I'm trying to back up my iMac to Time Capsule and it is taking forever over WiFi. Is it possible to switch to ethernet without interrupting the backup? I'd do it, but it's been going for 6 hours and I really don't want to make the switch if it means I have to start over.
On a related note--is Apple ever going to make a Time Capsule with a Lightning port?
iMac, Mac OS X (10.7), 2011 iMac, 16 Gb 3.7 Ghz i7
Hi LaPastenague! Thanks for your post. Your tip worked perfect. I would never have tried it without reading the comments here!
I switched my Time machine backup connection mid-way from wifi to ethernet and it continued the same backup that started earlier perfectly without any hiccups. I first connected the ethernet, checked it was on in Networks, and then turned off the wifi. Everything continued as planned.
Thanks!
iBiM
I just tried to switch from wifi to ethernet mid-way through a "first backup" (verification of previous backups failed, so have to do a full one) -- and it wasn't quite as smooth as for some of the posters on this thread.
I connected to the ethernet network, checked it was working, then switched off wireless -- and the backup stopped cold.
But after I re-clicked on "backup now", it seems to have restarted the backup from where it left off -- and the remaining backup time has gone from 22 hours down to just 5 (despite what should have been a perfectly fast wifi connection) -- so worth doing!
Better to leave things as they are since the backup has already started.
What is the estimated time remaining over wireless?
Hopefully, the iMac and Time Capsule are close together.
You can expect about 30 GB per hour to transfer using a wired Ethernet connection. So, if you have 150 GB to back up, the process will take about 5 hours.
Depending on how much more you have to backup over wireless, you may decide it is best to stop the wireless and start over using Ethernet. Time Machine is supposed to pick up where it left off....but I have found that this does not always work.
On a related note--is Apple ever going to make a Time Capsule with a Lightning port?
A question that none of us here can answer since we are all users, just like you. We have no idea what a notoriously secretive company like Apple might do, or when they might do it.
It depends on how much it has completed.. if you have only done 20% or so of the backup then it can be worthwhile to attempt the change over. but as bob says, it can mean a restart to the backup, although at that speed it is still worthwhile starting over. If it has done more than 50% just leave it go.. another 6 hours is not that terrible. And using wired might reduce it to 3hours.. so you are not gaining much.
The TC must be using ethernet to the modem.. if you are on join by wireless ethernet will not work and wireless will be super slow. If you have ethernet patch cord available patch it to the TC.. make sure your Mac picks up an IP from the TC.. so you then have two networks in operation.. then go to the wifi and turn it off.. the backup should be fine, even if it stops momentarily to switch to ethernet.
hi all. it seems to work to be able to switch from wifi to ethernet midway.
new mbp retina. first backup. 220gigs
was halfway but wanted to see if i could make the switch.
i plugged in ethernet (made sure the light came on in the port of the TC to see if was on)
i turned wifi off
and quickly made sure i could see the TC under shared connections
then i waited
it kept going. it moves slowly so a few minutes of not knowing
i had 11 hours to go and after a 30min, i know have 9 hours to go - though i'm guessing the time remaining will decrease still as it continues to calculate. i'm sure i'm saving over 1.5 hours ethernet vs wifi for 100gigs to go.
hope this helps someone in the future
Taking AR78's suggestion, I was also able to successfully switch over to Ethernet midway.
I Had 15 hours remaining for my time machine transfer to my new MacBook Pro. Plugged in my thunderbolt ethernet adapter which wouldn't make the switch to automatic to Ethernet. I turned off the wifi on my router, got a glass of water and came back to see I was now at 2 hours 50 minutes remaining.
I Then turned the wifi back on, waited a bit and went back to see if my computer was still on Ethernet or if it had switched back to wifi. Fortunately it is still using Ethernet as I'm now showing 2 hours and 20 minutes remaining (writing this from my iPad).
BTw, pardon the typos but the keyboard on my iPad is acting very buggy....and no less on an Apple forum....how ironic.
Switching to ethernet during backup?
