Airport Extreme vs. Time Capsule

wbensky · Feb 7, 2013

Hey Guys,

I need to get a new router because of my Belkin router having some page-loading issues. I looked at both the Time Capsule and the Airport Extreme and both seem functional, but there is a considerable price difference between the too. I already back up my MacBook Air with an external USB drive, but it is somewhat noisy and has a really annoying bright LED. Plus, it takes up a USB port which is somewhat crucial because of the MBAs limited number of ports. Should I buy the Extreme or spend more and purchase the Time Capsule? I do want to get an Apple router, but the Airport Express is not quite functional enough with only two ethernet ports. Thanks in advance.

Spink10 · Feb 7, 2013

I personally love the TC - worth the price for the connivence of having router/external together. Plus a like the :apple:

logo.

marc11 · Feb 7, 2013

wbensky said:
Hey Guys,

I need to get a new router because of my Belkin router having some page-loading issues. I looked at both the Time Capsule and the Airport Extreme and both seem functional, but there is a considerable price difference between the too. I already back up my MacBook Air with an external USB drive, but it is somewhat noisy and has a really annoying bright LED. Plus, it takes up a USB port which is somewhat crucial because of the MBAs limited number of ports. Should I buy the Extreme or spend more and purchase the Time Capsule? I do want to get an Apple router, but the Airport Express is not quite functional enough with only two ethernet ports. Thanks in advance.

You can plug your USB into your Extreme and back up to that wirelessly. It would still be noisy, but a Time Capsule is also noisy to some degree. Since you own the USB drive, may as well save a few bucks and go with the AEBS IMHO.

Just keep in mind the Time Capsules have a history of going bad two to three years after purchase, I had both an AEBS and a TC both die within a month of each other, located in two different locations and both were purchased within a couple of months of each other. Both pretty much 2 1/2 years old.

Then again, I am sure someone will post they have had one for 10 years with no problem; just saying, something to think about.

spatlese44 · Feb 8, 2013

Airport Extreme is a great router. Even a non Apple fan IT friend bought one as he said he'd had it playing games with cheaper routers. That said, I would go with a used TC. I've been looking and you can easily find one for $150 for the 500GB version, which should work for you. A little more for a higher capacity one, but you might want to at least look into that market. Sometimes people get these things and sell them sealed in the box for cheap as they have another solution and no idea what to do with the TC.

KiwiAdventure · Feb 8, 2013

Go with the Time Capsule as I've had my Mac Mini and my Mac Book Pro both had hard drive replacements in the last 4 months. I never lost a thing when I recovered all my back ups from the TC it was very seamless.

ElCani · Feb 8, 2013

FYI, the time capsule has a quite bright, quite annoying green LED on the front.

nephron8 · Feb 8, 2013

i am also in same dilemma and need to decide what would be use of time capsule hdd in windows pc's?

Weaselboy · Feb 8, 2013

marc11 said:
You can plug your USB into your Extreme and back up to that wirelessly.

That setup is not supported by Apple. Some users here report it works, while others say it sometimes just stops for no reason. I would not trust my data to this solution.

wbensky · Feb 8, 2013

Thanks for all the quick responses guys

. Does anyone know an approximate range of the wi-fi signals that these things produce? Are they the same (I would assume so)?

Weaselboy · Feb 8, 2013

wbensky said:
Thanks for all the quick responses guys . Does anyone know an approximate range of the wi-fi signals that these things produce? Are they the same (I would assume so)?

Here is a good review of both that includes some range tests that might help you.

Hard to answer your question since everybody's house is different. How big an area are you trying to cover?

wbensky · Feb 8, 2013

Weaselboy said:
Here is a good review of both that includes some range tests that might help you.

Hard to answer your question since everybody's house is different. How big an area are you trying to cover?

Not a huge area, maybe about 100-150 feet or so. I also have an older airport express that (I think) can be used to extend the network via ethernet cable. I guess with all this, I should be good?

Weaselboy · Feb 8, 2013

wbensky said:
Not a huge area, maybe about 100-150 feet or so. I also have an older airport express that (I think) can be used to extend the network via ethernet cable. I guess with all this, I should be good?

Yes, you can extend with the Express.

Do you mean 150 feet linear distance (as opposed to 150 square feet)? To get a wifi signal 150 indoors through multiple walls is going to be tough. 150 square feet would be no problem.

wbensky · Feb 8, 2013

Yeah I mean linear, but I just did a more careful measurement, and it seems like it is more like 75-100 feet. My house doesn't have too many walls in this area, only about two really solid ones.

blueroom · Feb 8, 2013

Me, I use an AEBS and a Synology NAS. Just so much more flexible IMO.

Weaselboy · Feb 8, 2013

wbensky said:
Yeah I mean linear, but I just did a more careful measurement, and it seems like it is more like 100 feet. My house doesn't have too many walls in this area, only about two really solid ones.

Hmm... that is a long distance. With just two walls, you might be okay. Are you getting a decent wifi signal with the Belkin at 100 feet? If you are, the Apple product should not be any worse.

wbensky · Feb 8, 2013

Weaselboy said:
Hmm... that is a long distance. With just two walls, you might be okay. Are you getting a decent wifi signal with the Belkin at 100 feet? If you are, the Apple product should not be any worse.

Well, my MBA is connected via ethernet cable close to the router, but I like to use my iPad throughout the house. I have an iMac on the opposite side of the house that my router and MBA is. I get an okay wi-fi signal on it, so I would like to run an ethernet cable under the house to the iMac, but would I have issues with the distance of a class 6 ethernet cable? Thanks for all your help so far.

Weaselboy · Feb 8, 2013

wbensky said:
Well, my MBA is connected via ethernet cable close to the router, but I like to use my iPad throughout the house. I have an iMac on the opposite side of the house that my router and MBA is. I get an okay wi-fi signal on it, so I would like to run an ethernet cable under the house to the iMac, but would I have issues with the distance of a class 6 ethernet cable? Thanks for all your help so far.

You can go over 300 feet with a CAT6 cable, so you would be fine.

Glad to help.

marc11 · Feb 8, 2013

Weaselboy said:
That setup is not supported by Apple. Some users here report it works, while others say it sometimes just stops for no reason. I would not trust my data to this solution.

Used it for almost three years with zero problems. It may not be supported but it does work fine.

Weaselboy · Feb 8, 2013

marc11 said:
Used it for almost three years with zero problems. It may not be supported but it does work fine.

Glad it is working for you, but for many users it is just not consistent and will stop working for seemingly no reason at all. You can search and there are many forum posts about the problem.

If you search Mountain Lion or Lion help on your Mac, you will see that it even explicitly tells you not to do this.

marc11 · Feb 8, 2013

Weaselboy said:
Glad it is working for you, but for many users it is just not consistent and will stop working for seemingly no reason at all. You can search and there are many forum posts about the problem.

Yes I know and not trying to argue with you but there are just as many if not more people that use it with zero problems too. I guess when looking you can find what you want to find, it works or it doesn't. But its your setup go with what you are most comfortable with.

InfoTime · Jan 5, 2016

Weaselboy said:
That setup is not supported by Apple. Some users here report it works, while others say it sometimes just stops for no reason. I would not trust my data to this solution.

Looks like that has now changed with the newer Airport Extreme that was released a few months after your post.

https://tidbits.com/article/14347

Weaselboy · Jan 5, 2016

InfoTime said:
Looks like that has now changed with the newer Airport Extreme that was released a few months after your post.

https://tidbits.com/article/14347

Yep... this is a pretty old post. There is an updated Apple support doc. that shows the new AE can be used also.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201250

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