Am I better off getting Airport Extreme of Time Capsule

I am looking to upgrade my wireless router and I need a new external Hard drive.  I store mainly music and movies and would like to be able to easily   them .  What is the best way to go?

There is the world of difference between external drive and network drive.
A hard disk plugged into an airport extreme (or a Time Capsule being about the same but faster.). are network drives.. they are slow, even the TC is much slower than USB3 plugged directly into the computer.. even USB2 is faster than usb plugged into airport. It only has USB2 port but over network will go at half the speed of direct access USB2 on the computer. USB3.. who knows Apple might include it in the next Time Capsule/Airport Extreme.
An external drive must be plugged directly into the computer and is controlled by the computer. You cannot ever make a Time Capsule an external drive. It is now and forevermore a network drive.. The network drive is controlled by the airport it is associated with.. therefore it cannot be formatted, partitioned or anything else by the computer. A USB drive can be plugged into the computer directly to do those things.. A Time Capsule is now and forevermore locked inside its box.. unless you want to get tricky and void warranty and remove it. NOTE.. if the Time Capsule goes bad.. apple will not help you recover files.. they will be lost forever.. TC has no mechanism to backup files.. and Time Machine cannot backup files on network drives.. therefore using a TC to store files for your network is risky.. and you will need to step outside the apple world to make safe use of it. Apple do not make a NAS.. TC is not a NAS.. if you want a NAS buy one from one of the major NAS manufacturers, eg QNAP, Synology, Netgear, WD. etc.
The external drive is faster, cheaper and more reliable than a Time Capsule.. only problem is .. you need to plug it in.
If you want to access files from laptop over wireless then Time Capsule is a better choice because the drive is substantially faster. The price difference between an Extreme and a Time Capsule is not significantly greater than cost of the Extreme plus a hard disk.

Similar Messages

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    My home network has an Airport Extreme w/Time Capsule as the base and then an Airport Express and a second Airport Extreme to reach different areas of the house.  Is there a way to use the second Airport Extreme for file storage on this network?  Network is administered through an iMac running OS X Yosemite 10.10.2.  Ideally, would like for the second Airport Extreme hard drive to appear on the list of devices in the Finder window.

    Ok.. gottcha
    The problem is network wise.. Yosemite is about equal to tin cans and string.. pathetic.
    Here is my usual set of instructions to get anything working on Yosemite.
    The best way to fix problems is a full factory reset of all the AE in the network.
    Factory reset universal
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    Then redo the setup from the computer with Yosemite.
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    eg AEgen5 and AEwifi for basestation and wireless respectively.
    Even better if the issue is more wireless use AE24ghz and AE5ghz with fixed channels as this also seems to help stop the nonsense.
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    SMB://10.0.1.2
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    There is a lot more jiggery pokery you can try but the above is a good start.. if you find it still unreliable.. don't be surprised.
    Do as much as you want of the above... not all of it is necessary.. only if you want it reliable.. or as reliable as Yosemite in its current incarnation can manage.
    The most important thing is point 6.. mount the disk using direct IP address and not names.. dns in Yosemite is fatally flawed.
    See http://arstechnica.com/apple/2015/01/why-dns-in-os-x-10-10-is-broken-and-what-yo u-can-do-to-fix-it/

  • How do I connect Airport Extreme and Time Capsule to my new iMac so that AE is used for network and TC only used for Time Machine backup?

    I didn't realize that Time Capsule will only support the print function of a wireless multifunction printer.  So I want to use Extreme for my network to have full use of my printer and use TC as the Time machine backup only.  How to I make the connections?

    Thanks for your response and this is getting complicated but I just purchased a new iMac as well as the Airport TC.  I've had the Airport Extreme for a year or so.  The Airport Extreme worked perfectly with my old iMac wirelessly and I had all functions of my printer with no problems.  I was expecting the same with the TC.  But the instruction that came with TC say to connect the printer to the TC via USB...which I did.  And the print function worked perfectly but nothing else.  In researching I discovered that when wired that way the TC only supports the print function...not scan or fax or anything else.  I tried going wireless since my AE worked perfectly via wireless but I got no printer functions at all that way.  But I'm wondering also if I tried that during a time I was having other issues...I had to delete and re-add my printer which solved some other problems.  I may try that again...and see if I can get all print functions with just the TC connected
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    Well... first of all I would like not to have to use the AE at all...I would prefer using just my TC for network, all print functions and Time Machine backup if that's possible. My printer will not accept Ethernet connections (Canon MX512).
    After failing at getting this to work, I decided I would try to use my AE for net and print functions and just use my TC for Time Machine backup.  I tried several different connection configurations with no success until finally I connected cable modem to my AE via Ethernet and went wireless with the AE and printer. but connected the AE to the TC via Ethernet and amazingly everything worked like a charm (for a while) and I was patting myself on the back for being so smart.  But now I find that the connection only lasts for a short time.  If I leave it for a while the TC goes invisible...or at least I see a message saying the Ethernet is unplugged...but it is not... and I lose internet connection even though I have a green light on my AE. So now I'm at a loss. I don't know why I keep losing network signal and why my system thinks the Ethernet is unplugged.
    So... after all this...I figured I wasn't so smart after all and I must have things wired incorrectly.
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  • Cisco router RVS4000 with Airport extrem and Time capsule.

