Is Time Capsule right for me?

Hello - I want to set up a LAN where I can have a printer available for the wired iMac and the MacBook and have an external hard drive available for backup. I know that TC will work for this, but I also wanted to use the TC as an external hard drive to store and access files from both the desktop and laptop. Maybe share the iTunes and iPhoto libraries.
Thanks in advance for any help.

Yes, but it really is a network attached storage device (NAS). If you haven't started a TM backup, wait until you get Time Capsule as the TM backups created on a locally attached HDD is not compatible with backups created on a NAS like TC. You mentioned you already have an external HDD. If it is USB, you can plug that into TC. If it's formatted HFS+ (Mac OS Extended - Journaled) it can also be used by TM to back up your Mac. This way your TC could be dedicated to your iPhoto and iTunes data. Or visa versa.

Similar Messages

Is the Time Capsule Right for Our Family?

I just bought one, but I'm coming to realize I didn't understand how it works. Before purchasing it, I tried to explain our family's needs to Apple Store personnel on several occasions but apparently did not succeed because they indicated it would fill the bill. Please let me try to explain on this format in the hope that someone with a better understanding can clarify for me how it is used.
First of all, I don't need it as a wireless transmitter. Our family uses a 2005 iMac as a software base station link to our MacBooks and that seems to work okay. A cable modem connects to that iMac, and we also get cable TV and phone service from the cable company.
What we wanted was a backup disk that we could send data to wirelessly using Time Machine. It struck me that the three most likely ways one could lose data would be a hard-drive (or DVD) crash, fire, or theft. For fire and theft contingencies I wanted to place the Time Capsule in an obscure part of the house away from the iMac. It wouldn't be perfect but it would improve the odds.
I tried loading my MacBook onto the Time Capsule with an ethernet cable bought for that purpose. The process seemed to work, but I couldn't actually access the data. Later I unplugged the TC. The flashing amber light came on when I reconnected it. The Apple service rep who I then spoke to on the phone said (I think) the Time Capsule must be connected to the Internet either directly from the cable company feed or through an ethernet cable. That would seem to negate two of the three contingencies I thought the Time Capsule would help protect us from. Is she correct? Do readers have needs similar to ours? If so, how do you meet them?
Thanks.

Thanks for responding.
My basic question is this: can I back up data wirelessly to the Time Capsule if it is not directly connected to the Internet? I want to plug it in a socket in another part of the house away from the cable modem. I do not want to connect it to the modem because it would then be close to the other computers, thereby increasing the risk of losing all to fire or theft.
If I can get past this fundamental issue, I will focus more on making the TC work.

How do I access the data saved on my time capsule? for example, if i try to view my photos it tells me that i have 2.4gb of photos and gives me the option to "view with iPhoto"....but when i click on "view with iPhoto" nothing happens... thanks!

how do i access the data stored on my time capsule? for example, if i try to view a photo, i get the option to "view with iphoto" but when i click on "view with iphoto" nothing happens. i'm having similar trouble openning up movies, music, etc. it appears as though the files exist / saved on the time capsule (because i can see how much storage they consume), but i can't open them. thanks!

Unfortunately, Apple removed the feature to "browse backups" in Time Machine backups of iPhoto a few years ago.
You have to restore the entire iPhoto library to a separate location to be able to "see" it, and then choose the specific images that you want use.
For complete details, see #15 in Pondini's excellent support document Time Machine -- FAQ. Check the information in the pink box there.
Frequently Asked Questions

I have an Airport Extreme Base Station and have recently upgraded to Mountain Lion. Now airport utility won't work with my base station so I bought a Time Capsule. For the life of me I can't make the substitution work and only see a blinking amber light.

