Can I use my time capsule for a hard drive only?

I have a brand new Time Capsule.
Instead of backing up all of the time, can I just use the Time Capsule for my music and photos?

Music and Photos would be fine.. but not itunes and iphoto.. the libraries are far more complex and if you load it onto the TC you will have no backups.. the TC is a backup device which has no method of backing itself up.

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Can you use a time capsule's wireless hard drive capabilities without plugging it into a wireless router?

I recently used it as a bridge router from another router but then turn that function off. But now if I just have the time capsule set up on its own I can't even find it on airport utility. It seems funny as it itself is a wireless router...
Thanks for your help

A "hard reset" will not erase the Time Capsule's hard disk. That would require a separate procedure. Your backup data will not be affected.
You can connect it to a router if you wish, but a "hard reset" is more likely to result in less confusion.
Read to be sure you perform it correctly: Resetting an AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule FAQ

Can I use my Time Capsule for wifi parental control?

Can I use my Time Capsule for WiFi parental control. The objective first is to use a time clock to control internet access (completely on or off). Second objective is to use the Time Capsule which is also the WiFi router for more selective internet control? Anyone out there have any tips on making this work? We have Time Warner cable feeding the house internet, which is then corrected to the 2Tb Time Capsule which also provides our WiFi. Any information including other alternatives would be most appreciated. Surely we are not the only parents on the planet with this issue. Thanks very much!

how do I get the Mac addresses for each device (this won't be a problem, I demand the device, check it, and then return it).
What wireless devices are we looking at here?
Most devices have the AirPort ID or MAC Address or Hardware Address printed on the back or bottom of the device
Otherwise, you can learn the correct number by process of elimination. Turn off all wireless devices except your Mac computer....if it is connecting using wireless.
Open Macintosh HD > Applications > Utilities > AirPort Utility
Click on the Time Capsule icon
Look for Wireless Clients and click on the numerical IP address that is displayed
Another box will open
Look for the Hardware Address. It will be displayed as xx : xx : xx : xx :xx : xx
Write that down and note that it is your Mac.
Now, connect another wireless device and repeat the sequence. Click on the "other" listing that you see to find out more info about that device. Write down the ID or Address and note what device it is. Then power it off.
Do the same for each wireless device that you want to have limited access.
Post back when you have all the info.

Can I use a time capsule as a usb drive on a windows 7 machine?

Can I use a time capsule as a usb drive on a windows 7 machine?

No, but you can use it as an Ethernet or wireless drive.
(60698)

Can I use a Time Capsule for ADDITIONAL storage for a Mac Air which has run limited storage space

Hi
I am looking at purchasing the current MacBook Air but am aware of its limited storage space in terms of files, photos etc.
Was wondering if I could use a time Capsule for both back-up and as an additional storage device. Ie: would I be able to store photos and files on the Time Capsule that I do not wish to store on a MacBook Air and be able to retrieve them as and when - or would these be deleted after a period of time? Is there any way of protecting certain files on the Time capsule to prevent them from being deleted?
Many thanks in advance

Welcome to Apple Support Communities
You can but it's not recommended, because you can damage the Time Machine structure.
Toffey wrote:
would I be able to store photos and files on the Time Capsule that I do not wish to store on a MacBook Air and be able to retrieve them as and when - or would these be deleted after a period of time? Is there any way of protecting certain files on the Time capsule to prevent them from being deleted?
Only files backed up with Time Machine are deleted from your Time Capsule when there's no enough storage. If you store other files, they are not deleted. However, for what you want to do, I recommend you to buy a big external drive and make two partitions, one for Time Machine and another one to store files, or get two external drives

Can I use the Time Capsule as a backup drive and wired network switch? I do not want to use the wireless part as I already have an ADSL 2 Wireless Router for that. Thanks.