    Problem droping connection to internet when is Time capsule in extended wifi mode. When I turn off wifi on time capsule Airport extreme work fine.
    Airport extreme and Time capsule is conected via ETH.
    Any idea ?
    Thaks
    B.

    If you use ethernet to connect the AE and TC .. you must NOT extend wifi.. you use Create a wireless network. And setup with same name and security. You are using roaming network.. not extended wireless.. if you want to use extended wireless no ethernet
    see http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4260

  • What is the best long range wireless router, airport extreme or time capsule? Or?

    I need a wireless router that will reach 350--400 feet with a strong enough signal to use Netflix. This will be line of site in a rural area reaching from one trailer to another. Both trailers run on 12volt solar systems but trailer A has an inverter to convert to 120volts for a wireless router. Trailer B only has 12volt power so the Internet signal must come exclusively from the wireless router in Trailer A. There is no electricity available for booster wireless routers in between the two trailers.
    We don't need all of the bells and whistles like being able to connect to printers etc. This is just about sending out a strong enough signal to watch Netflix. Which is more powerful for this purpose? Airport Extreme or Time Capsule? If neither of those is strong enough, what is?
    Thanks,
    SV

    The issue you are really facing is the long distance (at the WiFi frequencies) you have to travel.  The Extreme has a radiated power of 23 dBm, nominal, which can reach 50-150 feet depending on you you are talking to...and that is measured in a closed test chamber at ideal air temperature and humidity, no obstructions.  In the real world that signal will be attenuated significantly just by the air alone, assuming completely obstacle free path, and subject to interference from other sources in the area, such as cell phones and cordless phones, and microwave ovens.
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  • How do I add an Airport Extreme with Time Capsule to an existing non-Apple network?

    How do I add an Airport Extreme with Time Capsule to an existing non-Apple network?  I have an ISP provided wireless Router that has to remain as the base station.  I am able to join my 1/2TB Airport Extreme and Airport Express to the network, but I can't access/use Time Machine.

    One option would be to connect the Time Capsule (TC) to the ISP-provided wireless router by Ethernet. You can then configure the for a roaming network. Then, depending on what your goal is for the AirPort Express, you can either: 1) Add it to roaming network, 2) Configure the TC & the Express for an "extended" network, or 3) Configure the Express to "join" the roaming network for AirPlay.

  • My Airport Extreme and Time Capsule both cannot do not mount my Seagate USB external hard.

    My Airport Extreme and Time Capsule both cannot do not mount my Seagate USB external hard.
    I am running OS 10.7.5
    Both the TC and AE are updated to 7.6.1
    The Seagate drive in formatted: Journaled HFS+
    I tried everything on Apple's Article: HT1331 and the basic reboots and restarts.
    "Next"

    It sounds like you may be confusing "mount" with "recognize".
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  • Connecting to Airport Extreme w/ Time Capsule

    How can I connect a MacBook Pro to an Airport Extreme w/ Time Capsule?
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    You'll need Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter - Apple Store (U.S.)

  • How can I tell if my computer (2x2.26 Quad Core Xeon MAC Pro) and my Airport Base station(Airport Extreme 1Tb Time Capsule) are Gigabit compatible?

