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TonyLig's avatar
TonyLig
Aspirant
Dec 08, 2020

Can not attach Apple Extreme as storage drive

Successfully configured and activated my new RBK752 Orbi Mesh network. I wanted to now use my decommissioned Apple Extreme router as a simple hard drive to use Time Machine backups.   I reconfigured the old router with bridge mode ON and wireless network OFF . I then attached an Ethernet wire from a LAN port on the Orbi  to the WAN port on the old Apple router.

 

This did not work...the Orbi did not recognize the attached device in the configuration and therefore Time Machine did not list the old router as a valid  ...I-called Netgear support and they were not able to resolve the problem...

 

any suggestions are welcome..We have a years worth of system backups on this hard drive.

 

thanks

 

Tony

3 Replies

  • FURRYe38's avatar
    FURRYe38
    Guru
    Dec 08, 2020

    Try connecting the apple device using one of the LAN ports and see. 

    Does the apple device support AP Mode by chance? 

    • TonyLig's avatar
      TonyLig
      Aspirant
      Dec 08, 2020

      Netgear support suggested that config..lan to lan but didn't resolve the issue...sorry don't know what AP is.

      • schumaku's avatar
        schumaku
        Guru
        Dec 08, 2020

        Router mode Off == Bridge mode. You do so using the AirPort Utility on your iMac or iPhone, as follows:

        • Run the AirPort Utility.
        • Select the AirPort Express, and then, select Edit.
        • For a Mac:
          • On the Network tab, change Router Mode to: Off (Bridge Mode)
          • Select Update and allow the base station to restart.
        • For an iOS/iPadOS device:
          • Select Advanced > DHCP and NAT
          • Change Router Mode to: Off (Bridge Mode)
          • Select Done and allow the base station to restart.

        Disabling the AirPort Express wireless (aka. Access Point) might be a bad idea, as you need to connect a Mac using a network cable to it to re-gain the management access.

         

        Ensure there is a working network cable connecting one of the AirPort Express ports (with Router Mode set to Off) with an Orbi router LAN port.

         

        Unless there was a fixed IP set on the AirPort Express, it should receive a network adapter config by DHCP from the Orbi router. Check the Orbi router attached device list if this happened, compare with the MAC address printed on your AirPort Express.

         

        At this point, the AirPort Express should be discoverable and reachable on the network.

         

        TonyLig wrote:

        Netgear support suggested that config..lan to lan but didn't resolve the issue...sorry don't know what AP is.

        Well, it's nice they try to help (just as we do here), however it's not Netgear's support job to config Apple devices.