Level 1 (8 points)

MacBook Pro Time Machine Wi-Fi backup fails after Golden Gate 27 update.

After upgrading my Macbook Pro 2021 to Golden Gate 27, Time Machine could no longer initiate a backup to my Synology NAS over Wi-Fi. Time Machine backups had worked normally before the macOS upgrade.

The problem persists after updating the Mac to macOS Golden Gate 27.0.1.

My old MacBook Pro 2019 (Sequoia 15.8) was able to start and complete Time Machine Backup on the same Synology NAS over the same Wi-Fi network path. In addition, the 2021 MacBook Pro was able to complete a backup when connected through a USB Ethernet docking station.

The connection results were therefore as follows:

2021 MacBook Pro over Wi-Fi: Backup did not start when the destination used the Synology Bonjour hostname.
2021 MacBook Pro over wired Ethernet: Backup completed successfully.
2019 MacBook Pro over Wi-Fi: Backup completed successfully.

I compared the Time Machine destination information on the two Macs using:

tmutil destinationinfo

The destinations were registered differently:

2019 MacBook Pro:
smb://<user>@<Synology-IP-address>/<Time-Machine-share>

2021 MacBook Pro:
smb://<user>@synology-nas._smb._tcp.local/<Time-Machine-share>

The Synology hostname resolved to the expected IP address on the 2021 MacBook Pro. However, this confirmed only basic hostname resolution and did not verify the complete Bonjour/DNS-SD service-discovery and SMB reconnection process used by Time Machine.

I then removed the existing Time Machine destination from the 2021 MacBook Pro and re-added the same Synology SMB share using its IP address:

smb://<user>@<Synology-IP-address>/<Time-Machine-share>

After registering the destination using the IP address, the 2021 MacBook Pro successfully completed a Time Machine backup over Wi-Fi.

I strongly suspect a regression in how macOS Golden Gate 27 handles Bonjour-based Time Machine destinations over Wi-Fi.

Posted on Oct 5, 2026 8:47 PM

4 replies

neuroanatomist

Level 9 (72,871 points)

Oct 6, 2026 8:06 AM in response to TylorTK

If you have AFP enabled on your NAS, you need to disable that service.

Turn off AFP on Synology NAS:

Access the NAS via a browser
Open the Control Panel
Select File Services
On the AFP tab, make sure the Enable AFP service is UNchecked.

Apple Filing Protocol (AFP) has been fully deprecated by Apple and while that format works with macOS 26 Tahoe, the format will no longer be supported by Apple starting with macOS 27. Synology supports it, but if your NAS is configured that way then a Mac running Golden Gate will not be able to access it (this is the same reason that anyone with a Time Capsule who upgrades to macOS 27 now has an aesthetically-pleasing paperweight).

Synology's setup instructions for TM backups over SMB3 are here:

https://kb.synology.com/en-us/DSM/tutorial/How_to_back_up_files_from_Mac_to_Synology_NAS_with_Time_Machine

Ensure that your NAS is configured based on those instructions.

Personally, I use a Synology DS223j with a pair of 10 TB HDDs installed to back up 4 Macs in the house with Time Machine (separate shared folder for each Mac sized at ~2.5x the internal storage), with the remaining space used as general file storage for everyone in the house. Two of the Macs are on macOS 27.0.1 and continue to back up normally to the NAS (and can access the volume set up as a file share normally, as well), so I suspect your problem is not due to macOS 27 or to your NAS, but to your configuration settings on the Synology side.

Two other things to try;

Check Local Network Privacy Permissions: Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network and confirm that your Mac and relevant networking/backup utilities have permission to access local network devices.
Verify ASCII Hostnames: Make sure your MacBook Pro name and Synology NAS name contain only standard ASCII characters (no spaces, accents, or special symbols) – this was an issue for Synology TM backups when Tahoe was released, but you mention Sequoia and not Tahoe so that may be an issue. For example, John_Backup would work as a disk name, but Jøhn_Backup would not.

HWTech

Level 9 (78,350 points)

Oct 6, 2026 8:23 AM in response to TylorTK

People reported a similar issue with Tahoe involving the DNS name being used. I believe macOS was unable to resolve some DNS names with their saved credentials, but don't recall the exact details now.

Glad you were able to figure it out and provide a possible solution here so it may help others in a similar situtation.

Great job.

You can provide Apple with product feedback:

Feedback - Time Machine - Apple

TylorTK Author

Level 1 (8 points)

Oct 6, 2026 8:17 AM in response to neuroanatomist

I disabled AFP long time ago. As you wrote, Apple had fully deprecated it.

Two other things suggested by you: I already checked of course these are items to be checked when setting up Synology NAS for Time Machine disk.

And I upgraded my Macbook Pro 2021 to Golden Gate from Tahoe, not from Sequoia. I thought I wrote this but didn't.

neuroanatomist

Level 9 (72,871 points)

Oct 6, 2026 8:26 AM in response to TylorTK

Gotcha. The two Macs in the house on Golden Gate are backing up fine to the Synology NAS over Wi-Fi (as are the Mac running Tahoe and the other Mac still on Sequoia). I have not had to change any DNS settings on any of the Macs.

The Mac I'm typing this on is running 27.0.1 and just completed an hourly backup over Wi-Fi 10 minutes ago.

Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256371149