Replacing Time Capsule w other wireless back-up drives?

Can I simply attach a good portable back-up drive to an Xfinity "gateway' to have (reasonably) reliable data back-up?

No you cannot expect the vast majority of routers on the market to support Apple Time Machine.

Some can but they are usually high end wireless routers.. Asus or Synology for example.. Not gateway devices with inbuilt modem.

What I am referring to above is USB attached drive.. but you are are hoping for a simple solution to a much more complicated problem.. so you need some corrected thinking here.

(Am I correct in thinking a "gateway" is both a modem and a router, i.e., like Time Capsule, but without the back-up drive?)

You are correct that a gateway is term used for a combo modem router..

Where you need to revise that thinking is Time Capsule (TC) is a wireless router.. with internal hard disk.. it is not a gateway.. it has no modem.

The gateway does not have a USB port, so I would need to use an Ethernet cable between the gateway and the drive. This will require an Ethernet adapter, i.e., Ethernet connection from the gateway to an Ethernet to USB or USB-C adapter, depending on what the input to the drive is. Is the adapter apt make any difference?

You cannot plug an ethernet to USB adapter to the gateway.. so that is impossible.

I assumed from the first sentence that your Xfinity gateway had a USB port that supported hard disks. Since it doesn't you cannot add USB drives in any form.

You can however plug in a NAS.. That is Network Access Storage.. these are made by lots of companies.. the top two support Time Machine very well, Synology and QNAP.. but they are EXPENSIVE.

When you plug a NAS into the network.. the make and model of the router is pretty much irrelevant. The NAS is a device that has internal processor and network software with a hard disk.. it does not require drivers or help from computer or router.

So your second related question has the same answer.. you cannot do 1.. so you cannot do 2 either.

What back-up software do you recommend to replace Time Machine if it doesn't work with new equipment?

Carbon Copy Cloner is our favourite amongst the gurus here. But there are other popular programs.. eg SuperDuper and Chronosync. CCC IMHO offers the best combo of price, license conditions, speed and reliability.

But you cannot plug a hard disk to your router anyway.. it has to be a NAS.. certainly any device that supports Time Machine will support the others.. BUT beware the opposite is also true.. if TM is not supported.. neither can the other products use it.. Apple must backup files to a special format (Mac OS extended journaled) disk.. nothing else is supported.

I hope I'm not the only one who finds the topic confusing and potentially expensive.

Undoubtedly Apple in the past assumed you would buy a Time Capsule.. which was their version of wireless router plus hard disk for backup. It has now ceased production with no replacement. So Apple have surprisingly left people dangling.. with no viable network solution.

The cheapest and most reliable backup is to plug a USB drive directly to the computer.

For network backup.. then I would look at a cheap end NAS.. and strongly recommend Synology brand.

Some files you can store in cloud.. But Mac system files must be stored in correct format on directly connected disk or local network.

Bob has given you virtually the same answers.. and beat me to the punch!!

Certainly if you have a desktop Mac in your network.. it is possible to use a large USB external drive to backup laptops on the same network. This worked fairly poorly in the past.. but Apple has now changed with High Sierra to using SMB protocol (traditionally all Mac backup had to be AFP protocol).. and sharing a disk to the network will support Time Machine.. I have no idea of how well this works in reality.. But if you don't already have desktop Mac it is certainly no solution at all.. a Synology NAS is superior in most ways as a file server in your network.

Can I simply attach a good portable back-up drive to an Xfinity "gateway' to have (reasonably) reliable data back-up?

Probably not, since most "gateways" do not support Apple's afp protocol. In this regard, a few of the newer Asus models will support a USB drive with Time Machine backups, as well as the Synology router.

Some of the other gurus on the forum here may have some specific suggestions for you in terms of make and model number.

(Am I correct in thinking a "gateway" is both a modem and a router,

Yes, but this is not really like a Time Capsule, since a Time Capsule does not have a modem on board.

The gateway does not have a USB port, so I would need to use an Ethernet cable between the gateway and the drive. This will require an Ethernet adapter, i.e., Ethernet connection from the gateway to an Ethernet to USB or USB-C adapter, depending on what the input to the drive is. Is the adapter apt make any difference?

The chances of this working are just barely above zero. Look for a gateway with a USB port that supports the Apple afp protocol. The newer SMB protocol also might work.

Second (Related) Question:

For added data back-up, might I be able to plug in two separate portable drives to the gateway, and thus have a second back-up in case one of the drives fails? (I do need portable drives, as I work from multiple locations.) Would that require setting up two separate back-up cycles, i.e., one for each drive

IF....the gateway supported Time Machine backups over its USB port, you could add a separate powered USB hub to connect more USB drives to the hub.

Third (Related) Question:

What back-up software do you recommend to replace Time Machine if it doesn't work with new equipment?

Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC). Even if you find a device that supports Time Machine, it would be an excellent idea to also back up using CCC. Disclaimer.....I have no interest in CCC other than that as a satisfied customer.