I have an Airport Extreme Base Station and have recently upgraded to Mountain Lion. Now airport utility won't work with my base station so I bought a Time Capsule. For the life of me I can't make the substitution work and only see a blinking amber light. Can anyone who has made this change offer some advice?

apikoros wrote:
The Utility transferred all of the AE's settings, so I still have to change the password, which leaves me with only 2 other questions, I think:
1) I assume it's just a matter of using the Utility, entering a stronger password and checking for it to be remembered in Keychain Access. But do I have to change the password for each individual unit-- the TC, the Extreme and both Expresses-- or will changing it just for the TC alone work for the entire network?
Resetting the password you will need to do for each device... the utility cannot even see those old units.
So you will have to do it for each one.. think it through.. because as you change passwords the others will lose connection.. so start from the express which are wireless extending .. change those first.. and go back up the chain.. as each one changes it will drop off the network.. until you reach extreme and change that. Then you might need to reboot the whole network to get everything talking again. If something goes wrong.. just pluck that one out of the mix and plug in ethernet.. reset and redo the setup. That is my preferred method anyway.. do everything in isolation one by one. By ethernet and then nothing goes wrong.
2) Who's the treasonous SOB who spilled the beans to you about the ICBM in my back yard?!?
N.Korean hackers.
[Edit] Whoops-- one more question: I want to partition the TC's disk, but Disk Utility doesn't see it. What do I need to do?
You cannot partition a network disk. And apple provided no tools for it in the TC itself. You can pull the disk out and partition it but that voids your warranty. (although done with care who is to know).
Look at Q3 here.
http://pondini.org/TM/Time_Capsule.html
Mixing TM and data on the TC is worth planning carefully. They don't necessarily sit happily together.

I have two time capsules, one for work and one for home, how do I set up the work time capsule to only back up my work files?

I have two time capsules, one for work and one for home, how do I set up the work time capsule to only back up my work files? Also, how do I add co-workers to my work time capsule and wife to my home time capsule? Thank you!

You cannot have two different TC setups.. at least until Mountain Lion.. it did introduce some changes but I am not sure if you can setup two different configurations for TM.. you can use two different devices to back up to. I doubt this will help you.
You might be better using a real backup software.. superduper, CCC, chronosync etc.
The TC by default is available to any Mac in the network to do backups. TM will sort itself out and put each computer on a different backup. These are kept in separate sparsebundles.. so that is all fine.

My time capsule worked for several weeks and is now telling me backup disk not available? What to do?

My time capsule worked for several weeks and now is not backing up. Tells me backup disk not available? Any suggestions?

This is a lion bug..
Generally just rebooting the TC will get it back. Otherwise you need to reset the TC and redo its setup.
Tell us a bit more.. but there is as yet no work around or fix for lion.
Certain things help.. but wireless is also a weak link. It will generally work better by ethernet.
Try and get back if it is still bugging you.. I can suggest some other things.. but I do not know of or read a bullet yet.
(Snow and TC firmware 7.5.2 which I run do not have this issue.. so the bug was introduced with Lion and 7.6 firmware)

Using Time Capsule only for back-ups, not as a modem

Hi, We have Comcast modem and router for internet connection. Is it possible to use Time Capsule only for Time Machine-generated back-ups of our Macs?
Is there any complication setting up TC for use as back-up only device?
Thanks!

You can use TC this way. And it's very simple to setup.
Check out the setup guide here:
http://manuals.info.apple.com/enUS/Time_Capsule_Early2009Setup.pdf
EDIT:
I've just noticed that they've removed the section "Using Your Time Capsule on an Existing Wireless Network" from the new manual.
Anyway here is a copy of the text under that section in the old guide:
To set it up:
1 Open AirPort Utility (located in /Applications/Utilities/ on a computer using Mac OS X,
and in Start > All Programs > AirPort on a computer using Windows), select your Time
Capsule, and then click Continue.
2 Follow the onscreen instructions to join your current wireless network.
3 After your Time Capsule is set up, you can use Mac OS X Leopard to set up Time
Machine to back up the Mac OS X Leopard computers on your network. See “Using
Time Machine with Your Time Capsule” on page 27 for more information.
If you’re using an earlier version of Mac OS X, or if you’re using Windows, you can
connect to Time Capsule to share or back up files.
Message was edited by: dchao99

Is my Time Capsule safe for my new kittens. They love to climb right on top and curl up?

We recently adopted two sweet kittens and they both love to curl up on top of my Time Capsule for a snooze. Is this safe for them?

