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From:Apple , Apple Computer ,
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User Rating: Amazon Sales Rank:#1582 |
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Not quite as advertised..., 2008-11-25
Got this to serve as network-attached storage and backup for several computers with an existing wireless network. I read some critical reviews, but decided to try it anyway, because the other network attached storage solutions were reputably even harder to administer ([...] or too expensive (Data Robotics DR04DD10 Drobo 4-Bays USB 2.0 and FireWire 800 Fully Automated SATA Robotic Storage Array and Droboshare, Network Attached Companion for Drobo). I didn't consider a USB external drive because I want to be able to access my files from my notebook computer when the one desktop computer we have is asleep or out of sorts.
Here's what I learned after buying it that you should know before:
- Automatic backup is only for Mac machines with Time Machine (a feature of Leopard, which is a $100 upgrade I haven't done yet). For any other machine you have to configure it yourself somehow (there are no instructions for doing this). Also, I haven't been able to get it to work with Windows Vista's automatic backup feature - I get some kind of RPC server error when I try to specify to back up to the TC.
- It can't connect wirelessly to a wireless network that isn't 802.11.n. It kind of says it might work, but when I tried to configure it with my 802.11.g router, it just stopped responding and I had to reset it.
- It won't work with a network that's got less than 128-bit WEP encryption. This is a direct contradiction to something this product description says. Also it requires a 13-character ASCII WEP password, not a hexidecimal password.
- If you use it to access the internet through another router, it "dumbs down" its speed to the speed of that router. Even if I'm just writing files between my Mac and the Time Capsule, it's limited to the speed of the older, non-Apple router.
- Time Capsule supports WPA and WPA2 encryption, but if you use it with Windows machines or another router tech support says you should not try to use WPA because non-Apple equipment might have problems supporting it. WPA is supposedly better than WEP.
- The best scenario is to have it be your only wireless router. Although you can configure it to be a "member" of the network or to "extend your wireless network" if you connect it via Ethernet, Apple tech support discourages that. One tech I talked with said she had a customer who configured it to work with another router and it worked at first but then stopped working for no apparent reason.
- If you have a wireless router from your ISP you might have to reconfigure it (to change the password and encryption strength) and/or turn off the wireless feature to let Time Capsule be the boss.
On the bright side, Apple wireless support was free, easy to get, and helpful. (Except for the part where they kept telling me it probably wouldn't work the way I wanted it to!)
After a few days attempts to configure it, I can mount it as a network drive and it seems to be working (I'm copying 25GB of photos to it now). I haven't tried backing up to it yet, since I haven't researched yet how to do that on Tiger or figured out how to make it work on Windows.
I still think it's a decent price for a network-attached 1TB drive, but unless you have an all-Mac household and it can be your only wireless access point, you will have to do a lot of work on your own to make it do everything you want it to.
 Excellent disk/router solution, 2008-11-17
Excellent product. Design great as usual with apple.
Just a little remark, and I was not the only one, I did not succeed to connect the time capsule to my actual router by wifi.
I succeeded to do that only by Ethernet.
 paid for and never delivered, 2008-10-28
My credit card was charged & the prodcut was never delivered, seller claims he will issue refund but I have not heard from him in a while.
Seller: infinite surplus.
2 of 4 customers found the following review helpful:
1TB Time Capsule - Home Office Upgrade, 2008-10-10
I upgraded the OS on my iMac 21 and my wife's iMac19 from Tiger to Leopard (10.5.3) then immediately removed my old Linksys wireless router and installed a new 1TB Time Capsule. I then shutdown the Comcast modem (it carries VoIP, Cable TV and Broadband) plus Time Capsule, and both iMacs - completely. I made sure the Comcast modem back-up batteries were removed as the internal electronics have to be completely drained... for at least 5 minutes. Then, I powered up the Comcast modem and allowed all lights to sequence on. Waited 5 minutes, then powered up the Time Capsule and waited about 5 minutes for the front panel light to turn green. Then I powered up one iMac. At this point Airport 5.3 recognized the Time Capsule. I turned TC off, the powered up the second iMac - did same and turned TC off on it. At this point I went back to my iMac21 and turned TC ON and allowed it to backup the drive which took about 8 hours. The iMac19 took about 4 hours. All is running perfectly. I am very pleased with the product!!
2 of 15 customers found the following review helpful:
Don't Buy Unless You Are An IT Professional!, 2008-09-22
I am the proud owner of this $485 paperweight. I tried to set up today; converting from a Linksys Wireless Router connected to cable modem. Following the poorly written directions did not result in a connection. I spent an hour on the phone with a distracted support person who got it working. Thirty minutes later it stopped working. Another hour on the phone with support whose answer for everything is a reset and closing and opening the Airport utility, I gave up and tried to revert back to my Linksys router. Now the Mac won't recognize that anymore either. So, not only did the Time Capsule fail to work as advertised, it poisoned my connection with my old wireless router. If you are not an IT Pro who can troubleshoot complex things yourself, don't buy this because it doesn't talk to Macs very well and the support people are not helpful. I will now be checking what my return options are.
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