How to setup Mac Time Machine using a USB drive connected over a LAN via VirtualHere as an External drive connected to your Mac

How to setup Mac Time Machine using a USB drive connected over a LAN via VirtualHere as an "External drive connected to your Mac"?

I don't want this USB drive to be treated as a "Network-attached storage (NAS) device that supports Time Machine over SMB"

Details here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202784

#2

Also, how to setup VirtualHere?

#3

Yes that should be fine. What NAS do you have? What MacOS version to do you have?

You normally just install virtualhere from the Nas APP store. E.g for a Synology its in their DSM -> Package Center, for QNAP its in QTS->App Store etc

You need to be using MacOS Monterrey

#4

Can VirtualHere be setup using any USB Server host for it to work with Time Machine as a local drive? e.g. Windows as the USB Server? Or does it have to be a NAS as the USB Server?

When you say, "You need to be using MacOS Monterrey" do you mean the client? Can the client be running Big Sur?

#5

Also, I'm a little confused. How can a USB drive plug into a NAS / Windows / Raspberry Pi and be used as a local external drive for Mac Time Machine? I don't think those OSs can read/write to a Mac format drive?

"Time Machine can’t back up to iPhone, iPad, or iPod or to a disk formatted for Windows. If you connect a disk formatted for Windows, it can be reformatted (permanently removing all data) to a Mac format and used as a backup disk."

#6

Plug the usb disk into e.g a Raspberry Pi or your NAS (or windows) that is running virtualhere server.

Run the virtualhere client on your Mac (you need monterey, when i say that thats what i mean, no Big Sur client) and then right click on the Disk and select Use then just use it like a directly attached disk.

#7

Ok, thanks for the quick replies and clarification.

To be totally sure: An external USB drive formatted as APFS (encrypted) can be plugged into a NAS / Windows / Raspberry Pi and VirtualHere will let a Mac (running Monterrey) read/write to that drive? And use that drive like a locally mounted USB drive for Time Machine backups?

#8

Yes, i would suggest a pi4

#9

Wow! Pretty cool tech you have here!

Why do you suggest pi4 over the other VirtualHere Server options? Is it something specific to my use case?

#10

It provides the best support for usb 3

#12

Windows wont support bulk streaming, and some NAS's are buggy with bulk streaming so thats why i recommend the pi4.

Your Harddisk should use bulk streaming for best performance and the pi4 supports this fine.

#13

Would other Linux distros also be good?

The Pi 4 looks relatively expensive compared to only a few months ago right now.

#14

Would other Linux distros or Android also be good?

The Pi 4 looks relatively expensive compared to only a few months ago right now.

#15

Yes

#16

Thank you!