Part 1 of 3. This guide walks through the fastest, least-complicated way to create reliable Time Machine backups over your home network using routers that ship with official Time Machine support.
What you’ll get
- Plug-and-play network backups that work even when the Mac is on Wi-Fi.
- No third-party firmware or command line required.
- Automatic pruning and space limits via the router’s GUI.
- A restore test so the first disaster recovery actually works.
Hardware shortlist (2025)
The following models have explicit Time Machine toggles in current firmware builds. All expose the backup share over SMB 3, which Apple requires from macOS 27 onward [web:85][web:3].
| Router | Time Machine transport | Drive format | Typical price (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASUS RT-AX88U (Pro) | AFP & SMB* | HFS⁺ / APFS read-only | $250 |
| Synology RT6600ax | SMB 3 | EXT4 (external) | $299 |
| TP-Link Archer C4000 | SMB (“Enable Time Machine” checkbox) | HFS⁺ only | $169 |
| Netgear Nighthawk RAXE300 | SMB 3 | HFS⁺ / APFS read-only | $299 |
*ASUS models still present an AFP share by default; switch to the SMB share to stay future-proof [web:26][web:33].
Requirements
- macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or newer – Catalina was the first macOS release to support Time Machine over SMB natively.
- A USB 3.0 external SSD or HDD (≥ 2× Mac internal storage).
- Gigabit Ethernet for the initial seed backup; Wi-Fi 6 is fine afterward.
Setup (example: ASUS firmware)
Steps are similar across vendors; refer to your router manual if the UI differs.
- Login to the router’s web UI → USB Application › Time Machine [web:76].
- Toggle Enable Time Machine to ON.
- Select the attached drive under Backup Path.
- Set a Size Limit (50–80 % of disk) so backups never fill the entire drive.
- Click Apply. The router restarts its file-sharing service.
- On the Mac: System Settings › General › Time Machine › Add Backup Disk.
- Select the router share (appears as “
SMB-_TimeMachine” or similar). - Enter router credentials if prompted.
- Wait for the initial backup to complete (can take hours).
Verify &restore test (5 minutes)
- Create a throw-away text file on the desktop.
- Let Time Machine complete one incremental backup (check menu-bar icon).
- Delete the file and empty Trash.
- Enter Time Machine → navigate one backup back → restore the file.
- If the file opens, the backup and the router’s SMB implementation are working.
Performance &reliability tips
- Use SSDs where possible – spinning disks over USB 3.0 often become the bottleneck.
- Reserve a wired connection (Mac ↔ router) for the first backup to prevent Wi-Fi retries.
- On ASUS, disable the legacy AFP share to avoid Macs connecting to the wrong protocol [web:26].
- On TP-Link, confirm the drive is HFS⁺; APFS is not yet supported [web:3].
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Backup disk not listed | Bonjour not advertising SMB Time Machine | Reboot router; ensure SMB advertising is enabled (vendor UI) |
| “Disk not compatible” error | Drive formatted exFAT/NTFS | Re-format as HFS⁺ (macOS Disk Utility) |
| Backups stall at “preparing” | Wi-Fi dropouts | Use Ethernet; verify router USB power budget |
Cost · complexity · power
| Official router firmware | DIY (OpenWrt) | NAS / Pi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost (one-off) | $0–$300 (router you already own) | $0 (reuse) to $100 | $200–$700 |
| Setup time | 15–30 min | 1–3 h | 30 min–2 h |
| Maintenance | Low | Medium | Low–Medium |
| Power draw | +2–5 W USB drive | +2–5 W USB drive | 15–30 W |
Next steps
If your router lacks the Time Machine toggle, jump to Part 2: DIY/OpenWrt. Need snapshots, RAID, or off-site sync? See Part 3: NAS & other devices.
Updated: September 20 2025