Time Capsule & Airport Extreme Speed Issues

Hello everyone!
I hope to be able to have a solution to my home network problems..??!! (hopefully!)
My Home Network Setup & Problem
I have my ADSL modem hard wired into a 1st generation Airport Extreme, I also have a 3rd Generation 2TB TimeCapsule extending the wireless network.
One iMac & one MacBook Pro (new(ish) ones) use the network for home use.
All softwares and firmwares are upto date. My house is relatively small with excellant wireless coverage throughout.
My problem is that when I transfer files wirelessly across the network either to my TimeCapsule or computer to computer it peaks at about 2mb/sec and is "sporadic" at best!
I monitor the wireless traffic with iStat Pro and see a graph which goes up and down continuously, it obviously is not happy. The same happens with downloads from the web but this might not be a network issue, but maybe it is?
It is not normal to wait 4hrs for a 7Gb transfer, surely!!
Any suggestions would be most helpful. I've reset everything, started from scratch and had no success. I can answer any questions you may need to know to help with this, i'm not an expert with computers but I have an alright knowledge.. Please don't confuse me with too much technical lingo but I understand the basics!!
All machines have OSX Lion also
Matt

Possibly, but I would venture to guess that the TC is not in the optimal location to maintain the highest data transfer rates on the extended network with the AEBSn.
To help locate where that would be, we will need to make Signal-to-Noise Ratio calculations to measure the signal quality of the AEBSn at the location the TC.
SNR (in dB) = Signal (in dBm) - Noise (in dBm)
You can easily find the Signal and Noise value using System Profiler on your Mac laptop.
ref: Click on the Apple icon on the menu bar > About This Mac > More Info... > Contents > Network > AirPort > Interfaces > en1 > Current Network Information > Find your wireless network > Signal / Noise
While your still in the System Profiler, note the value for Transmit Rate.
These values should be negative numbers. For example, mine currently read: -67 dBm / -95 dBm, with a transmit rate of 27 (Mbps). Plugging in these numbers yield: SNR = -67 - (-95) = 28. My Mac Mini is about four rooms away from my AEBS with about five walls between them. As you can see, the signal is still quite useable ... but the bandwidth is minimal, especially for streaming.
SNR Guideline
40dB+ SNR = Excellent signal
25dB to 40dB SNR = Very good signal
15dB to 25dB SNR = Low signal
10dB to 15dB SNR = Very low signal
5dB to 10dB SNR = No signal
Again, what we are interested in is the SNR value of the AEBSn at the current location of the TC. Since we only want to measure the AEBSn, you will need to (temporarily) power-down the TC. With your MBP near the TC, take the signal & noise measurements. Since we are trying to find the best location for the TC, move the MBP to the next possible location that you can place the TC and take the same measurements. Repeat this as many times as you require to build a good sampling of data for different potential locations. Now that you collected the data, plug them into the SNR formula to come up with the SNR value. Note these values and determine which location provides the highest SNR value ... this, theoretically would be the best location of the TC. You will want SNR = or greater than 25dB.

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More Time Capsule / Airport Extreme Speed Issues

I have noticed a few of these post and also need assistance on this.
My setup is:
Brand New Dual Band Time Capsule
Brand New N Band Airport Express
Older G Airport Express
The time capsule is set up as the router, N Band Airport Express is used to extend the network. The older G band express is connected to the network for music streaming but not to extend it.
We have three computers, iMac with G band airport card, Macbook and a new MacBook Air.
When we are in the range of the time capsule the internet speed is great. Download speed > 5 mps or more.
When we are in the range of the Airport Express the internet speed is terrible and unuseable ~ < .5 mps
I have tried changing the channel settings for the G and N bands on the router with no change in performance. I have disconnected the cordless phones (DECT type) and no change.
Suggestions are greatly appreciated. If this does not work can someone recommend another router which works with our Macs that I can extend.
Thanks

With your networking equipment, I would suggest the following for best overall bandwidth performance for both radios:
o Reconfigure the Time Capsule (TC) to use the following radio mode: 802.11n only (5 GHz) - 802.11b/g/n
o Configure the TC to use a separate Network Name for the 5 GHz radio.
o Configure the 802.11n AirPort Express Base Station (AXn) to extend the TC's 2.4 GHz radio.
o Configure the 802.11g AirPort Express Base Station (AX) to join the 2.4 GHz network.

Guest network feature of Time Capsule/Airport Extreme in conflict with DNS on OS X Server?