Technically it emits microwave radiation. The level is normally "safe" but is governed by the inverse square law. In other words, you are much safer a small distance away than right next to it and I imagine they don't design it thinking you are going to be putting you head on it for prolonged periods of time. The same topic arises when talking about using a cellphone right next to your head/brain. They have likely determined it is safe for humans to be in the same room, but probably not tested it for tiny kitten brains right on top of the unit for an hour.
The other issue is safety for the TC itself. They are designed to lose heat (which is why the kitten likes it). If they can't lose heat you end up frying the electronics.
If it were me I would discourage the kitten from sleeping on it.

I already have a router and I'd like to use Time Capsule just for its hard drive capacity right now. Is this possible? It keeps asking me to plug an ethernet cable into it.

So I live with 3 others who already had a router running. So for ease Id like to use this device as purely an external hard drive and occasionally back-up my files and store photos/video etc. Is it possible to use this device strictly for that or do I need to constantly give it an internet connection and back-up over wifi that way...?

Suggest that you consider the option to configure the Time Capsule to "join" the existing wireless network there and backup over the wireless. The Time Capsule functions simply as a wireless hard drive in this type of configuration.
Open AirPort Utility and click Continue to to follow the guided setup to configure the Time Capsule. Select the "Join a current network" option when it appears and then choose the option to have the Time Capsule "wirelessly join the network" on the next configuration page.
Continue to follow the prompts to complete the configuration.

Can I use the Time Capsule strictly for system backup and continue to use my Airport Extreme for all my wireless needs

I want to use the Apple Time Capsule as an external drive and continue to use my Airport Extreme for all my wireless needs. Can I do that? The reason I ask is that my Time Machine utility cannot find the TIme Capsule - it only shows me the Airport Extreme, even when I "Rescan". SO I am unable to use the Time Capsule.

You will need to connect an Ethernet cable from one of the LAN <-> ports on the AirPort Extreme to the WAN "O" port on the Time Capsule.
Perform a "hard reset" on the Time Capsule by holding in the reset button for 9-10 seconds, then give it another minute to restart to a slow, blinking amber light.
Open AirPort Utility, select the Time Capsule, and click Manual Setup
Click the Time Capsule tab located below the row of icons to assign a name to the Time Capsule, a device password, and adjust Time Zone settings.
Next, click the Wireless tab located to the right of the Time Capsule tab
Change the setting for Wireless Mode to Off
Click the Internet icon, then click the Internet Connection tab
Connect Using = Ethernet
Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode)
Click Update at the lower right to save the settings and allow 30 seconds for the Time Capsule to restart to a green light.
You are all set

Does Time Capsule Work for Anyone???

I have a 3TB TimeCapsule and Mavericks on an iMac that about a year ago filled up and I had to restore from the backup (for reasons I forgot) and it royally screwed up permissions for files that I am still fighting.
About two months ago, I got some sort of window that said after verification TC was starting a new backup for my own good (thereby losing all versions of previous backups).
Today, with 1.59TB available out of 3 I got the error below, ran Disk Utility (it took over two hours with a huge History log) and apparently the TC disk is beyond repair and I'll have to reformat and lose all my versions AGAIN.
After the last mishap I occasionally backup my iMac to a 2TB external drive via SuperDuper.
It appears the weak link in my backup strategy is Time Capsule as it fails ALL the time and I have to start over
So, right now I trust it like a 5lb doorstop and I can do the wireless stuff with a much cheaper AirPort Express.
Is there anything I can do to get this doorstop back into reliable working condition (i.e. it started a new backup just two months ago)?
I've learned to live without recent versions because either when the disk gets full or during routine backups they aren't available with TC anyway.

apparently the TC disk is beyond repair
Correct.
Its hard disk can be replaced, with some difficulty. iFixit has instructions.

