Problems with Time Machine disconnecting

[Jamie0003]

I have a hard drive connected to my dad's Mac Mini media server downstairs. It is shared over the network and used for time machine backups.

However, for some reason sometimes my Mac isn't able to connect to it and the only way to get it to work is to wake the Mini from sleep.

I have even got an Airport Extreme Apple router recently, and it still won't wake the mini from sleep when my Mac requests access to it. (I know that wake on network access is one of the features of this router.)

The same thing happens with iTunes home sharing, I sometimes use my Apple TV to access the media from iTunes on the Mini but again sometimes it will not connect unless I go and manually wake the mac from sleep.

My Apple TV also sometimes randomly turns itself on, the white light comes on but it doesn't actually turn on, which is also quite weird and has been happening since I got the new router.

I have got the setting 'wake on network access' turned on on the Mini, so I don't see any reason why this should not work.

 

[aarond12]

"It should work"... famous last words of computer users. Avoid problems: Just leave the Mini on all the time. You're using it as a server, treat it as one. The Mini is power-efficient enough to do that without worry.

 

[Jamie0003]

"It should work"... famous last words of computer users. Avoid problems: Just leave the Mini on all the time. You're using it as a server, treat it as one. The Mini is power-efficient enough to do that without worry.

It is turned on all the time, that's the problem. It won't wake itself from sleep when my Mac wants to access the network drive...

 

[chown33]

Which OS version is on the Mini? If it's not Snow Leopard or later, wakeup for network access doesn't work in the obvious way.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3774


And "Leave it on all the time" means "No sleeping". On and asleep is not the same as on and awake. It should be on and awake if you can't get wakeup for network access to work.

 

[Jamie0003]

Which OS version is on the Mini? If it's not Snow Leopard or later, wakeup for network access doesn't work in the obvious way.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3774


And "Leave it on all the time" means "No sleeping". On and asleep is not the same as on and awake. It should be on and awake if you can't get wakeup for network access to work.

It's running Lion, and is from 2009. I could try this but I thought that was what 'wake on network access' is supposed to do, wake it from sleep when accessed from the network?

 

[aarond12]

It is turned on all the time, that's the problem. It won't wake itself from sleep when my Mac wants to access the network drive...

That sentence makes no sense. Turned on ≠ sleeping. Yes, there's power flowing in both conditions (although technically there is a tiny bit of power flowing even when the computer is completely turned off), but you're relying on the "wake on network access". That is what is causing your problem!

Change your power settings on your Mini to never sleep. This will solve your problem. Yes, it will take a bit more power, but the difference is negligible and your Time Machine problem will go away.