Hi, I want use the guest network feature of Time Capsule/Airport Extreme which requires an external DNS server but my OS X Server is the dns server...Can I configure server and airport with an external dns without messing up my OS server?
Thx Ron

If you want to use the guest network while also using your server for DNS - you will need to do the following: It's a bit painful - but it works.
On your Airport Device (Airport Extreme or Time Capsule) - in the Internet tab you will need to do one of the following:
1) Leave the DNS Servers Blank - which they will default to the DNS servers provided by your ISP.
2) Actually enter your ISP's DNS servers.
3) Enter Open DNS servers (I use 208.67.222.222 / 208.67.220.220).
The DNS servers specified in the airport device must be internet routable addresses (if you are going to use the guest network functionality) - and cannot refer to private ip address (e.g. 10.x.x.x, 192.168.x.x, etc).
Here is the painful part...on all of the devices (Macs, PCs, phones, ipads - that will be used on your "private" network 10.0.1.x - you will need to provide static DNS setting (but still allow DHCP to assign the devices IP address). You will specify 10.0.1.13 as primary DNS and 208.267.222.222 (or your ISP's primary DNS IP).
One you do this - your devices that you permanently use on your local network - will still use your server for DNS - and the external DNS - should your DNS server happen to be down.
Anyone visiting your house - will connect to your guest network - and automatically be DHCP assigned a guest IP address - and the external DNS servers that you specified in the Airport Extreme device.
This has been working great for me. I suspect that the guest network functionality is flawed in the Airport Extreme/Express and Time Capsule. Since I do not have another router that provides a guest network - I cannot say whether this issues is limited to the Airport devices - or whether this workaround would need to be done - regardless of which brand of router is providing the guest network.
In a nutshell - your household permanent devices will have to specify static DNS servers - but your guests will connect seamlessly without having to change and risk messing up any of their device settings.
If this solution works for you - Please be sure to click either "This solved my problem" or "This helped me".

I have a time machine backup file on a USB hard drive. I bought a time capsule / airport extreme, flat 3TB. I wish to transfer the backup file from the usb hard drive to the time capsule hard drive. 10.6.8

I have a time machine backup file on a USB hard drive. I bought a time capsule / airport extreme, flat 3TB. I wish to transfer the backup file from the usb hard drive to the time capsule hard drive. 10.6.8

Unfortunately, Time Machine backups that are stored on a drive that has been connected directly to a Mac are completely different than Time Machine backups that are stored on a Time Capsule.
Frankly, it is not worth the effort and trouble to try to transfer the old backups to the new Time Capsule.....my opinion....having done this in the past.
It is possible though, but I would not recommend it due to the complexity and downsides involved with this. To give you an idea of how to do this, check out this support article.
http://pondini.org/TM/18.html
Even if you transfer the "old" backups over to the Time Capsule successfully, Time Machine will not simply "add on" to the old backups.
Time Machine will make a new complete backup of your Mac and then add incremental backups from that point.
My advice.....start a new backup on the Time Capsule and move forward. Keep the USB hard drive around for a month, maybe 2 or 3 in case you need to go back to an old backup for some reason. At that time, you will not likely need the old backups at all since you will have a current 2-3 month history of new backups. At that point, you can erase the USB drive and use it for another purpose.

Setup a wired network between Time Capsule, Airport Extreme and Express

I currently have a Time Capsule, Airport Extreme N and an Airport Express N. They are currently connected wirelessly via the "extend network" mode. So I do have wireless connection throughout my home but I notice that it is slow especially compared to gigabit Ethernet. I now like to do the same but then connect the three devices over Ethernet as I have on each floor also Ethernet connections available that are connected via a wired switch.
How can I configure the three devices in such a way that they use the gigabit Ethernet wired connections as their "backbone" and then give wireless access to each floor as if it is one wireless network, and where I can connect other wired gigabit devices via the time capsule and airport extreme Ethernet ports?
I have one Internet connection that comes via Ethernet from my cable modem. This is now connected to my time capsule who creates the internal network and assigns internal IP addresses.
Can anybody advise how to configure each device? And to which ethernet port I should Airport Extreme?
Thanks
Alexander