Finally, if you want to continue using Time Machine, backups will be faster and a lot more reliable if you connect a USB drive directly to your Mac. Unfortunately, that might not be as convenient for some users.

Me:

Would they work with other software such as Carbon Copy Cloner?

Any router or NAS or hard drive that says it works with Time Machine (TM) will also work with alternatives like Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC) with no issues at all.

Me:

Can I plug one end of the Ethernet cable into the gateway, and the other end into an Ethernet adapter -- one that has a female Ethernet port (that accepts the other end of the Ethernet cable from the router) and then "adapts' to become a male USB-C that fits into the hard drive? (Not an easy question to follow, I know.)

No.. it will not work.. there is no drivers.. adapters always depend on drivers.. your router cannot have drivers added in the way a computer can.

BUT let me explain it a bit more carefully.. you are far from the first person to assume a USB to Ethernet adapter will work backwards.. the answer is they don't.

There are no such thing as Ethernet to USB adapters.. This is important to grasp.. USB to Ethernet are wide spread and available in all sorts of variations. Computers can drive them as the USB interface is highly flexible for all kinds of add ons. Ethernet is NOT.. it is specified purely for network communication.. and you cannot turn it into USB.

NOTE.. you can buy USB extenders that use ethernet.. ie it goes.. USB dongle--ethernet wire---USB dongle

They are however NOT using ethernet protocols.. they are merely using the wire. The drivers for these cables are tied to the USB part in both ends.

Me:

Would a NAS be portable enough to travel safely? (I work out of several different locations.)

Is it heavy? (I'd be reluctant to put it in checked luggage, so I'd have to carry it.) Would it go through security screening without a problem?

Sorry I am the bearer of bad news.. A NAS is not portable at all. The better ones are big, heavy with external power supplies and totally unsuitable.

But the question is confusing me.

Your title is finding a replacement for a Time Capsule.

Surely you never carried a Time Capsule with you on your travels.. they are not now or ever a portable device. Indeed it is big and heavy and does not travel well at all.

For travelling you have two choices..

Carry your own USB drive.. as I assume the 2TB LaCie portable drive in your profile list is used for. You plug that into the computer whenever you want to do a backup.

OR

You store files in cloud.

In the case where you work in multiple locations.. saving files to cloud storage makes perfect sense.

This is not a Mac backup.. this is just the user files you are working on in either location.

You can do this via some syncing software for example.. that would sync your working directories (folders) up to cloud.. I don't do it so I am unsure what to recommend. Apple already do this with photos app for example. I am guessing at some point when Mac OS and iOS merge full backups will take place to the cloud.

Otherwise portable hard disks are perfect for the job.

But you use them directly connected to USB on the computer.. not the network.

In the past people used multiple Time Capsules.. so lots of people had a Time Capsule at home and one at work. TM is well able to handle multiple backups in multiple locations. But you never carry the TC around with you.

If you're now asking yourself why you bothered to answer in the first place, please remember what they say about the road to ****...

🙂😉

I would hope you are on a path that leads to light and life.. not the other one.

LaPastenague lives "down under" in Australia, so it may be a few more hours before he can respond.

1. I can NOT connect a router or gateway that only has Ethernet ports to a USB back-up drive, even with a so-called Ethernet to USB adapter. The router/gateway MUST have a USB out port.

Correct. LP said that it was impossible to do this. I was a bit more optimistic by stating the chances of this working were barely above zero.

2. If the router/gateway does have a USB port, I CAN connect it to a back-up drive (whether portable or not). However, it's likely that Time Machine software will NOT be able to "find" the drive, and therefore will not perform back ups.

Generally true, but LP and I both mentioned that some Asus routers and the Synology router sort of work with Time Machine.

3. IF I were to consider the expense of a NAS, a couple of the highly rated brands including Synology WILL work with Time Machine to back up wirelessly & automatically.

A NAS is not a router, so you would need a separate router and the NAS in order to back up wirelessly. The NAS connects to the router.

A Time Capsule is unique in that it is both a router and a hard drive in one package.

4. If I don't go for a NAS, I believe I have these three options:

a. Forget wireless and simply plug the back-up drive directly into the computer on a regular basis. Probably a good idea to have two different drives in case one fails. (Not sure if somewhere there's an automatic prompt to my brain that reminds me to do it reallyoften. And the other downside is that with only one connection to a MacBook, you have to use one of those "hubs" to both charge the laptop AND perform the back-up. Those hubs seem to have a life-span of no more than two weeks.)

b. Buy a good router with a USB port and check the specs to see if it works with Time Machine; otherwise, use another back-up application like CCC.

c. Use a cloud-based back up like Carbonite or iDrive or Backblaze. (Which would probably be a good idea anyway, although I haven't yet investigated to see how much their monthly fees are

a. Your best bet by far for simplicity and reliability. Probably cost as well. LaCie makes several padded USB drives that are designed for travel/rugged use.