Hi
I just went from PC to MAC. Have a MAC Mini and wanted to get a time capsule for backups. I would like to use it as a wired device instead of wireless. Would me connecting it to my router do the trick? Can I then use the LAN ports in the back of the capsule like I would a network switch? Can I just disable the wireless router part of the capsule as I already have an ADSL2+ Wireless Router.
Thanks

I wanted to run a cable upstairs from the switch downstairs so the Time capsule becomes my upstairs switch (as I only have Wireless upstairs at the moment. That will work right?
Cheers.
Yes, that is also fine.. ethernet being the cable you run.. !!
You still don't have to use a TC.. which is still a rather expensive box for the job.. an Airport Extreme would offer the same exactly minus hard disk for cheaper price and more than likely better lifespan.. TC with internal power supply run too hot.

Can I use my time capsule for back up only and not as a router?

I have been trying to set up my time capsule as a router but have not been successful, the dsl I am using is not responding. Can I just use my time capsule as a back up device and not as a router? if so how can I do this?

Yes, you can. Simply plug the TC via Ethernet into the current router and set it up in bridge mode.

Can I use the Time Capsule as an storage drive? Can I create folders and save files on it as with a external hard drive?

I want to know if I can use my Time Capsule as a storage hard drive instead of only use it to back up my Mac

Bravenewcharles wrote:
Ok, so while I edit my files in my Mac that will occupy some space on its hard drive that will be backed up in the TC. Does that mean that I will occupy two hard drives on the same stuff?
Exactly. That's kinda the definition of a backup. When (not if) something awful happens, like your Mac being lost or stolen, or the HD failing or getting corrupted, or you accidentally change or delete some stuff, you have a backup you can recover.
What will happen when my Mac's hard drive is completely full?
Don't let it. Delete things you don't need. If you can't delete enough, as Neil says, get an external HD for the "overflow" that won't fit, then let Time Machine back up both your Mac and the external. See Time Machine - Frequently Asked Question #32 for more info.
Message was edited by: Pondini

Can you use the Time Capsule as a wireless drive to share music on multiple computers

Does anyone know whether you can use the time capsule almost as a nextwork drive of sorts (i.e. to share Music etc amongst a few computers)?

The TC is a dumb hard drive inside an apple extreme router.. with a couple of knobs on.
It has no media servers.. and very little flexibility.. indeed it serves files.. AFP or SMB.. and that my friend is that.
So if you want a media server in the network..then a mini is a better proposition. At some point, with sales of ssd laptops soaring and space on these devices at a premium, Apple is long overdue on a revamp of the TC.. it is really either time to drop it or to create something a lot more powerful.. the mini might be a cheap computer but it is not really a file server.. having so little internal disk space and lacking external connectors unless you are rich enough to buy thunderbolt.

Trying to use my Time Capsule as a Hard Drive.. Help!!

I have recenly inherited an old Time Capsule from a family member and I've been trying to figure out for two hours how to use it as an external hard drive. I connected it and added it to my existing network as an extention. Then, I turned off its wireless capability, and hit update. After about 5 minutes all it said was that "An error occurred while updating the configuration." Ive done this process over and over. And Ive reset it to factory settings multiple times already. All I need is an easy way to increase my computers storage using this Time Capsule, even if it means using an ethernet cable.

The very best way to do this is with ethernet to the existing router. Put the TC in bridge mode manually.
Then plug it in to existing router.. we recommend LAN router to WAN on the TC but even that is not 100% necessary.
If you want to link by wireless, to a non-apple router that is bad.. recommend strongly against it. Join a wireless network is super slow.
If you have a desktop Mac you can plug it directly into the Mac by ethernet.
But we need to know how the Mac is connected to internet.
I have given some info on one layout here.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4817218?tstart=30
If you end up relying on an old TC. And any of the models from Gen1-3.. and increasingly Gen4 have all reached EOL.. they can die suddenly and either take your files with them or be hard to recover. Also a TC is slow cf a USB external drive even, which is more reliable. Considering a 2TB is <$100 I would be careful using an old TC simply because you got it free.

Can I use my time capsule for time machine back ups and as an external storage device?