    How can I tell if my computer (2x2.26 Quad Core Xeon
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    Tony Breuer

    All Mac Pro's ever made have shipped with gigabit ethernet.  The last non-gigabit tower desktop Apple made was the very first generation PowerMac G4's back in 1999.
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  • Replacing older airport extreme with time capsule

    I am thinking of replacing my airport extreme with time capsule. I had a lot of problems setting up airport extreme a few years ago - now it is very reliable. I don't want to have the same issues with time capsule. Can I simply physically replace the airport extreme with time capsule using the same settings as previously
    Advice gratefully anticipated

    Welcome to the discussion area, pancuronium!
    You will use AirPort Utility on your Mac for this operation:
    (Macintosh HD > Applications > Utilities > AirPort Utility)
    Open AirPort Utility and click Manual Setup
    Click the File menu at the upper left corner of the screen near the Apple icon
    Click Export Configuration File
    Assign a name to the file and save it to a convenient location like the desktop
    When you are ready to install the Time Capsule....
    Open AirPort Utility and click Manual Setup
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    Select Import Configuration File
    Navigate to locate the file that you exported to import all the settings into a new configuration for the Time Capsule
    Message was edited by: Bob Timmons

  • Iphone printing via airport express, airport extreme or time capsule

    I see lots of info about air print. What I don't understand is why I cannot print something from my iphone via an airport express or time capsule connected printer.  Makes no sense.  What is the workaround here?  Is the only solution to buy an air print enabled printer?
    My current setup is time capsule--2 iphones, 2 Macbook Pros, 1 ipad. One airport express (extending the network of my TC) . The airport express has my printer connected to it.
    What the heck?  Couldnt Steve fix this before he went to the light?

    Hi,
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  • Which is better AirPort Extreme or time capsule

    Aloha,
    I am about to buy an iMac, and I want to get the AirPort Extreme router as I heard good things about it, and that it is easy to set up. I am not good at networking and setting up a home wifi sharing environment. In fact this will be my first time doing it.
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  • Set up advice needed and appreciated Airport Extreme and Time Capsule

    Hi all - bear with me on this
    I have an Airport Extreme attached to my modem in the living room - all is well
    This is attached via the house electrical mains to a Time Capsule in the office - which I use as a back up drive - which is wired to my main computer (iMac).
    All works well - but the range in the back - where the office is - isn't great (i struggle to go wireless in the garden) - would it be improved if I ticked the 'Allow this network to be extended' box?
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    any help is appreciated
    best
    darren, lockerbie,uk

    The second part puzzles me - excuse me (but i honestly don't know) do both units give off a wifi signal of roughly equal 'amounts'?
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    If this is something that you don't desire or have a requirement for, then leaving them as two separate wireless networks would work just as well.
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  • I have a 2nd gen airport extreme (no time capsule) and 2nd gen airport expresses:  is there any new additons I can make to my existing network to improve reach and integrity of signal?

    I have the older airport extreme and 2 2nd gen airport expresses in a large house.  Lately I have been getting complaints about internet  "drop out" and weak signal (orange signal - weak network)  in one (oddly enough the nearest one to my extreme).  What can I do to insure network and internet integrity going forward. Do I buy a new a. extreme and convert the old one (how is also a question)?  Do I buy new expresses?  (and why) Do I move the original express out of room and get longer internet cable?  Extreme is upstairs in a split level and must remain there because of proximity to modem and its connection to security. The "working" express is all the way on the other side of the house through 2 concrete walls and does ok - though signal is understandable week. The nearer one with the "problems" is at the foot of the stairs less than 50 feet away, behind an always closed door  (not tested-belongs to teenager voicing complaints).  Incidentally the other bedroom directly across from the closed door one, houses a temporary adult child at home who has no problems with their lap top (2nd gen macbook) and signal.

    There is no easy answer to your question, but here are some things to think about.
    The newest generation of airport extremes and expresses are dual-band devices. they transmit on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies. the 2.4 GHz frequency penetrates walls better than the 5 GHz frequency which is faster in terms of data throughput. they also have improved antennas which may help your signal problems. unfortunately the only way to be sure would be trial and error you can also walk around with a laptop and monitor the signal strength to see where you have dropouts and consider repositioning your express devices to compensate . 

  • Airport Extreme and Time Capsule – A few questions

    Hey guys,
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    b) Will Time Capsule recognize my external hard drive, in addition to itself (Since it’s also a Hard Drive?)
    5. This page: ((http://www.apple.com/airportextreme/features/harddrivesharing.html)  says: “You can set up password-protected accounts for everyone on the network or allow read-only access to certain files and folders.”
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    I know this will leave less room for mac and PC backups, but it would free up room on my Drobo / HDD’s
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    Thanks so much for your help.
    P.S. Can anyone recommend a good modem to use with the Airprort/Time Capsule?

    No help?

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