I am having major problems with Time Machine and my new Linksys MX4200 wifi router. When a Time Machine backup is in progress, closing my MacBook Pro corrupts the backup and it is no longer usable.
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 13.2
Very few routers will support Time Machine backups to a drive at the USB port on the router. Synology is one and the upper end Asus routers will do this as well.
Apple does not provide a list of routers from other manufacturers that support Time Machine, so it is basically a trial and error process.
I'm still searching, but cannot find anything in the Linksys product info or specifications that mentions anything about support for Time Machine to a drive at the USB port of the Linksys router.
I think we need some help from Linksys Support to clarify things. You could check with Apple Support, but they likely are only going to tell you to check with Linksys Support......even if you bought the Linksys system from Apple.
Is there a way to continue using Time Machine with the Linksys MX4200 Wifi Router?
Time Machine is software on your Mac used to back up the Mac.
Is it possible that you are instead asking about backups to a Time Capsule......an Apple hardware device with a built in hard drive to store backups of the Mac?
If you don't have a Time Capsule.......what is the make and model number of the hard drive that you are using for backups?
Does the hard drive connect directly to your Mac using a USB connection, or are you trying to back up to the hard drive over the Linksys MX4200 Wi-Fi?
Sorry for all the questions.....but we can't see your network, and things that are obvious to you are unknown to us. We may need to ask more questions depending on your answers.
For what it's worth, in a brief check of the specifications for the Linksys MX4200, I can't find anything that mentions support for Time Machine.
Good questions; sorry for not being clear. Previous network was Apple Airport Extreme with an 3T WD hard disk attached. Time Machine was configured to use this HD over Wifi through the AirPort Extreme. I recently replaced the AAE with the Linksys MX4200 with the same WD HD connected to it that had been on my AAE. Time Machine found the disk OK and attempted to continue the incremental backups. This quickly failed as described above, and after the first failure, no recovery was possible, even Disk Utility first aid. Only erasing the disk and starting over would allow Time Machine to find the disk and attempt backup. Four tries and I've stopped trying until I find some help. Thanks!
Time Machine is the one and only if you are asking about keeping a history of backups.
I have used Carbon Copy Cloner in the past with no problems to back up my Mac laptop to a hard drive connected to the USB port on an AirPort Extreme. But, have not tried this in some time.
Looks like TP-Link claims to support Time Machine backups to a hard drive at the USB port of the router:
How to use Time Machine function on TP-Link routers(case 1)TP-Linkhttps://www.tp-link.com › support › faq
How to use Time Machine function on TP-Link routers (case 2)https://www.tp-link.com › support › faq
If you still have the AirPort Extreme, you could connect it to the Linksys router using Ethernet and turn off the Wi-Fi on the AirPort Extreme to see if Time Machine backups might work that way.
After all the discussion here, it is clear that without Linksys or Apple help, the days of Time Machine for me are numbered. I've tried Carbon Copy Cloner and it works flawlessly with the HD attached to the Linksys Router, but I will no longer have the multiple file versions by date that was a big feature of Time Machine. At least, with CCC I'll always have backups of the latest versions.
it is clear that without Linksys or Apple help, the days of Time Machine for me are numbered.
Not sure what kind of "help" that you are expecting from Apple. They are not going to be able to help with an issue on a Linksys product.
If Linksys advertises "Time Machine support" for their products, I have not been able to find it anywhere. Either Linksys supports Time Machine backups to a drive at the USB port on their router, or they don't. If they do, it's got to be in print somewhere.
What did Linksys Support say in this regard when you contacted them? If the finding turns out to be that Linksys does not really officially support Time Machine at the USB port on their routers......as I suspect.....you have your answer.
CCC does have some limited ability to store and create a history of deleted files on your Mac. Check out Safety Net.
If you really do need Time Machine, backups to a hard drive at the USB port of the Synology router have been flawless for me for well over 2 years. Asus and TP-Link also advertise Time Machine support prominently in their specifications.
It is actually worse than that; even leaving the MacBook Pro open the whole time, the backup still fails and then the backup file is corrupt and not fixable via Disk Utility.
Thanks. I'll try Linksys, too
If course, they may tell you to check with Apple Support. The name of the game in tech support is to basically find a way to blame the other guy.
Are you aware of any other MacOS apps that can back up (and restore) like Time Machine with network storage and smb protocol (ie like the Linksys supports)?
That's what I was afraid of.
Is there a way to continue using Time Machine with the Linksys MX4200 Wifi Router?