I have a time capsule and have set it up so that my time machine back ups are saved on it, but I would also like to use it as an external hard drive. Is this possible?
I know nothing about computers so please tell me in very basic terms. thankyou!

By external hard disk we usually mean one plugged into the computer by USB or Firewire or Thunderbolt.
None of those works on the TC.. it is plugged in by ethernet or use wireless connection.. that means it is a network drive.. not an external drive. The difference might not mean much to you.. but it is totally different to the computer. In the former case the computer has full control of the disk. In the case of the network drive, the disk is controlled by the TC firmware and the files are stored and accessed by network. This has large implications.
So here is my standard response.
Store files on the TC.
This is asked several times a day.. obviously people are struggling with their latest SSD being too small.
The TC is not suitable for network file server.. but many people having no choice press it into service as such.
Major issues.
1. No backup.. no way Time Machine can backup a network drive. No place to backup to.. So all your files will be at risk. And you will need to buy a third party like CCC to do backup.
2. The TC cannot be partitioned and mixing TM backups and data is not great. It was and is and ever shall be a backup device for Time Machine.
3. The drive is slow to spin up and quick to spin down.. there is no control. In fact the TC is so lacking in controls for even the router side.. that you cannot do more than the most basic of setups.
The following are controls on the hard disk side.
Reformat it. You can name the share. You can do a full archive of the whole disk. This will go at a speed of aprox. 30-50GB/Hr so calculate how long an archive of a full 2TB will take.
4. iPhoto in particular can easily corrupt its entire library with wireless networking causing a disconnection to one photo. Even if you do this;;; do not move your photo library... you have been warned!!
Even apple btw say don’t do it.
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS5168 Although mostly about FAT32 it adds network drives.
5. iTunes can constantly lose connection to the library. The disk is slow to respond.. itunes on the computer will constantly spit out errors. Even in the midst of streaming the TC can spin down the disk due to caching.
6. Do not use any live files on the TC no matter what else you do.. if you edit files in whatever program the file must be on the local hard disk.
7. The only suitable location for most libraries is a computer. You can plug in an external hard disk.
Read pondini for some work arounds.
Q3 here. http://pondini.org/TM/Time_Capsule.html

Can i use the time capsule for storage or just backup?

I asked my husband to go and buy a separate harddrive so that we could use to store all of our photos on separately as opposed to the computer (as its full and we cant download any more photos!). He came back with the Time Capsule.
from what i can understand it can only be used for backups and not for direct stoarge - is this correct? Im hoping that i can use it for storage and somehow copy all my photos from my Mac onto the Time Capsule and then we can access them from the network which i just created with the Time Capsule
Or do i need to buy something else?
appreciate anyones help
Thanks

It is far from ideal. But it does depend on what you are doing. Are you going to store you iphoto library on the TC then it is not recommended.
Store files on the TC.
https://discussions.apple.com/message/24380694#24380694
This is asked several times a day.. obviously people are struggling with their latest SSD being too small.
The TC is not suitable for network file server.. but many people having no choice press it into service as such.
It cannot be partitioned. It was and is and ever shall be a backup device for Time Machine.
Major issues.
1. No backup.. no way Time Machine can backup a network drive. No place to backup to.. So all your files will be at risk. And you will need to buy a third party like CCC to do backup.
2. The TC cannot be partitioned and mixing TM backups and data is not great.
3. The drive is slow to spin up and quick to spin down.. there is no controls.
4. iPhoto in particular can easily corrupt its entire library with wireless networking causing a disconnection to one photo. Even if you do this;;; do not move your photo library... you have been warned!!
5. iTunes will constantly lose connection to the library. The disk is too slow to respond.. itunes on the computer will constantly spit out errors. Even in the midst of streaming the TC can spin down the disk due to caching.
6. Do not use any live files on the TC no matter what else you do.. if you edit files in whatever program the file must be on the local hard disk.
7. The only suitable location for most libraries is a computer. You can plug in an external hard disk.
Read pondini for some work arounds.
Q3 here. http://pondini.org/TM/Time_Capsule.html

Can I use my time capsule for solely for back up purposes with time machine?

