Data Transfer

[LCB1980]

If it's the older style Time Capsule, sounds off. I have one. It makes no noise to speak of. I think you might have a drive going south.

I will say that the AC68U suggestion is a decent one. I moved to that router from using the TC as my router and it's extremely easy to configure and capable. The TC is now just a client on the network; I disabled all the access point functions.

I also have an external drive hooked to the AC68U to cover my laptop (the 3 TB Capsule only barely accommodates my 3 TB iMac :/) and Time Machine works just as well through that as the TC, and it's probably faster. The TC is truly butt-slow.

Yep, it's the 4th Generation

The link given for the AC68U is for the U.S. I'm in the U.K. so I need to check if that model is available here.

I have another thread in Mac Mini section so if you take a read of that you'll see that my goal is to do away with the Time Capsule altogether.

EDIT: Is the AC68U a modem and router or router only?

 

[LCB1980]

OK, so it turns out that the 3TB TC was dodgy. Apparently it passed the testing, but someone who knows about Apple stuff who works in the store knew it wasn't right. I've been given a refund.

 

[Freyqq]

Yep, it's the 4th Generation

The link given for the AC68U is for the U.S. I'm in the U.K. so I need to check if that model is available here.

I have another thread in Mac Mini section so if you take a read of that you'll see that my goal is to do away with the Time Capsule altogether.

EDIT: Is the AC68U a modem and router or router only?

A68U is just a router.

 

[LCB1980]

A68U is just a router.

Ah O.K. That's not really much use to me then. Trying to find just a modem in the U.K. isn't easy and the ones that are available aren't cheap. Or at least they weren't when I last researched it.


O.K, so due to the Time Capsule issue I've decided to go down a different route completely which involves a Mac Mini as a Media Centre (thread here https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1855609/ ). I'm going to connect a 4TB external HDD to the Mac Mini to hold my Movies and TV shows.

The Hard Drive I bought is this one....

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/data-...ss-external-hard-drive-4-tb-21499070-pdt.html

Now, with this not being a Time Machine, will I be able to connect the TC by Ethernet to the Seagate and send the files directly without having the files go through my Mac either by WiFi or Ethernet adaptor?

I'm aware that I can connect the Seagate to the TC by USB to transfer the files but if it's possible to do it by Ethernet then it would be much quicker.


Any thoughts?

 

[Freyqq]

I don't get it. TC isn't a modem either...

 

[LCB1980]

I don't get it. TC isn't a modem either...

Nope, but I've been using it as a wireless router.

Here in the U.K, no matter where you get your modem/router from (shop/ISP etc) they are always a router with built in modem.

When I signed up to my ISP over 10 years ago they were pretty much a new start and the modem they sent out to use was just that, a modem. I had that connected to my TC to provide the wireless.

 

[Freyqq]

Nope, but I've been using it as a wireless router.

Here in the U.K, no matter where you get your modem/router from (shop/ISP etc) they are always a router with built in modem.

When I signed up to my ISP over 10 years ago they were pretty much a new start and the modem they sent out to use was just that, a modem. I had that connected to my TC to provide the wireless.

So, do the same thing with the AC68U?

Alternatively, get a modem/router combo with a USB port. Just make sure it can read/write in HFS+ so you can do time machine backups.

 

[LCB1980]

So, do the same thing with the AC68U?

Alternatively, get a modem/router combo with a USB port. Just make sure it can read/write in HFS+ so you can do time machine backups.

Unfortunately the trusty old modem has suffered a catastrophic failure so I'm using a spare modem router that my ISP sent me.

I don't use Time Machine.

 

[geoelectric]

Unfortunately the trusty old modem has suffered a catastrophic failure so I'm using a spare modem router that my ISP sent me.

I don't use Time Machine.

Oh, if you don't use Time Machine, the TC is kind of crap. It's a less reliable Airport Extreme for having a drive in it. OTOH, Time Machine is probably the most convenient backup solution I've ever used, period.

My experience is that combo modem/routers are usually crappy routers. Among other things, you're lucky to get 802.11N, never mind 802.11AC or even dual-band N. My ISP provided one, but I turned off the AP parts of it and DMZed the TC (and subsequently, the AC68U) instead. My range and speeds went way, way up.

The other nice thing about that is if I change ISPs, I only change that modem part of the setup. The rest stays the same.

 

[LCB1980]

I will look in to separate modems and routers again but I don't think they are very common over here in the U.K. Pretty much everything was a modem and router combo, or at least it was when I last researched it. What I did find was expensive. A separate modem and router cost twice as much as a modem router combo and having just spent £550 I'll need to wait a while before any more purchases.

 

[geoelectric]

I will look in to separate modems and routers again but I don't think they are very common over here in the U.K. Pretty much everything was a modem and router combo, or at least it was when I last researched it. What I did find was expensive. A separate modem and router cost twice as much as a modem router combo and having just spent £550 I'll need to wait a while before any more purchases.

Sure, don't do it on my account. I just tend to not like convergence devices unless things are truly commodity. We're still coming up with new wireless networking tech, and the ISP modems never change as fast as the tech does.

