Time Machine Now Works with Airport Extreme USB Drives

[saltyzoo]

Wait, so you're saying that it might be a bug they decrippled it, and that perhaps it was never their intention to do so?

I said that about 8 pages ago. They would announce it if they meant it to work.

 

[Tosser]

I said that about 8 pages ago. They would announce it if they meant it to work.

LOL, sorry I must have missed that part.
I still find it funny, though, that this might just be a "bug". I wonder how people will react, when/if they "fix" this, so it will once again not work

Go Apple!!! [/sarcasm]

 

[EagerDragon]

Wait, so you're saying that it might be a bug they decrippled it, and that perhaps it was never their intention to do so?

That is a strong possibility. The decripple is not complete, it was not intentional.

I think Apple disabled that ability, do to some hardware issue, like the CPU not having the juice or something. In repairing an issue that was common to the Airport and the TC, they enable the functionality partially.

One of three is about to happen ..... Either Apple will go all the way and enable it fully with some performance issues, or they will cripple it again or they will release a new and better Airport with the capability fully enable.

This one in my opinion is not the real one guys.
It sorts of work but is not to be trusted.

This change is not Apple like. Remember they like to "just works", they also like to have multiple ways or doing something but they all use the same code so the different ways all work the same. This is not how apple does things.

So yes, the decripple was an accident.

 

[mrmugno]

What about other Wireless Routers?

So will the likes of Linksys, etc work in this way or only AEBS + HD for Time Machine back ups and accessing stored large files like movies?

I'm basically looking to use my Linksys + HD to read/write data wirelessly from my MBP. hmmmmmmmmm

 

[EagerDragon]

So will the likes of Linksys, etc work in this way or only AEBS + HD for Time Machine back ups and accessing stored large files like movies?

I'm basically looking to use my Linksys + HD to read/write data wirelessly from my MBP. hmmmmmmmmm

I would suggest a Time Capsule.

I do not have a Linksys to try it with, but Apple intended this feature to be unique to Apple hardware. Otherwise they would have enabled it for any NAS (which would be great).

I suggest a TC or to wait another 90 days, something is going to happen soon.

For regular data storage, not for TM the Linksys with HD should work to store files, but not for backups.

Read 354 and 359 posts.

 

[aristobrat]

So will the likes of Linksys, etc work in this way or only AEBS + HD for Time Machine back ups and accessing stored large files like movies?

I'm basically looking to use my Linksys + HD to read/write data wirelessly from my MBP. hmmmmmmmmm

For Time Machine to do backups, the drive needs to be formatted in the HFS file system. I wouldn't imagine that Linksys has any plans to ever support that, but who knows.

 

[mrmugno]

Thanks. I purchased a 500G HD shortly before TC - go figure - so I'm trying to avoid more money spent on storage.

I now understand that time machine won't back up through other routers (or at least not for amateurs who can't hack).

But you're telling me that I could connect my LaCie HD + Linksys and read/write data through my Mac!?!? I would love to do this in the interim.

I would suggest a Time Capsule.

I do not have a Linksys to try it with, but Apple intended this feature to be unique to Apple hardware. Otherwise they would have enabled it for any NAS (which would be great).

I suggest a TC or to wait another 90 days, something is going to happen soon.

For regular data storage, not for TM the Linksys with HD should work to store files, but not for backups.

Read 354 and 359 posts.

 

[Soul]

ok so it might have issues if you're using TM with AEBS/AirDisk, but my network shares on my Mac Mini are now TM-available.

Surely my Mini has enough grunt to cope with the processing etc? So using wireless TM that way should be ok?

 

[EagerDragon]

Thanks. I purchased a 500G HD shortly before TC - go figure - so I'm trying to avoid more money spent on storage.

I now understand that time machine won't back up through other routers (or at least not for amateurs who can't hack).

But you're telling me that I could connect my LaCie HD + Linksys and read/write data through my Mac!?!? I would love to do this in the interim.

You should be able to do that, I would connect the drive first to the Mac via USB, and using Disk Utility, I would format the drive as Mac OS extended Journaled. Then Dismount the drive and connect it to your Linksys. ZGo into the linksys and share the drive.

Your Mac should see it, if not consult the manual, I do not have a Linksys.

Use the drive to save data.

If you want to, partition the drive into 2 partitions. One the size of your Mac hard drive and the second partition with the rest of the space. Then while connected to the Mac download and use SuperDuper to backup your entire drive. That way if something happens to your Mac you can boot of the external drive (assuming Intel system) 6 months later. The payed for version of superdupper will also allow you to backup over the network but I am not sure if it need a little bigger partition.