Time capsule settings for ADSL

Hello
no doubt you get this alot, but here goes....
Im in Australia with an iMac (2005) plus a Time Capsule with a speedstream 4200 modem(optusnet) in bridge mode plugged inline.
I have set up the modem prior with settings from my new and current supplier (Dodo) and the speedstream works fine as a standard ADSL modem. I then reset the modem to full bridge mode, so that I can relocate the ADSL settings to the Time Capsule to act as the modem/router. it's this step Im having trouble with. I know it can be done as I've previously done it with Optusnet at another location.
Dodo say that the only setting I should need to put into a modem is:
VPI 8
VCI 35
[email protected]
PPPoe
I cannot find how/where to put the info in, or if im putting it in the right place.
Please help?

Nope but are you using Mountain Lion and the toyland utility provided therein??
Load 5.6.
How to load 5.6 into ML.
1. Download 5.6 for Lion.
http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1482
Click to open the dmg but do not attempt to install the pkg.. it won't work anyway.
2. Download and install unpkg.
http://www.timdoug.com/unpkg/
Run unpkg on the desktop.. it is very simple.. drag the AirPortUtility56.pkg file over to unpkg.. and it will create a new directory of the same name on the desktop.. drill down.. applications utilities .. there lo and behold is Airport utility 5.6 .. drag it to your main utilities directory or just run it from current location.
You cannot uninstall 6.1 so don't try.. and you cannot or should not run them both at the same time.. so just ignore the toyland version.. the plastic hammer.. and start using 5.6.. a real tool.
Go to the internet page of the airport utility and choose pppoe client.

Mavericks kill time capsule backups for office

It seems that when I upgraded my MacBook Pro from Mountain Lion to Mavericks (using iTunes), then our Time Capsule for the whole office (shared) stopped working for everyone. It is no longer backing up anyone's computers it seems, and this is a big problem. It seems the different operating systems caused a glitch in the time machine & time capsule, and it has stopped backing up anyone's data. It won't let me restore either. The previous version is pink on the right and just shows up as black screens - so it may be backing up Mavericks versions locally, but the Time Capsul has stopped working? I'm not sure.
Is there a way for me to:
a) revert to my previous operating system easily, or
b) is there a bug fix for Time Capsule that could fix this problem?
- maybe an automatic Maverick partition/fenced-in area for my computer, and separates other Mountain Lion backups,
- and/or a speedbump/gate/doorway that connects Mountain Lion and Mavericks transition in Time Machine?
Thank you for your help.

