Wireless Backups?

[davewill2010]

Hi Guys,

I want the ability to use Time Machine to perform wireless backups to a new Western Digital My Book Live 2TB drive that I recently purchased. Need some advice for a Wi-Fi bridging router that I can plug it into as my current ISP supplied router doesn't have USB capabilities. Any ideas?

 

[FreakinEurekan]

You can make it work with an Airport Extreme, but Apple doesn't recommend using the hard drive attached to the Extreme for Time Machine.

Do you have a computer you can plug the drive into & share it on your network? If so you can set it up that way.

Probably the cleanest solution is a Synology USB Station 2. It has built-in support for Time Machine so you don't have to figure out sharing, creating sparse files, etc. You just plug it in to one of your existing router's Ethernet LAN ports.

 

[davewill2010]

I don't have any computers in my home that are always on as everyone uses laptops which are only switched on when needed.

I already have a brand new unused Western Digital My Book Live 2TB drive so don't want to buy another storage device but just need a way to make it accessible over my WiFi network.

 

[gc916]

I have my My Book Live Duo connected via ethernet cable to my Netgear router. My MacBook Pro uses Time Machine to backup to the MBLD wirelessly. I also store all my music files on the drive, which can be accessed by the Sonos music system. It all works very well.

 

[blueroom]

I don't have any computers in my home that are always on as everyone uses laptops which are only switched on when needed.

I already have a brand new unused Western Digital My Book Live 2TB drive so don't want to buy another storage device but just need a way to make it accessible over my WiFi network.

Short of magic you'll need either a router that supports a USB drive (not recommended for Time Machine) or a NAS that does (Synology was good advice). The WD My Book Live wasn't a good choice for your intended use.

 

[davewill2010]

OK having a rethink here, I am looking at getting a Mac Mini so what if I connect the western digital to the Mini via USB and share it? Would I then be able to see it from my iBook and use it for time machine backups and to use as a media storage?

 

[FreakinEurekan]

I already have a brand new unused Western Digital My Book Live 2TB drive so don't want to buy another storage device but just need a way to make it accessible over my WiFi network.

The Synology I linked to is just a box, you plug your own USB drive into it.

 

[davewill2010]

Looked ideal until I read the reviews! www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/cr/B00466VR4C/ref=mw_dp_cr

 

[gc916]

I'm confused, so please forgive me if this is a stupid question. Are you attempting to connect the MyBook Live to your network via USB? I didn't think the MBL had a USB port.

 

[davewill2010]

I'm confused, so please forgive me if this is a stupid question. Are you attempting to connect the MyBook Live to your network via USB? I didn't think the MBL had a USB port.

Just googled the drive I bought (arriving Monday) and it looks like it doesn't have USB port but DOES have an Ethernet port to connect straight to my router via Ethernet so I should be able to save straight to it via Time machine I should think right?

According to the device description on amazon:
"Compatible with Apple Time Machine

Mac computer users can utilise all the features of Apple Time Machine backup software to protect their data. Back up all your Macs wirelessly to one location over your WiFi network."

 

[gc916]

Just googled the drive I bought (arriving Monday) and it looks like it doesn't have USB port but DOES have an Ethernet port to connect straight to my router via Ethernet so I should be able to save straight to it via Time machine I should think right?

According to the device description on amazon:
"Compatible with Apple Time Machine

Mac computer users can utilise all the features of Apple Time Machine backup software to protect their data. Back up all your Macs wirelessly to one location over your WiFi network."

That should work fine. As per my earlier post, that's how my MyBook Live Duo is connected, and I have had no problems with Time Machine backups.

Good luck.

 

[davewill2010]

Well guys I am very pleased to say that my WD MyBook LIVE does have an ethernet port and as soon as I plugged it into my WiFi router it was accessible from my iBook G4 and even from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 via the WD2GO app

 

[gc916]

Well guys I am very pleased to say that my WD MyBook LIVE does have an ethernet port and as soon as I plugged it into my WiFi router it was accessible from my iBook G4 and even from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 via the WD2GO app

Great. I'm glad it worked as you had hoped.

 

[davewill2010]

Yes really pleased at how smooth it went! Now if I could just work out how to get TimeMachine to target a specific folder on my new drive rather than it just dumping where it wants to I will be a happy camper

 

[gc916]

Yes really pleased at how smooth it went! Now if I could just work out how to get TimeMachine to target a specific folder on my new drive rather than it just dumping where it wants to I will be a happy camper

I'm not sure there is a way to do that. In my experience, TM creates a new "share" (folder) on the drive, named "Time Machine Backups" in my case, regardless of any other shares that existed on the drive. This has been done on several occasions with no intervention from me. Maybe others reading this thread will have more info on how to specify the location of the TM backups.