Setting up new router for backup

It is possible.....actually likely.....that the Linksys router does not support Time Machine backups to a drive that is connected to the USB port on the router. Few routers do. Some of the top end ASUS models will do this as well as the Synology router, but off hand, I can't think of another that would support Time Machine.

I could not find anything in the online specifications for a Linksys tri-band router that would indicate the USB port firmware on the device would support the AFP protocol that Time Machine requires.

And, the Linksys mesh WiFi system.....which Apple sells in their online store......does not support Time Machine backups to a drive connected to the router in the system.

But, it might be worth a post on the Linksys support forum to ask if the router will support AFP.

Just an addition to Bob's comment. From High Sierra.. SMB is used for backup for preference.. although AFP is still in the list.

However you will be very unlikely to find Time Machine support in Linksys product.

That does not mean you cannot use the Linksys.. just you cannot use Time Machine as the backup App.

The Linksys however must support HFS+ hard disk and you will need to look up the specs for your particular model.

Apple user files are ok on different format.. but system files MUST be stored on HFS+ ie standard Mac format drive.

It is also possible to store on APFS.. Apple's new format.. but only on a local disk.. not over network.

Sometimes you can trick a disk to support Apple by creating a sparse bundle in the correct format.

It is very unstable with HFS+ drive.

I cannot get it to maintain a connection for any length of time.

I cannot create a sparsebundle on the disk.. no matter what the format.

It seems to work ok with the drive using NTFS. From a Mac you can copy and store files on the disk.. since it uses SMB to actually handle the file transfer.. the format of the disk however will cause you to lose meta data.

Now I am using a WRT1200AC but all the later Linksys appear to use the same configuration for USB drive.

https://www.linksys.com/us/support-article?articleNum=142291

Specific Mac setup here.

https://www.linksys.com/us/support-article/?articleNum=136363

What model is your Linksys?

What Mac OS are you running?

It maybe important that High Sierra will behave differently to earlier OS.. better or worse I have no idea.

I plugged a suitable drive into the Linksys.. and got it to recognise the drive.. and was then able to mount it in Finder.. but it almost immediately disappeared again. I find the HFS+ is just not reliable.

I can get CCC to start a backup but it never completes..

I cannot get Time Machine to recognise the drive at all.. I am testing on WRT1200AC..

The unit seems to be flakey so I need to do more testing before declaring it won't work at all.. but let me recommend to anyone wanting a router that supports Time Machine.. this is not the brand to buy.

NTFS on SSD plugged into the WRT1200AC works fine.

Speed is excellent as per the Linksys rated as best of the routers.

Graph of NTFS speed copying files directly from Finder to the Linksys with USB.

But that is no use at all for backups.. any sort of backup has to be done on HFS+ drive format..

And it appears to be totally unstable on any HFS+ formatted disk.