Welcome to the discussion area, Alexander!
+How can I configure the three devices in such a way that they use the gigabit Ethernet wired connections as their "backbone" and then give wireless access to each floor as if it is one wireless network, and where I can connect other wired gigabit devices via the time capsule and airport extreme Ethernet ports?+
You will be setting up what is known as a "roaming" network using the etherent backbone for your network. This will produce the best possible bandwidth on your network for both ethernet and wireless connections.
_On the Time Capsule_
Open AirPort Utility - Click Manual Setup
Click the Wireless tab below the row of icons
Remove the check mark next to "Allow this network to be extended" (This is only checked if you are extending your network using wireless only and you will be using ethernet to connect your devices, not wireless).
Update to save changes and the Time Capsule configuration is complete.
_On the AirPort Extreme_
Connect an ethernet cable from one of the LAN <-> ports on the Time Capsule to your ethernet switch. Then connect another ethernet connection from the switch to the WAN (circle icon) port on the AirPort Extreme.
Open AirPort Utility - Click Manual Setup
Click the Wireless tab below the row of icons
Wireless Mode = Create a wireless network (Not extend as you might think. Extend is only used if the Time Capsule and AirPort Express are connecting using wireless only)
Wireless Network Name = Exact same name as your AirPort Extreme wireless network
Radio Mode = Same setting as your AirPort Extreme
Channel = Automatic
Wireless Security = Exact same setting as your AirPort Extreme wireless network
Wireless Password = Same password as your AirPort Extreme wireless
Confirm Password
Click the Internet icon
Connect Using = Ethernet
Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode)
Update to save changes and configuration is complete
_On the AirPort Express_
You can connect an ethernet cable from the switch..or..from one of the LAN <-> ports on either the Time Capsule or AirPort Extreme, whichever is easier.
Set it up exactly the same as the AirPort Extreme above and update to save changes.
Power off the Time Capsule, AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express for a few moments. Then power up the Time Capsule first and let it run a moment, then power up the AirPort Extreme and then the AirPort Express.
If you have a laptop running Leopard or Snow Leopard, you can move your computer around and check to see which device it is connecting to for wireless. Hold down the option key while you click on the fan shaped AirPort icon at the top of the screen and look for the BSSID. That is the AirPort ID of the device to which you are connected at the time.
To get the AirPort ID of each of your Apple routers, open AirPort Utility and click on a device on the left. On the right, you'll see the AirPort ID for that device.
For ethernet connections, you can plug into an available port on the switch, the Time Capsule, or the AirPort Extreme.
You should be all set. Please post back on your progress.

Time Capsule/Airport Extreme is the same as a Netgear router, right?

Idiotic question, I know. I just wanted to be sure before I bought it. I have Comcast cable internet and I'm leasing one of their Netgear Wireless Cable Modem Gateway - CG814WG routers. That router is horrible (the connection dies when my wife is on her computer and I'm playing Halo 3) and I want to replace it with Time Capsule so I can have a better connection with my computers and XBox 360. The Time Capsule/Airport Extreme can replace my Netgear with no problems, right? I believe I'll have a much better network experience without losing connection like I did with my Netgear.
Side note: The internet feed to the house is fine. My cable tv is fine and the line is good, so I'm figuring it has to be the horrible router since everyone else has complained about that model from Netgear as well. I'm just hoping Time Capsule will be my ultimate replacement.

Excellent. I did contact my ISP and cross-referenced their list with the bestselling cable modems on Amazon.com. Looks like the Motorola SB5120 Surfboard modem works great. It also has an ethernet port and cable so I guess that'll connect easily to Time Capsule since you said I only need an ethernet cable.
I guess I might have to make sure the initial setup goes good, in which case I might be back here to make sure I did that right.
Thanks for the help though. At least I'll know that I'll have the right hardware that works with everything I have.
Message was edited by: SomeTechGuy

Time Capsule --- Airport extreme ---- 2 airport express en wds

Hi,
I created a wds network for my house.
I set the timecapsule as the main base and set the aiport extreme and two airport express as remote.
My problem is that everything is working well except for the second airport express. I checked everything and the second airport express is set exactly like the first one and each ones is listed in the main one.... So why it is not working for the second one? Is there a maximum of remote airport express allowed as remote base stations??
Thanks in advance

Hello, catburlow.
If I understand correctly, your network setup is like this:
Internet <---wired---> Time Capsule <~~~WiFi~~~> Extreme <~~~WiFi~~~> Express #1 <~~~WiFi~~~> Express #2
…where Express #2 is wirelessly connected to Express #1, not to the Extreme. Is this correct?
If so, you may need to set up the first AirPort Express as a relay instead of a remote.
Also, if all your AirPorts support 802.11n, there's a much easier alternative to WDS:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=AirPortUtility/5.1/en/ap2124.html

Time Capsule Airport Extreme Airport Express - IP Address Issues, Internet dropping...

