MacBook - wireless for Dummy

Matthew

Matthew

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Matthew
Using a dedicated hard drive on a wireless network for Mac use/backup:

I'm considering a MacBook and retiring an old Dell desktop that's been our workhorse.

Current configuration (going from memory) - Uverse wireless router, NAS hardwired to router, a PC laptop and Mac laptop with wireless access, wireless printer, and various phones, tablets, and TV/DVDs that also connect to the router wirelessly.

What I don't remember: How I have the NAS configured so it can be seen by all the computers. I think I have a Windows network of some sort, through the Dell. If I remove the Dell, will I be able to use the NAS or do I need to rebuild another network?

I'm looking at what would be involved to add a Time Machine compatible backup drive. From what I've read, Time Machine only works with an Apple configured drive, not a Windows configured drive, so the existing NAS can't be used. I don't think I need a Time Capsule (Apple's wireless external hard drive), and should be able to use another brand. Can I connect another NAS-type remote hard drive and dedicate it to the new Mac? Does it have to be hardwired to the Mac? Will it work as a network drive, even if it's just used by the Mac (and the other Mac notebook when it's home from college)?

Note: Most of this is a "what if" right now. I haven't thought it all the way through yet. I think I'm trying to do something simple, I hope so. I'm not a network guy, so I fumbled my way through getting things setup this far.
 
I'm using a WD MyCloud. It allows you access to your data from your iPhone, iPad, laptop, etc while away from home - plus you can use it for Time Machine. Maybe $150


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It's not the "format of the drive" that is the issue is whether the thing is attached via a device (like the time capsule) that presents it via AFP. So yes you probably can't use attached storage that doesn't support Bonjour and AFP. You can stick windows drives on to something that can (I have one attached to my time capsule).
 
There is probably a raspberry pi load to serve NAS to Apple.
 
Macs support SMB, so there should be no issue accessing Windows shares. For Time Machine, you will probably need an AFP share. There may be some hacks to make Time Machine work on other types of shares, but those methods likely wouldn't come without risks.


JKG
 
my synology nas natively supports AFP and can be seen as a time machine backup location
 
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