Steve Holton
A backup plan should never rely on a single backup device nor a single piece of backup software.
Eh.........., I know,....... I wrote the ARTICLE on that topic, lol
very funny on that one
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6031
Methodology to protect your data. Backups vs. Archives. Long-term data protection
#1. Time Machine / Time Capsule
Drawbacks:
1. Time Machine is not bootable, if your internal drive fails, you cannot access files or boot from TM directly from the dead computer.
2. Time machine is controlled by complex software, and while you can delve into the TM backup database for specific file(s) extraction, this is not ideal or desirable.
3. Time machine can and does have the potential for many error codes in which data corruption can occur and your important backup files may not be saved correctly, at all, or even damaged. This extra link of failure in placing software between your data and its recovery is a point of risk and failure. A HD clone is not subject to these errors.
4. Time machine mirrors your internal HD, in which cases of data corruption, this corruption can immediately spread to the backup as the two are linked. TM is perpetually connected (or often) to your computer, and corruption spread to corruption, without isolation, which TM lacks (usually), migrating errors or corruption is either automatic or extremely easy to unwittingly do.
5. Time Machine does not keep endless copies of changed or deleted data, and you are often not notified when it deletes them; likewise you may accidently delete files off your computer and this accident is mirrored on TM.
6. Restoring from TM is quite time intensive.
7. TM is a backup and not a data archive, and therefore by definition a low-level security of vital/important data.
8. TM working premise is a “black box” backup of OS, APPS, settings, and vital data that nearly 100% of users never verify until an emergency hits or their computers internal SSD or HD that is corrupt or dead and this is an extremely bad working premise on vital data.
9. Given that data created and stored is growing exponentially, the fact that TM operates as a “store-it-all” backup nexus makes TM inherently incapable to easily backup massive amounts of data, nor is doing so a good idea.
10. TM working premise is a backup of a users system and active working data, and NOT massive amounts of static data, yet most users never take this into consideration, making TM a high-risk locus of data “bloat”.
11. TM like all HD-based data is subject to ferromagnetic and mechanical failure.
12. *Level-1 security of your vital data.
Advantages:
1. TM is very easy to use either in automatic mode or in 1-click backups.
2. TM is a perfect novice level simplex backup single-layer security save against internal HD failure or corruption.
3. TM can easily provide a seamless no-gap policy of active data that is often not easily capable in HD clones or HD archives (only if the user is lazy is making data saves).
#2. HD archives
Drawbacks:
1. Like all HD-based data is subject to ferromagnetic and mechanical failure.
2. Unless the user ritually copies working active data to HD external archives, then there is a time-gap of potential missing data; as such users must be proactive in archiving data that is being worked on or recently saved or created.
Advantages:
1. Fills the gap left in a week or 2-week-old HD clone, as an example.
2. Simplex no-software data storage that is isolated and autonomous from the computer (in most cases).
3. HD archives are the best idealized storage source for storing huge and multi-terabytes of data.
4. Best-idealized 1st platform redundancy for data protection.
5. *Perfect primary tier and level-2 security of your vital data.
#3. HD clones (see below for full advantages / drawbacks)
Drawbacks:
1. HD clones can be incrementally updated to hourly or daily, however this is time consuming and HD clones are, often, a week or more old, in which case data between today and the most fresh HD clone can and would be lost (however this gap is filled by use of HD archives listed above or by a TM backup).
2. Like all HD-based data is subject to ferromagnetic and mechanical failure.
Advantages:
1. HD clones are the best, quickest way to get back to 100% full operation in mere seconds.
2. Once a HD clone is created, the creation software (Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper) is no longer needed whatsoever, and unlike TM, which requires complex software for its operational transference of data, a HD clone is its own bootable entity.
3. HD clones are unconnected and isolated from recent corruption.
4. HD clones allow a “portable copy” of your computer that you can likewise connect to another same Mac and have all your APPS and data at hand, which is extremely useful.
5. Rather than, as many users do, thinking of a HD clone as a “complimentary backup” to the use of TM, a HD clone is superior to TM both in ease of returning to 100% quickly, and its autonomous nature; while each has its place, TM can and does fill the gap in, say, a 2 week old clone. As an analogy, the HD clone itself is the brick wall of protection, whereas TM can be thought of as the mortar, which will fill any cracks in data on a week, 2-week, or 1-month old HD clone.
6. Best-idealized 2nd platform redundancy for data protection, and 1st level for system restore of your computers internal HD. (Time machine being 2nd level for system restore of the computer’s internal HD).
7. *Level-2 security of your vital data.
#4. Online archives
Drawbacks:
1. Subject to server failure or due to non-payment of your hosting account, it can be suspended.
2. Subject, due to lack of security on your part, to being attacked and hacked/erased.
Advantages:
1. In case of house fire, etc. your data is safe.
2. In travels, and propagating files to friends and likewise, a mere link by email is all that is needed and no large media needs to be sent across the net.
3. Online archives are the perfect and best-idealized 3rd platform redundancy for data protection.
4. Supremely useful in data isolation from backups and local archives in being online and offsite for long-distance security in isolation.
5. *Level-1.5 security of your vital data.
#5. DVD professional archival media
Drawbacks:
1. DVD single-layer disks are limited to 4.7Gigabytes of data.
2. DVD media are, given rough handling, prone to scratches and light-degradation if not stored correctly.
Advantages:
1. Archival DVD professional blank media is rated for in excess of 100+ years.
2. DVD is not subject to mechanical breakdown.
3. DVD archival media is not subject to ferromagnetic degradation.
4. DVD archival media correctly sleeved and stored is currently a supreme storage method of archiving vital data.
5. DVD media is once written and therefore free of data corruption if the write is correct.
6. DVD media is the perfect ideal for “freezing” and isolating old copies of data for reference in case newer generations of data become corrupted and an older copy is needed to revert to.
7. Best-idealized 4th platform redundancy for data protection.
8. *Level-3 (highest) security of your vital data.
[*Level-4 data security under development as once-written metallic plates and synthetic sapphire and likewise ultra-long-term data storage]
#6. Cloud based storage
Drawbacks:
1. Cloud storage can only be quasi-possessed.
2. No genuine true security and privacy of data.
3. Should never be considered for vital data storage or especially long-term.
4. *Level-0 security of your vital data.
Advantages:
1. Quick, easy and cheap storage location for simplex files for transfer to keep on hand and yet off the computer.
2. Easy source for small-file data sharing.