I have a brand new Time Capsule 3TB functioning as my main wireless router from a Motorola SB6141 Cable Internet Modem. I have a Airport Extreme and Airport Express extending the network from my Time Capsule 3TB. After the intial setup there were no connection issues for several days. However, yesterday I began to experience issues where the Time Capsule starting telling me that other devices on the network were trying to assign IP Addresses to change from DHCPand NAT to Bridge Mode. What is the best solution for this? My temporary solution is just to do a hard reset of the SB6141 which seems to alleviate the issue until the next day. Please help!

There is definitely some issues with the SB6141 modem and the new AC version Extreme and TC.
I have recommended to several people to use a crossover cable or a small 10/100 switch.
Either is a very cheap item and I cannot promise a solution but it has helped.
Net time it happens please login with airport utility and take a few screenshots of the TC summary page and internet tab and post them here.

Time capsule airport extreme and airport express set up question

I have all three
Can I use the 3rd generation airport extreme then setup roaming network by connecting using Ethernet to a 4th generation time capsule and then use the airport extreme to extend the 2.4ghz network wirelessly or do I have to use the time capsule as primary?
What should the settings be to get then talking correctly?
My issue is I get weak 2.4ghz reception in the back of my apartment, my 5ghz speeds are great.

To connect your Mac to the modem you may need to reset your modem to convince it to connect to a "new" device. Depending on the model of modem, that can be as easy as removing power for a few moments. If that doesn't work, remove power and wait 15 minutes. Further reset steps can involve pressing a "reset" button or removing a battery if the modem has one. In the worst case, your ISP may need to edit its settings to update to the MAC address of the new router. If they won't or can't do that, powering down the modem for 16 to 36 hours can reset the connection.

How to setup a network with a time capsule, airport extreme and an airport express?

Hello.
First I want to make it clear all my knowledge off wireless networks is going on forums on the internet, before a couple of months ago I didn't realize wireless networking was so intricate so forgive my lack of experience.
I just bought a time capsule (today, 4th generation), I have an airport extreme bought in January 2011 (they just got refreshed so mine is now one generation old) and the same with my airport express (bought in January).
I originally bought the airport extreme and setup a wireless network using the dual band setup. I have no issues with the 5ghz network and most of my devices run on wireless n so I had no issues with them. my only two wireless devices that can not use the 5ghz network is my iPhone 4's which use wireless n but it has to use the 2.4ghz signal. Problem is in my apartment I am bombarded with other peoples 2.4ghz networks so my signal is terrible 10-15 feet from the airport extreme. Near my extreme I am getting signal ranges around 15mb to 20 mb. When Im about 15 minutes away in my bedroom (so one wall in between) my signal plummets to 1-2 mb. sometimes as low as 0.17mb which is not good. I got the airport express to extend my range and placed it in my bedroom. . After setting up the airport express the signal still was terrible. I researched and realized that if the signal strength ***** then the airport express cant boost the signal as much which makes sense in hind sight. I then researched setting up a roaming network or a WDS network. Per research a WDS network was not recommended b/c I was not using a wireless g network. I attempted to create a roaming network and then realized that you can not use an airport express in a roaming network. This has led me to now buy a time capsule.
First, in my setup do I or should I have the time capsule as the primary? I believe its more powerful than the airport extreme but Im not sure if that matters in a network that is distributing wifi from ethernet (thats how I am connected the extreme and the time capsule)
so can I do
cable modem ETHERNET Airport extreme(in the living room where its always been and works great in that immediate area) (3rd generation) ETHERNET Time Capsule(in the bedroom where I usually get poor signal) (4th gen) and then an airport express connecting to the 2.4ghz signal in the bedroom where the time capsule also is EXTENDING the wireless range?
or should it be the time capsule first bc its more powerful?
I tried setting up this setup and everything is green but I don't know if what I am doing is actually working on full cylinders b/c I am confused on some aspects. mainly on the airport extreme which is the primary device I have under the wireless tab selected create a wireless network and on the time capsule it also is on create a wireless network with the network name being exactly the same. Should it be changed to extend a wireless network? and then bridge mode? Should I have different channels for the different devices that are on 2.4ghz?
I am open to hear ANY suggestions, or ideas to improve my setup. PLEASE PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!, lol its been 5 long months of poor internet in my bedroom where my wife has her setup with a roku box and wifi tv (I have those hardwired for now) but mainly for her iPad and iPhone b/c its so bad sometimes she has to turn wifi off and use 3G. I have same issue in my bathroom, sometimes Im getting decent signal and sometimes its so bad I can't open the link on an RSS feed in safari which I have to assume doesn't require that much bandwith?
I have no wireless g devices. The only device I need 2.4ghz for is my iPhone 4's but they both use n also. All my other deivices connect on 5ghz and my 5ghz network is decent, a lot better than the 2.4ghz network atleast.

