreme and attach an inexpensive USB external HD to use with Time Machine. I went that route so I could easily expand my storage (I have 2 TB now) for TM, and I got a very nice wireless router in the process. Very easy setup too!
 
pknoot said:
Do you already have a wireless network? If not, you might get an Airport Extreme and attach an inexpensive USB external HD to use with Time Machine. I went that route so I could easily expand my storage (I have 2 TB now) for TM, and I got a very nice wireless router in the process. Very easy setup too!
Click to expand...

I already have a wireless router.

The WD drives are good, my concern is the wireless connectivity.
 
Check before buy that you can format the ethernet drive with apple's fileformat. If not then timemachine will protest.
 
ViciousShadow21 said:
in my experience the Western Digital external drives are some of the best you can buy. never had a bad experience with them. seagate and WD are the kings of platter hdd.
Click to expand...

I have sent back three WD MyBooks in the past couple of years. I have sent back four WD SATA desktop drives as well. One WD notebook drive also failed on me.

I still buy WD drives because I like the performance and features. Every brand has failure rates and WD has the best RMA process around. My best (zero-failure) drives have been Samsung desktop drives and Fujitsu notebook drives.
 
Frosties said:
Check before buy that you can format the ethernet drive with apple's fileformat. If not then timemachine will protest.
Click to expand...

So long as it's a normal HDD you should be able to format it to whatever you like. You may just need to connect it via USB/FW to do this before setting it up for NAS.
 
Thing is it only has a ethernet connection. You use the supplied backup program not time machine. These quick and cheap network drives is not time machine friendly as you can not choose how you format it. It works with shares on total drive instead. From Western Digital Support FAQ:

Q:Can a WD network drive be used for Apple Time Machine Backups?

Time Machine will see a network drive, but it sees a network drive as a computer. Because Time Machine must be directed to either an internal or external drive in order to do backups, it won't backup to a network drive. The NetCenter, MyBook World (blue rings and white light), and ShareSpace all emulate a Windows computer to a Mac computer. Until now, a successful backup to a SAMBA share hasn't been seen using Time Machine. So, it is doubtful that any past or present WD NAS drives are Time Machine compatible.

User Manual (PDF)
 
getz76 said:
The ReadyNAS line can emulate a Time Capsule. I have used my ReadyNAS NV+ with Time Machine.
Click to expand...

This works. But I think I read that it does not work when you need it for recovery of a crashed computer from the install prompt only through an already working computer. To add, there are other backup programs than time machine that you can use with network drives. Sometimes Apple's solutions are not right for your hardware setup.

I had a lacie internet space that is similar to the western digital one. It was an ok drive, fast enough to stream mp3 and divx. You had just as the WD drive only ethernet and no choice in file system. I think it ran linux. Was not time machine compatible. It was rather loud and you logged into it through a web interface or ftp from internet. My router and this drive was in the bedroom so perhaps that made it an irritating noise in my Flat. On your LAN you had it as a network share. It had it's own backup solution with programs for windows and os x. Fun and worked ok but not for me so i sold it.
 
So I'm confused. Can an N AEBS hooked to an external - wirelessly deal with Time Machine or not?

My external died and I really don't want another external in my living room attached to my iMac. Is Time Capsule really the only option? I thought there was a work around for that.
 
getz76 said:
I have sent back three WD MyBooks in the past couple of years. I have sent back four WD SATA desktop drives as well. One WD notebook drive also failed on me.
Click to expand...

x2

MyBooks are worthless in my experience. The main problem seems to be that it shuts off when it's not used. the control card goes bad or something. I know it's the card because I've pried the enclosure open and the drive works but the connectivity goes bad. A quick search on google and you'll find that many people experience this problem.

WD needs to get rid of the auto shut off feature in the mybooks and implement a simple off and on switch.

if I want to turn off a drive, I'll unmount it and turn it off myself. I don't need an auto shut off feature.
 
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