Plan what you want to do, If you have a PPC Mac and not an Intel Mac you should use a drive that is firewire and USB. This way you can boot from the drive via firewire and use it for day to day use via the USB when connected to your Linksys.

Mean time stay away from Airport AirDisk or instead get the Time Capsul and all the issues and hacks go away.

Hope this helps.

 

[Spike Lightfoot]

Mean time stay away from Airport AirDisk or instead get the Time Capsul and all the issues and hacks go away.

Hacks? An external disk connected to another Mac is an Apple-supported configuration for remote Time Machine backups. There are no hacks.

Judging from your earlier posts you're quite down on the AEBS+USB solution for remote TM backups, and very much in favor of TC. As if there's much difference that you or any of us are aware of. Aside from the issue that Apple hasn't endorsed this configuration for TM backups (which may really be based on their desire to promote TC sales), your list of concerns is full of inference and light on evidence. For example: Of course a remote backup creates a sparsebundle and can't append to a pre-existing directory hierarchy--we all knew this. But there's no reason that a sparsebundle is any less reliable. It's just different.

 

[winterspan]

Apple definitely needs to stop being secretive with regards to stuff like this.
I mean seriously, they got a lot of bad PR and feelings from users when everyone thought they pulled this functionality from Leopard so that users would buy a time capsule!
Yet all along they were going to make it available, they just had to fix some problems first.

Why in the hell would they let a situation like that go silent and not announce
what is really going on. Especially when they launched the time capsule... Everyone in the audience was thinking the same thing. A simple, "hey btw - we're working on wireless backups for Airport's USB drive connection, but there are still some bugs to be worked out"????

alas, at least people will stop complaining now

 

[Applepi]

I apologize if this has already been asked/answered, but this doesn't work with the Base Station..does it? Thanks to anyone who has the answer.

 

[dogtanian]

My TM and airdisk still don't work together and as per usual airdisk keeps dropping out anyway.

I'm using a Western Digital Mybook and AEBS.

Getting fed up now...

 

[mrmugno]

Thanks Eager!! I'll be following this when home.

You should be able to do that, I would connect the drive first to the Mac via USB, and using Disk Utility, I would format the drive as Mac OS extended Journaled. Then Dismount the drive and connect it to your Linksys. ZGo into the linksys and share the drive.

Your Mac should see it, if not consult the manual, I do not have a Linksys.

Use the drive to save data.

If you want to, partition the drive into 2 partitions. One the size of your Mac hard drive and the second partition with the rest of the space. Then while connected to the Mac download and use SuperDuper to backup your entire drive. That way if something happens to your Mac you can boot of the external drive (assuming Intel system) 6 months later. The payed for version of superdupper will also allow you to backup over the network but I am not sure if it need a little bigger partition.

Plan what you want to do, If you have a PPC Mac and not an Intel Mac you should use a drive that is firewire and USB. This way you can boot from the drive via firewire and use it for day to day use via the USB when connected to your Linksys.

Mean time stay away from Airport AirDisk or instead get the Time Capsul and all the issues and hacks go away.

Hope this helps.

 

[Love]

My hard drives tend to fail every year or so. My hard drive did fail, luckily I had a backup from time machine direct. Now, I set it up with AirDisk, it's so slow that I worry that the backup might not be done before my yearly hdd fail! LOL

 

[MaddMacs]

Booting from Ethernet drives?

Plan what you want to do, If you have a PPC Mac and not an Intel Mac you should use a drive that is firewire and USB. This way you can boot from the drive via firewire and use it for day to day use via the USB when connected to your Linksys.

I am interested in a 1TB WD MyBook world edition with an ethernet connection and my Airport Extreme. I am wondering if TM will back up to that since it's ethernet only. Also if I use another backup program like Super Duper or Carbon Copy Cloner, will I be able to boot off the WD ethernet drive, or only USB or Firewire drives?

 

[jazz1]

My hard drives tend to fail every year or so. My hard drive did fail, luckily I had a backup from time machine direct. Now, I set it up with AirDisk, it's so slow that I worry that the backup might not be done before my yearly hdd fail! LOL

I've been using a utility called SMARTReporter. I will open a dialog box on your computer or e-mail you if a hard drive is ailing. I don't know how reliable the SMART technology is, or if it would even work via a remote HD. But I like the concept.

I'm not going to try to use my Airport Extreme for Time Machine until Apple announces support for it. Too much at stake.

 

[techmonkey]

posted this 2 times, no replies.

Ive been thinking about buying a new router that supports Wireless N. Whats the main benefit of buying a Time Capsule or Airport Extreme over a Netgear/Linksys/DLink router?