You wrote so much that I find it hard to address all your concerns. However, here are some thoughts:
1) I'd configure the Time Capsule as the "main" router, connected directly to your cable modem. Configure it to "create a wireless network" and to "Allow this network to be extended". Configure the other devices to "Extend a wireless network".
2) Put any device that's extending the network half way between the main router and the wireless clients. If the signal from the main router is weak at the cllient's location, then the extending device will also receive a weak signal.

Time Capsule + Airport Extreme very slow internet connection

first time post here, looking for some help.
I have a small wireless network at home which runs as follows.
Modem - time capsule (acting as wireless router to macbook pro) - ethernet connection to iMac
I would like to extend the range of the wireless network as we dont get signal upstairs. To do this I have added an airport extreme to extend the signal (as someone gave me one for christmas!).
The network works fine, signal is great all over the house however internet traffic is very very slow when devices are connected to just the extreme station (ie when out of range from the time capsule).
Does anyone have any suggestions as to why my internet connection upstairs is very very slow?

Thanks for the reply. It seems to have helped a little - should I expect slower speeds from the extended network?

Time Capsule / Airport Extreme client mode and alternatives

I have three PCs on a boat.
I want to create a wired Ethernet with shared internet access via wifi from a remote, land-based access point. I have no control over the broadband router at the other end (so putting an apple device at the other end is not an option).
I read here:
http://bc.whirlpool.net.au/bc/hardware/?action=hview&modelid=264
... that the Time Capsule supports "client mode", so I bought a TC today with fingers crossed.
As soon as I configure the TC for client mode, it disappears off the wired Ethernet. In the instructions for the TC, there is a diagram showing the TC operating in what looks like client mode, but without any Ethernet devices attached. My interpretation is that if it does support client mode, it only does so as a wireless network drive and USB hub (ie no wired Ethernet). Correct?
So, I think my options are:
1. Plug a wireless gaming adaptor into the WAN port on the TC and use that to connect the TC to the remote broadband connection.
or
2. Take the TC back to the shop and get a gigabit router with aftermarket dd-wrt firmware to enable it to run in client mode, and then buy a gigabit NAS.
Am I talking sense?
Hopefully,
R

Thanks for your reply...
I am thinking of keeping the Airport Extreme as I have my PS3 and my Xbox 360 Elite connected to it by Ethernet and my Wii connected by Wi-Fi.
So the Wireless clients are the iMac, iPhones / iPod Touch, Nintendo Wii and my Canon Wi-Fi printer... all of which necessitate the 802.11n (b&g compatible) setting on the AEBS
I think that means that the Time capsule, Apple TV, Macbook and Airport Express will run on a throttled back 802.11n when ever there is no activity from the other devices... I am not entirely sure how the b&g compatible setting works.
One of my favourite things about my setup is being able to use the iPhone Remote App to control my Macbook, Apple TV and Airport Express. Sadly, I have to have iTunes running on my computer as Apple Tv won't transmit its content to Airport Express which would be the ideal.
Time Capsule has now been setup but I want to connect the HDD by USB and then use it as a Network drive, hopefully at 802.11n speeds. I will look into partitioning the Time Capsule but it has almost 300GB of Movies and I don't want to have to start again with all of that...

Time Capsule + Airport Extreme + xbox 360

I currently have an Airport Extreme in my den on the main floor of our house. My son has an xbox 360 in the basement. Because of the compatibility issues with the "n" mode and Xbox 360, my son runs a 100' cable from the Airport Extreme to the xBox 360 because we don't want to drop down to the "b," etc. modes.
So, If I were to get Time Capsule, use it as my primary wireless base station/backup, could I then move my current Airport Extreme down next to the xBox 360 to extend the signal and then simply run, like, a 2 ft. cord from the Airport Extreme to the xBox 360.
I hate that 100 ft. cord--is this a solution?

