2tb Time Capsule or Mac Mini w/ attatched storage

[cbster]

I recently purchased a MacBook Pro 17" and I am looking for a wireless time machine solution. The 2tb time capsule is appealing, but it is $500 and I dont really need another router.

I was thinking about purchasing a used mac mini and connecting it to the network with an external storage attatched.

Does anyone know if this will work with time machine from my macbook pro?

Has anyone tried something like this?

Thanks
CB

 

[Hellhammer]

Does your router have any USB ports? Many modern routers have few USB ports for printers and external storage

 

[mcxreflex]

I think a mac mini isnt a good solution. Think you only can use one 2,5" drive with a maximum from 750-1000GB. Wireless data transfer is slow in my opinion not usefull for data storage. Its very expensive and unflexibel. If you have enough money buy an Mac Pro with a airport extreme. Very nice but very expensive.

I think buy a second Time Capsule or use a cable bound storage. You have a mbp so use fw.

Edit: Alternativly can you use extern storage with an ethernetport.

 

[Le Big Mac]

I recently purchased a MacBook Pro 17" and I am looking for a wireless time machine solution. The 2tb time capsule is appealing, but it is $500 and I dont really need another router.

I was thinking about purchasing a used mac mini and connecting it to the network with an external storage attatched.

Does anyone know if this will work with time machine from my macbook pro?

Has anyone tried something like this?

Thanks
CB

In principle you can back up over a network to an external drive attached to another computer. Before I got a TC, my wife's MB backed up to an external on my iMac. So, putting aside the other concerns with the Mini, you should be able to use it for this.

 

[cbster]

Does your router have any USB ports? Many modern routers have few USB ports for printers and external storage

It is a DLINK extreme with a usb port; but when i connected an external to it, nothing showed up in finder.

 

[cbster]

In principle you can back up over a network to an external drive attached to another computer. Before I got a TC, my wife's MB backed up to an external on my iMac. So, putting aside the other concerns with the Mini, you should be able to use it for this.

Are you satisfied with TC? Any issues?

 

[Hellhammer]

It is a DLINK extreme with a usb port; but when i connected an external to it, nothing showed up in finder.

Could be that it only works for printers I've never tried my suggestion so I don't even know is it possible.

I found this which would make it possible. It's only 58$ and would let you to use your old HD(s) with your router. Don't know how good it it though or does it work with OS X. Or buy network HD enclosure like this. With two bays, you can easily have 2TBs for less than 300$

 

[mcxreflex]

Or buy network HD enclosure like this. With two bays, you can easily have 2TBs for less than 300$

You said it. If he use 2 x 2TB hdds he pay about 400$ for 4TB with network access. You must know its very slow.

 

[Le Big Mac]

Are you satisfied with TC? Any issues?

Yeah, it died. Apple replaced it for free last week, though.

If i were doing it again, I'd go Airport Extreme plus an external hard drive to get the same (or nearly) functionality. I have less than 100% confidence that the same fate won't befall this TC.

That said, for the 20 months prior to failure it worked as promised. My only issue is that configuring the router is a mixed bag. It has some good advanced features but some other little things are missing (why can't i generate a DHCP clients table that lists them all?).