 

[mike12806]

posted this 2 times, no replies.

Ive been thinking about buying a new router that supports Wireless N. Whats the main benefit of buying a Time Capsule or Airport Extreme over a Netgear/Linksys/DLink router?

Several benefits...after trying a D-Link and a Netgear N router, the extreme had both the best range/speed and feature combination in my opinion. You are paying more, but the airport utility is by far one of the best config utilities I've ever used. Not to mention the obvious USB port that (now) seems to work pretty darn well!

 

[TheRumour]

I had this problem when I changed the drive icon. Hook the drive up to your mac via USB, hit cmd-I and wipe out the drive icon (if you changed it). Then unmount the disk and hook it back up to your extreme. ( I might have rebooted the router too)

That worked for me.

I'd just like to confirm that removing the changed drive icon and rebooting the base station, fixed Time Machine not recognizing the disk for me too. Hopefully this helps someone else, if anyone else still can't get it recognized.

 

[techmonkey]

Several benefits...after trying a D-Link and a Netgear N router, the extreme had both the best range/speed and feature combination in my opinion. You are paying more, but the airport utility is by far one of the best config utilities I've ever used. Not to mention the obvious USB port that (now) seems to work pretty darn well!

Thanks for the reply. Im trying to find out how it compares to other routers. The USB port is a plus, since I can use it as a print server plus a network drive. I only have (1) problem with the Airport Extreme and Time Capsule, the low # of ports. I currently have (4) ports on my Netgear router used up, Desktop 1, Desktop 2, VoIP, and Xbox 360. I sometimes unplug the Xbox 360 port so I can use it on my MacBook Pro. What options do I have to get more ports? I was thinking about maybe hooking my current Netgear router to one of the ports, but this will be another device getting power plus Im not sure how the Airport Extreme would do this.

Any suggestions?

 

[HLdan]

Apple definitely needs to stop being secretive with regards to stuff like this.
I mean seriously, they got a lot of bad PR and feelings from users when everyone thought they pulled this functionality from Leopard so that users would buy a time capsule!
Yet all along they were going to make it available, they just had to fix some problems first.

Why in the hell would they let a situation like that go silent and not announce
what is really going on. Especially when they launched the time capsule... Everyone in the audience was thinking the same thing. A simple, "hey btw - we're working on wireless backups for Airport's USB drive connection, but there are still some bugs to be worked out"????

alas, at least people will stop complaining now

Firstly why would Apple intro TC and then make a statement saying they are working on the Airdisk issue? Hmm, can't think of a worse way to crap on TC sales that way before it even hits the market. Hardly anyone would order it with this bit of knowledge.

"IF" Apple's intention was to sell TC then keeping secrets is a smart thing for the company to do. Where is your logic?

 

[slavey]

Apologies if this has been covered but I couldn't go through all 12 pages of the thread. Has it been confirmed that people can backup multiple Macs on an AEBS + EHD?

You could partition the HD and use a separate partition for each Mac you want to back up, I would imagine. This would also keep Time Machine from disproportionally using the HD space for the Mac that gets backed up the most often as you would limit usage by the size of the partitions.

 

[BillyBobBongo]

I apologize if this has already been asked/answered, but this doesn't work with the Base Station..does it? Thanks to anyone who has the answer.

Yes..it works! I updated the firmware and then ejected the disk from the Base Station. Since I'm an old Windows user I thought I'd throw in a restart....old habits die hard! I then reconnected to the disk and opened the Time Machine disk I wanted to use in the Finder. I opened Time Machine and selected the disk and now it's backing up wirelessly. Of course the first backup will take a few hours, but after that it's plain sailing if you ask me!

I've gotta say that it's typical of the MacRumors members to be paranoid over this firmware update. Apple initially showed Leopard using wireless backups and then told us that they weren't happy with the reliability so we've been made to wait for this update. I'm the mean time they'd honed the technology and released the 'Time Capsule', not to fool people but to give people a choice. Now you can use the 'Time Capsule' and free up some desk space or buy a separate external hard disk (which some people will no doubt prefer to do) and use either set-up to back up your data wirelessly!

If I were some of you...I'd lay off the coffee for a bit!

 

[72930]

I think you mean Airport Extreme, not Airport Express.

arn

And yes, I'd be curious if I can use my new Airport Express (n) to hook up a hard drive. Worth a try, but I doubt it. I seriously doubt Apple would want the 99 buck AExpress to function like the Extreme in that regard.

Has anyone tried this, and if it doesn't work please try putting this into Terminal and telling us the result...my decision whether to buy an Express rests on this

defaults write com.apple.systempreferences TMShowUnsupportedNetworkVolumes 1