We are all making the assumption (though it isn't stated in the specs) that Time Capsule will support the wireless distribution system (WDS) feature provided in all previous Airport Extreme base station models. If that assumption is correct then yes - your proposed plan for a wireless connection to the XBox would work just fine.
Before purchasing I suggest you wait until Time Capsule actually ships, and Apple makes the user manual for this device available.

I'm trying to decide between the time capsule & airport extreme. With either option, will i not have air play?

I'm trying to decide between the time capsule & airport extreme. With either option, will i not have air play? I have an IMAC, MACBOOK, 2 Apple TVs, 3 iPhones...

AIrplay to digital or analogue devices like speakers or hifi system is only available in Express. Or Apple TV.
The TC or Extreme will pass airplay protocol just fine to your ATV.
The Extreme and TC and now identical apart from the TC having an internal hard disk.

Best configuration for Time Capsule & Airport Extreme running one wireless network?

We just moved to a house that does not have Ethernet pre-wired so I've had to re-setup the wireless network in a different configuration and it seems we're experiencing deteriorated wireless signal for devices like laptops. It will work perfectly fine (and fast! wheee!!!) but then it will slow to a crawl and mostly timeout. before I reset everything and start from scratch, I'd like some help. As an FYI, when connected via Ethernet to either of these, Internet is blazingly fast… so my problem here is the Wireless portion.
As some background, here is how we had the network set up in the previous house which was working great (although it was wired for Ethernet which made things A LOT easier):
Airport Extreme (4th Generation)
Wireless Mode: Create a Wireless Network
Internet Facing (Connected to the Cable Modem)
Location: Upstairs Utility Closet (with Smartbox and cable modem)
Time Capsule (1st Generation)
Wireless Mode: Extend a Wireless Network
Joined to existing network above, but also connected to the Ethernet jack
Location: Upstairs Office
Here is the current set up we have running:
Time Capsule (1st Generation)
Wireless Mode: Create a Wireless Network
Internet Facing (Connected to the Cable Modem)
Radio Mode: 802.11n (b/g compatible)
Location: Upstairs Office
Airport Extreme (4th Generation)
Wireless Mode: Extend a Wireless Network
Joined to existing network above with NO incoming Ethernet connection
Location: Downstairs Family Room
My understanding is that the Airport Extreme should pick up and relay the signal downstairs, as well as provide the router for the devices downstairs that need Ethernet (TiVo, Apple TV, etc).
So, my question is (and thank you in advance for helping me sort this out!), what would be the best configuration to optimize the Wireless performance in the house?
Also, for whichever device is the one picking up the existing network and providing the router capabilities for the Tivo and such, is it possible for it to pick up but not rebroadcast the signal? I think in this new house we may have a good enough signal from the office, without the need to rebroadcast it. My theory is that in this house, they are too close together and interfere with each other and/or devices aren't sure which to choose so they bounce back and forth endlessly. Again, just a theory.
Many thanks again for your help! If I've left out any information, please ask and I can provide.

Should they be running on the same channel (as with the "Extend" option previously? Or just both on Automatic channels?
I would recommend the Automatic setting on both devices because this will allow each router to scan and choose an open channel automatically. If you want to set the channels manually, keep them separated by at least 4-5 channels. You would not want to ever use the same channel for both devices in this type of "roaming" setup.
Is there a way to limit bandwidth per device (or action) so that it doesn't monopolize the network and keep other devices from using it?
Nothing that I am aware of. It sounds like you have some young users who are likely visiting Bit Torrent sites, which will really gobble up the bandwidth with big, heavy downloads. The Time Machine has to back up the same files again when it makes the next pass, so that clogs things up again.
Backups would go 3-5 times faster, on average, if the computer(s) could connect using Ethernet, but I understand that wires are not cool with the younger crowd.
should BOTH the TC and AE be set up in Bridge mode?
The AirPort Extreme should be set up in Bridge Mode.
The Time Capsule...it depends. If the TC is connected to a simple cable modem...then the correct setting for Connection Sharing would be "Share a public IP address" on the TC. That is because a simple modem has only 1 IP address to deliver. The TC takes that address and "shares" it with other devices by setting up a local network for all your other devices.
If the TC is connected to a gateway....a combination modem/router in the same box that usually has 3-4 Ethernet ports on the device....then that device would be considered the main router on the network and the TC would be configured in Bridge Mode in that case to function correctly on the network.

Time Capsule & Airport Extreme Speed Issues

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