You would not use a "hub" to charge your MacBook, you would use the Apple power adapter. You would use a USB hub with the MacBook if it has only one USB port and you want to connect more than one USB device at the same time.

b. A roll of the dice. Might work. Might work some of the time, but not all of the time. The jury is out as far a long term reliability. You are much more likely to have Time Machine problems backing up to a network drive, like a Time Capsule or a USB drive attached to a router.

c. I don't use these, but some users do. Don't care for the idea of my personal data on someone else's hard drive.

LP may have different opinions, so stay tuned.

Bob Timmons wrote:

....

A NAS is not a router, so you would need a separate router and the NAS....

A Time Capsule is unique in that it is both a router and a hard drive in one package.

....

What boxes can do what functions has gotten a bit more murky or a bit more flexible in recent years, and—for instance—Synology is selling the RT1900ac and RT2600ac as AirPort and Time Capsule replacements, and which can reportedly provide both NAS and firewall-gateway-router services... That is, replacements for a Time Capsule.

Router RT1900ac | Synology Inc.

Router RT2600ac | Synology Inc.

Given a quick look at the Synology DSM specs, it looks like many (most? all?) of their NAS boxes can also be firewalls, and many (most? all?) of the Synology NAS products support Time Machine, too.

DiskStation DS218 | Synology Inc.

Not at all certain I’d recommend configuring a Synology NAS box as a gateway-firewall-router-NAT box, but it looks possible. That’s if the Xfinity box can’t manage that task, which it probably can.

Here’s a setup video...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pFcDYptkqBA

This all does assume some comfort with IP and networking, which might mean that some folks would want assistance setting up the network configuration.

Bob's post covers your questions.. I don't have much to add.

Let me answer your one more question.

ONE MORE QUESTION, THOUGH.

Might you know if I do Invest in a NAS whether I could perform automatic wireless back-ups from wherever I am to the NAS's hard drives in my primary location?

You are intending to use your own NAS setup at home as cloud .. this is fairly common.. Most of the decent NAS have cloud services built in of some sort.

To do wireless backups to a remote NAS.. means the following must be true.

1. The site you are working on has decent internet with good upload and download speed..

2. The site has no firewall restrictions to your uploading files to remote NAS. Any decently large business will have protections to prevent users and especially guest users using significant amounts of internet. so ask before you go there if they have high speed wireless.. they may use guest wireless that is for emails only. They could have no wireless and use ethernet only.

3. You must have good upload and download speeds at home. You must have a public IP for access. You must have a 100% reliable modem/router/NAS setup that will not fail during the week you are away. You must have everything on UPS and hopefully someone to power the system back on if the power drops out.

4. Never use Time Machine remotely. Time Machine is fragile at best over your own local network. It will corrupt the entire backup if a dropout occurs during the backup. It is also a very slow and network intensive backup. There is a huge amount of data going both ways. That is where CCC will be a lot better. Even then it is not perfect.

5. You must backup the NAS.

If you are using your own NAS as file server you MUST have a large USB drive connected to it for backups. Backups can be setup to work automatically so that is not a problem.

Always have files on at least two disks.. that are unrelated to each other. Because NAS has special raid recovery for a faulty drive does not make it infalible.. one day a NAS will break and take your files with it.. always have a backup.

Now why use Cloud instead of your own NAS.

1. The great advantage with cloud services is they provide backup services as part of the package.

2. You have a much faster connection for upload and download.. not restricted to your personal internet connection.

3. You don't have issues with things like dyndns which is required for home services who do not provide static IP.

4. If the power goes out they have battery and generator services.

And the other downside is that with only one connection to a MacBook, you have to use one of those "hubs" to both charge the laptop AND perform the back-up. Those hubs seem to have a life-span of no more than two weeks.)

OWC sell excellent reliable USB docks.. forget using a hub.. They seem to have lots on special at the moment.

A dock gives you all the ports you could ever need.. you leave the USB drive plugged into the dock.. so you never need to remember to plug it in.. Time Machine will backup perfectly fine every hour as it was designed to.

I think you are over complicating the situation.. and I think you will find working in different locations is going to have lots of issues until you get used to work situation in each place and local policies for contractors who come in to do jobs. Start simple.. as you learn more about what you need.. grow the understanding.. you can plan only for what you actually face.

I think it makes sense to start a new post asking more generally what people recommend to replace Time Capsule back-ups, without my confusion over modems, routers, ethernet, etc.

Respectfully, it does not really make sense to start a new post asking the same questions that will yield the same answers.

We have already covered all the options.....at least I think we have.....and we've offered our opinion on what the best option would be in terms of cost, simplicity, speed and reliability.

LaPastenague has yet to reply to your most recent questions, but he will.

If you have ruled out the best option, then your next option is a NAS, but that will also require a separate router, so things will become a lot more complicated, and a lot more expensive. It is not possible to discuss the NAS option without also discussing how it will connect to your router, so the two are married.

A NAS is not portable, so you would need one at every location in which you work. As far as budget, think 2-3 times the cost of a Time Capsule at minimum, plus the cost of a new router at each location. It's a complex deal.