One aspect over here is that depending on who you go with, you'll have different modem technology. It makes it a little less popular to buy your own modem, and like I said, the gimmes from the ISP aren't generally very good routers.

But either way, I don't think you'd buy a modem -and- a router. The idea is you get the thing you're already getting from the ISP, but disable the wireless on it. The ones here almost always have a single "device" port for your main computer (otherwise you can't configure it!) which you plug into your aftermarket router instead.

You put the ISP's modem into bridge mode or DMZ (disable Firewall and NAT) on the physical port, and that passes all the traffic untouched to the aftermarket router, which does its thing.

Upshot is you only pay out of pocket for the aftermarket router, which you then use with whatever modem the ISP gives you. Switch ISPs, just change the modem it's hooked to, but you don't have to reconfigure all your wireless stuff.

Anyway, good luck with it--sounds like you got the dodgy TC replaced which is the important thing. I'd definitely give Time Machine a shot if you have a TC laying around, though! It's pretty much no effort at all.

 

[LCB1980]

Sure, don't do it on my account. I just tend to not like convergence devices unless things are truly commodity. We're still coming up with new wireless networking tech, and the ISP modems never change as fast as the tech does.

One aspect over here is that depending on who you go with, you'll have different modem technology. It makes it a little less popular to buy your own modem, and like I said, the gimmes from the ISP aren't generally very good routers.

But either way, I don't think you'd buy a modem -and- a router. The idea is you get the thing you're already getting from the ISP, but disable the wireless on it. The ones here almost always have a single "device" port for your main computer (otherwise you can't configure it!) which you plug into your aftermarket router instead.

You put the ISP's modem into bridge mode or DMZ (disable Firewall and NAT) on the physical port, and that passes all the traffic untouched to the aftermarket router, which does its thing.

Upshot is you only pay out of pocket for the aftermarket router, which you then use with whatever modem the ISP gives you. Switch ISPs, just change the modem it's hooked to, but you don't have to reconfigure all your wireless stuff.

Anyway, good luck with it--sounds like you got the dodgy TC replaced which is the important thing. I'd definitely give Time Machine a shot if you have a TC laying around, though! It's pretty much no effort at all.

Ah yes, the modem router combo from the ISP does allow me to switch off the WiFi. That didn't occur to me.

I don't do anything to warrant using Time Machine. My rMBP is used for surfing the net and some Handbraking. Plus, the idea is to get rid of the TC to get some money back.

 

[dyt1983]

edit: To remove personally identifying information not relevant to the thread.

 

[geoelectric]

Yeah, I would not even use Time Capsules myself if it weren't for Time Machine. So if you're not using TM, don't pay the extra. Then again, I've found many 3rd party wireless implementations to be hit-or-miss. Many ASUS and Linksys routers don't have good performance (while many do, and it's too much trouble for me to investigate each one). I usually stick with higher end routers so the Airport does give decent wireless performance. But for just a few machines, any good router will work fine.

After a few clunkers from Linksys and Netgear, I was in the same boat as you.

But the Asus RT series has been a very pleasant surprise. I think it's an evolution of the old classic WRT chipset Linksys used to have--very configurable, good performer, and if you're inclined, has a community-written firmware that takes it even further. It's definitely not a cheap router either--was around $200, similar to an Airport Extreme, just has more features and expandability.

I'd compare it to when I went from a ReadyNAS to a Synology unit: suddenly everything was just so much more modern and powerful!

The one thing I miss is it doesn't have SNMP monitoring out of the box, which means I can't use my network bandwidth usage monitor that I ran on my desktop. Airport is better on that front. I can log into the Asus via web browser from anywhere in the house, though, to get the same sort of functionality--it keeps a monitor going, just no alarms.

 

[LCB1980]

Yeah, I would not even use Time Capsules myself if it weren't for Time Machine. So if you're not using TM, don't pay the extra. Then again, I've found many 3rd party wireless implementations to be hit-or-miss. Many ASUS and Linksys routers don't have good performance (while many do, and it's too much trouble for me to investigate each one). I usually stick with higher end routers so the Airport does give decent wireless performance. But for just a few machines, any good router will work fine.

Hey man, do you think you could help me out over here?

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1856219/


EDIT: Not to worry, I found out how.

 

[dyt1983]

edit: To remove personally identifying information not relevant to the thread.

 

[steveyo]

What kind of network hardware are you using?

The USB adapters are only 10/100 but thunderbolt is 10/100/1000

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I will look in to separate modems and routers again but I don't think they are very common over here in the U.K. Pretty much everything was a modem and router combo, or at least it was when I last researched it. What I did find was expensive. A separate modem and router cost twice as much as a modem router combo and having just spent £550 I'll need to wait a while before any more purchases.

How are you getting internet if you don't have a separate modem and router?

Typical ADSL setup

phone jack -> ADSL modem -> Router -> cabled / wifi devices

Typical Cable setup

Cable modem -> router -> computers / wifi devices