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Hi Bob,
Just go back to this issue. Maybe I have not explained my config correctly.
I have Speedtouch router for Internet access connected to a soho switch with 8 ethernet connections on the ground floor. To this switch there are wired 7 Microsoft devices including PCs on both the ground and first floor) and an airport express Wi-fi hot spot (first floor) . My Macbook is wirelessly connected to the AE for Internet access . An HP printer is also connected to the AE.
I would now like to set up the TC as a wifi back up disk for the Macbook using Time machine.
Should I a) replace the AE with the TC or b) can I set TC up seperately ?
If a) can I use the same network Id and password for TC as I had for the AE or do I need to use new ID and password for it?
If b) is there a risk of interference between the TC and AE ?
Probably a) is the best solution as I dont really need the AE if The tC will give me greater functionality but I would like your confirmation of this
thanks
Yvonne

Can I use a Time Capsule for multiple computers?

Hello,
after reading various posts on this forum I am now more more confused than ever : bear in mind that my understanding of computing stuff is quite ... limited, so I apologize if this question seems senseless.
I have several small capacity external hard drives which I uses for back ups and moving files between my computers (1 desktop (2.16 GHw Intel Core 2 Duo: Mac OSX 10.6.5), 2 laptops) but the result is a ton of confusion and multiple files everywhere. I was therefore thinking of getting a Time Capsule 2T which I would use as :
- a unique external back up machine for all my computers (without adding any other external drives)
- a wifi modem-router
Before investing that much money, can anyone tell me if the Time Capsule is indeed appropriate for the above uses, particularly being able to program all 3 machines to wirelessly back themselves up on the scheduled basis.
When I started seeing questions about adding USB driven external hardrives It made me wonder if i had gotten the purpose of the TC all wrong.
Thank you for your patience!:=)

nicaru wrote:
- a unique external back up machine for all my computers (without adding any other external drives)
- a wifi modem-router
Yes, that's exactly what it was designed for.
You can put other data on a Time Capsule, besides backups, but that will cause some conflicts, sooner or later. See #Q3 in [Using Time Machine with a Time Capsule|http://web.me.com/pondini/TimeMachine/TimeCapsule.html] (or use the link in *User Tips* at the top of this forum).
When I started seeing questions about adding USB driven external hardrives It made me wonder if i had gotten the purpose of the TC all wrong.
You can do that as well.
One purpose is, if the TC isn't large enough to back up all your Macs, you can back some up to the TC's internal HD, others to the USB drive. It varies widely depending on how you use your Mac, but a "rule of thumb" is, TM needs 2-3 times the space of the data it's backing-up, to be able to keep a reasonable "depth" of old backups for you.
Another is, if you want other data available over the network, you can put it on the USB drive to avoid the hassles in #Q3. And, since you can partition the USB drive (unlike the internal), you could use one partition for backups, another for other data.
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There is an alternative, however, that you might find more attractive (and less expensive), since you do have a desktop Mac, and I assume you already have a wireless router.
That's to connect one or more external HDs directly to the desktop Mac, and back it up directly to that drive (or a dedicated partition on it).
Then back up the laptops over your network to a different partition on the same drive, or a different drive, via sharing. See #22 in [Time Machine - Frequently Asked Questions|http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/FAQ.html] (or use the link in *User Tips* at the top of the +Time Machine+ forum).
For moving files around, you could continue to use a small external HD, or use sharing over your network.

Can i use 2 time capsule for the back of the same Mac computer, for improve the security of the data store

I will save my data in 2 time capsule at the same time for improve data security

Mountain Lion added this ability.. it doesn't do two backups at the same time but each time it backs up it uses the alternative location.
Under Lion you can manually set it to use a different target.. this isn't difficult but you must do it.

Can I use my time capsule for a hard drive only?

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