Airport TimeCapsule wireless works fine, but iMac can no longer find the time capsule disk for backups.

Hi,
I have a new Airport TimeCapsule that I set up about two weeks ago in combination with a new iMac running OS 10.9.4. It ran fine until 2 days ago, when the TC disk image disappeared from the iMac and Time Machine was not able to back up. I tried to find the TC in Airport Utility and it states the "Airport Time Capsule was previously part of your network. Check that it is still in range of your network and is plugged into a power outlet..." I've tried restarting the time capsule. I've tried restarting everything in order (modem>TC>iMac) and the iMac still cannot see the TC disk.
I've had two other issues that I will list in case they are all related somehow:
1) The time capsule took several attempts to set up when I first bought it. I had to reset the TC several times before I got all the way through the set up process successfully.
2) I tried hooking up my printer to the USB port on the airport time capsule and although my MacBook could see it and print to it just fine, my iMac was never able to see it.
The TC is hooked up to the iMac via ethernet cable. Does any of this sound familiar to anyone? I'm about ready to send the time capsule back and just resurrect my old airport that worked flawlessly for years. This airport TC has been a huge disappointment so far.
Thanks

There are some real issues between Mavericks and TC .. (or just network bugginess!!)
There is a heap of things you can do but it is easier to just run through the whole lot in order. None is necessarily the cure and that is why doing all is important.
The list is in this thread.
Airport Utility shows "unexpected error - please try again" when connecting to Time Capsule
In your case using ethernet can be a problem.. let me say please make sure you have ipv6 set to link-local only in your ethernet setup. I usually only show it in wireless but for you it must be ethernet. The wireless connection seems to be utterly required now for connection.. and hidden away into the airport utility is a switch over from wireless to ethernet. When I made the manual setup instructions above this particular ability (or stupidity) of the Airport Utility was not apparent to me.
So here is typical Airport Utility (AU) v6.. but it is actually working over wireless only. (The v5 utility was wireless + ethernet).
I have an ethernet client on the network that is completely invisible.
Click on the Other WiFi Devices (wrongly named.. it should say other devices).
And you will see the option to choose ethernet.
Then the AU sees the ethernet client and none of the wireless clients.. brilliant stuff eh??
PS this is just a test setup.. never would I have any TC with such an illegal name.. But I hope it shows you what to do.
Fix the names.. most important.. keep them short.. less than 10 characters all the better.
No spaces and pure alphanumeric.

Lost connection with Time Capsule (Office for Mac programmes run down)

My colleague and I work at the office with 2 Macbooks. Both are connected wirelessly to the Time Capsule, which we use as a shared hard disk. We use Office 2008 for Mac. Now Word and Excel run down often after of little things like doing a search or cutting and pasting. I get the spinning ball can only do a forced quit to end the program. This is frustrating and time consuming!
A friend told me to change my UID, cause my colleague and I both have the same UID (501) at our Macbooks. He downloaded Server Admin Tools to change my UID into 1001 with Work Group Manager. But when I arrived at the office this morning I didn't have a connection with the Time Capsule. To be able to work I changed the UID back to 501 again (but now I can't open excel document inless I drag them to the hard disk of my Macbook).
The friend is not a Apple professional so he doens’t know how to help me anymore. Does anyone else have a suggestion?

Temporarily, try connecting an Ethenret cable from your Mac to one of the LAN <-> ports on the Time Capsule
Open AirPort Utility and Click Manual Setup
Click on the word "Status" (2nd Line) and a window will open to with information about why the light is flashing amber

Is Time Capsule right for me?

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