Can't Decide: Airport Extreme, Time Capsule, or LaCie Wireless Space

[smeg36]

So I want to get a network hard drive to do automated Time Machine backups. I have an external HD that I've been using, but only do it every few days when I remember to plug it in. Which means I can lose a few days data if something goes wrong, which I did last week. So in my research I've found three solutions that will work for me. But I just can't decide which to get, and would love suggestions.

1) Get the Airport Extreme, and connect a spare 250GB HD I have laying around doing nothing. This is the cheapest solution. I have an Airport Express now, and love it, but want the USB HD feature of the Extreme. This is the lowest cost solution.

2) So I'm thinking, as long as I spend the $129 for a refurb Extreme, why not spend $50 more and get the refurb 1TB Time Capsule. It's basically the Extreme with a 1TB HD build in.

3) Then I think, as long as I spend $179 on a Time Capsule, why not spend $37 more and get the LaCie Wireless Space, which does everything the Time Capsule does (minus the dual band), but would also work as a media server for my PS3.

So the jump from number 1 to number 2 isn't very expensive. And the jump from number 2 to 3 isn't very expensive. But when I look at the cost difference between 1 and 3 it's almost $100. I just can't decide which to get. Anyone care to comment?

 

[jenzjen]

I don't know the difference but the current gen TM is actually 219 vs 179 for the prior gen, so that's another +40. I would get at least what's must have, which reads like backups, so spring for the refurb current gen 1TB TM.

 

[smeg36]

Well, they all do backups. It's just added features that are nice to have in the more expensive options. I don't really know the difference between the previous and current generation Time Capsule's either.

 

[JamesMB]

Well, they all do backups. It's just added features that are nice to have in the more expensive options. I don't really know the difference between the previous and current generation Time Capsule's either.

Some of the previous gen TC's had a power supply problem and died after 18 months, they had it narrowed down to certain serial numbers, and I would bet that the refurbs have the newer power supply in them, but after reading all the posts about dead TC's, I would only buy a current gen TC.
I also know that the previous gen Airport Extremes were single band only, and since the TC is basically an Extreme with a HDD in it, I would imagine (I haven't compared the specs) that the previous TC is also single band.

I have a new (current version) Extreme and have decided to buy another one to extend my network, I also need a new 1 TB HDD for backups. For the price of a new Extreme and a quality HDD I can get a new TC and be done with it. A little easier set-up also. The only thing that's holding me back on the TC are the negative posts and reviews on the TC. I think that the majority of the posts and bad reviews are from the previous versions that are still failing...But I'm not sure about that.
EDIT: Here is a link that you might be interested in.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/507488/

 

[smeg36]

Yeah, I read about the Time Capsule failures. There's actually been 4 revisions of the Time Capsule now, and it was the first generation that had problems. So buying a refurb previous generation (the 3rd) should be safe from the power supply failure that the first gen faced. I think the newest gen is just faster than the previous gen. That's the only difference I could find between the two.

 

[JamesMB]

Yeah, I read about the Time Capsule failures. There's actually been 4 revisions of the Time Capsule now, and it was the first generation that had problems. So buying a refurb previous generation (the 3rd) should be safe from the power supply failure that the first gen faced. I think the newest gen is just faster than the previous gen. That's the only difference I could find between the two.

Thanks, that's good to know...I have just about talked myself into ordering one.

 

[smeg36]

To follow up on my own thread, I got a Western Digital My Book Live to try out connected to a wired router, which my Airport Express is also connected to. Speed was super slow over the Airport Express, and the media server on the WD wasn't very good with my PS3 (mostly the PS3's fault). So I decided to return it and order the Time Capsule. It should be here by the end of the week.

 

[JamesMB]

To follow up on my own thread, I got a Western Digital My Book Live to try out connected to a wired router, which my Airport Express is also connected to. Speed was super slow over the Airport Express, and the media server on the WD wasn't very good with my PS3 (mostly the PS3's fault). So I decided to return it and order the Time Capsule. It should be here by the end of the week.

Let us know how the TC works out for you.

 

[SingaporeStu]

Hey guys, I know this thread is slightly old, but has anyone actually tried the LaCie Wireless Space? I'd like to know a little more about it. I'm trying to decide between a TC & a Wireless Space myself……

Oh, and does anyone know if it has Simultaneous Dual-Band and Guest Network (or multiple, or hidden SSID) features? Is it a proprietary interface like Apple's or a browser-based interface?

 

[Brian33]

...and get the LaCie Wireless Space, which does everything the Time Capsule does (minus the dual band)...

The original poster said the LaCie is not dual band, but I don't know if he's correct or not...

 

[smeg36]

Of course I'm correct. I've never not been correct. Seriously though, I could find few reviews of the LaCie, one of the reasons I didn't get it. Cnet had the only in depth review I could find. I've had the Time Capsule (I got the 1TB previous generation) for a while now, and have been very happy with it. The throughput and range both seem great to me despite being the previous generation. And of course it works perfectly with Time Machine to do automatic backups.

 

[SingaporeStu]

Hey Brian & Smeg, thanks for your replies.

Smeg is right, Cnet is the only one with an in-depth review. It seems the LaCie is not dual-band, has lousy throughput, and the set-up and user interface is terrible.

Right now, I'm crunching my numbers to see if an AEBS+a TM-compatible NAS is a cheaper solution…

Thanks anyway guys.

 

[alectheking]

Of course I'm correct. I've never not been correct. Seriously though, I could find few reviews of the LaCie, one of the reasons I didn't get it. Cnet had the only in depth review I could find. I've had the Time Capsule (I got the 1TB previous generation) for a while now, and have been very happy with it. The throughput and range both seem great to me despite being the previous generation. And of course it works perfectly with Time Machine to do automatic backups.

Well you were wrong on a major thing. Good thing you didn't order a airport extreme, because they in fact DO NOT support wireless time machine backups. Thats the mistake I made in buying one (latest dual band). They support networked hard drives between machines and over MobileMe. I have tried everything and looked on google, so if i'm wrong on this someone show me a link.

 

[alectheking]

Right now, I'm crunching my numbers to see if an AEBS+a TM-compatible NAS is a cheaper solution…

Like I just posted, that will NOT in fact work. AEBS do not support wireless backups, only networked HDD.

 

[SingaporeStu]

Hi alectheking,

From my understanding, Time Machine does not work with HDD's connected to the AEBS via USB, but NAS connected thru ethernet should work. Am I wrong?

 

[smeg36]

Hi alectheking,

From my understanding, Time Machine does not work with HDD's connected to the AEBS via USB, but NAS connected thru ethernet should work. Am I wrong?

Everything I've read says that although it's not officially supported, you can backup with an AEBS to a USB HD. Without having one available I can't say it will work for sure, but there are tons of posts all over MR that do say that. I can say for sure that on my Time Capsule I can backup with Time Machine to a USB HD.