Grant Crosthwaite

Q: AirPort Extreme (2007) and Time Machine

Hi All,

 

I read the "how to ask a good question" info and apparently you need details. I'll try and be informative but concise with my issue. It has been a long journey to get to where I am but I hope, with a bit of help from this amazing community, I may arrive at my destination.

 

Task

To produce a Time Machine backup solution for the family spending as little money as possible and using the odds and ends I already have.

 

Equipment available

I have a house with ethernet cables to most rooms which run through switches to allow a variety of, mostly entertainment, devices to communicate. These include:

 

1 x NAS/Media Server (ReadyNAS Duo v2),

2 x TVs (Samsung),

2 x PVRs (Beyonwiz),

2 x Apple TV (one 2nd gen the other is the newest version)

2 x DVD players,

1 x iMac.

2 x 8 port switches,

1 x 16 port switch,

1 x AirPort Extreme (2007),

1 x Airport Express (unknown age but older than the Extreme)

1 x Fritz!Box 7490 Modem/Router

 

Current Set Up

All the TV related stuff is connected in 2 rooms by ethernet through the 2 x 8 port switches to a central 16 port switch then to the Fritz!box modem/router.

 

There is also all the usual WiFi stuff happening with mobile phones, iPads, and Laptops.

 

Remarkably, this all just seems to work!

 

However, I would very much like to add some backup for the data on our computers. I tried to do this using the ReadyNAS as it is supposed to be capable of supporting Time Machine but I can't get it to appear as a backup destination. So, I thought, as I have the AirPort Extreme, I'd add it to the network and attach a USB HDD for Time Machine as that is supposed to be easy. However, I've been at it for hours and cannot make the HDD appear in System Preferences/Time Machine,

 

I have plugged the Airport Extreme into one of the 8 port switches told it to create a wireless network with the same details as the Fritz!Box as per another support article (Airport Extreme wired AND extend network - Need Input). Airport Utility shows me the wired and wireless connections seems to be working.

 

I look at the Disks tab for the AirPort Extreme and can see the USB disk attached there. However, it does not appear as a choice of available disks for backup in the Time Machine preferences. I have tried 2 different disks with the same result.

 

The Question (finally)

How do I get the Time Machine Preferences to show the USB drive attached to the AirPort Extreme as a valid choice for backups? If anyone can offer me a little nudge in the right direction I'd be very grateful.

 

Thanks for reading all this,

 

Grant

AirPort Extreme (2007), Firmware 7.6.7

Posted on Aug 8, 2016 7:08 AM

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Q: AirPort Extreme (2007) and Time Machine

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  • by Bob Timmons,Solvedanswer

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Aug 8, 2016 7:55 AM in response to Grant Crosthwaite
    Level 10 (105,203 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 8, 2016 7:55 AM in response to Grant Crosthwaite

    Unfortunately, the bottom line here is that the version of AirPort Extreme that you have does not officially support Time Machine backups to a drive at the USB port of the device.

     

    The one and only version of the AirPort Extreme that will officially support Time Machine backups to a drive at the USB port of AirPort is the current 802.11ac version.....which looks like a "tower". The older "flat and square" versions of the AirPort Extreme do not support Time Machine with an attached USB disk.

     

    To verify, please see "Time Machine support for USB disks" in this Apple support document........AirPort base stations: About USB disks - Apple Support

     

    Time Machine support for USB disks

    OS X Time Machine supports compatible unencrypted USB disks connected to AirPort Time Capsule (802.11n and 802.11ac), and AirPort Extreme (802.11ac).

     

    Since the average useful life of most wireless routers is about 5 years, and your AirPort Extreme appears to be about 9, your AirPort Extreme has done very well for you....much better than average. It might be time to start thinking about a replacement that will support Time Machine backups.....either a Time Capsule (which is an AirPort Extreme with a built in hard drive) or another AirPort Extreme.