Overview
You can prevent the CrashPlan app from backing up over specified network adapters and wireless networks. For example, this is useful if you want to prevent the CrashPlan app from:
- Backing up over a slow VPN connection
- Backing up through a data card that could result in overage charges from your wireless carrier
This tutorial provides a step-by-step guide to excluding network adapters and wireless networks.
Considerations
- This article assumes you have permission to change your network preferences. Your administrator may lock these settings.
- The CrashPlan app uses the primary network interface assigned by your operating system. If the primary interface is excluded, the CrashPlan app blocks backup activity, even if other network interfaces are available.
- Only backup activity is prevented when your device is connected to an excluded network. You can still download files when your device is connected to an excluded network.
- Configuring network exclusions is only supported on Windows and Mac devices. Linux is not supported.
Exclude wireless networks
You can prevent the CrashPlan app from using specified wireless networks (for example, a mobile wireless hotspot with a usage cap).
- Open the CrashPlan app. Select
Settings. - Select Network.
- Next to Wireless network exclusions, select Change.
- Select the plus (+).
- Select a network from the list.
If you do not see the network you want to restrict, click Add Network, enter the name of the network, and click Add.
- Click Save.
- From Wireless Network Exclusions, click Save.
Exclude network interfaces
With the network interfaces configuration, you can prevent the CrashPlan app from backing up to specified wired connections.
- Open the CrashPlan app. Select Settings.
- From Device Preferences, select Network.
- Next to Network interface exclusions, select Change.
- Select the plus (+).
- Select the network interface you want to restrict.
- Choose Add.
- Click Save.
How exclusions work with multiple active network interfaces
If you have multiple active network interfaces, the CrashPlan app will use the primary network interface assigned by your operating system. Like most applications, the CrashPlan app relies on the operating system to choose the interface it uses. If the primary interface is blocked, the CrashPlan app will block your connection, even if other network interfaces are available.
Network exclusions work as follows:
- The CrashPlan app asks the operating system to make a network connection to the CrashPlan servers.
- The device uses the interface that is listed by the operating system as the primary network interface.
- The CrashPlan app tries to use this connection to back up.
- The CrashPlan app checks its list of network exclusions. If the connection is excluded, it blocks the connection, and displays the message: Network blocked - Backup will resume automatically on approved networks.
Specify a network interface
Information about products from other manufacturers is intended as a resource to help you get the most out of CrashPlan products. However, our technical support team cannot provide direct assistance for these products. For assistance with products not developed by CrashPlan, contact the product's manufacturer.
If you have multiple network interfaces and want to specify an interface for the CrashPlan app to use, you must set the desired interface as your computer's primary network interface within your operating system. The following links provide methods for changing your operating systems primary network interface: