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External hard drive or time capsule?

mxelre

mxelre

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 28, 2008
97
0
Quebec
Ok so I will be getting a MBP but I will need more storage, hence the external hard drive. I wanted to buy time capsule but I read that it is not possible to partition it. So, would I be better off with an external hard drive(FireWire 800) that I can actually partition or get time capsule which offers the wireless connection. As for the speed I guess the wireless connection with time capsule must be pretty slow?:confused:
 
IMO an external HD is the way to go for you. An external drive will be faster. I don't know if it's true that you can't partition a Time Capsule but I still think an ext. drive is better.
 
I would get an Airport Extreme and hookup your external HD to that.

Makes more sense to me to go that route as you can use whatever HD you want and can still have wireless access.

Your throughput on the wireless N should be sufficient for backing up smaller files and the occasional full backup but I would recommend something Firewire or Ethernet Gigabit if you're going to be moving lots of large files on a consistent basis.
 
rlove06 said:
I would get an Airport Extreme and hookup your external HD to that.

Makes more sense to me to go that route as you can use whatever HD you want and can still have wireless access.

Your throughput on the wireless N should be sufficient for backing up smaller files and the occasional full backup but I would recommend something Firewire or Ethernet Gigabit if you're going to be moving lots of large files on a consistent basis.
Click to expand...
That was what I was going to do but there are so many complaints about the AirDisk (non)functionality of the AEBS; the Apple support forums are full of posts concerning how AirDisk disks will refuse to mount, arbitrarily dismount by themselves, lockup, and even lockup the router itself. The problems existed under Tiger and only got worse with Leopard. To me this is not an option until Apple fixes the issues, if indeed they ever do. There are just way too many frustrated users for me to try it.
 
mxelre said:
Ok so I will be getting a MBP but I will need more storage, hence the external hard drive. I wanted to buy time capsule but I read that it is not possible to partition it. So, would I be better off with an external hard drive(FireWire 800) that I can actually partition or get time capsule which offers the wireless connection. As for the speed I guess the wireless connection with time capsule must be pretty slow?:confused:
Click to expand...

I am no expert, but I think TM on 800 FW would be faster then wifi, and God knows safer. 2 cents.
 
i was debating about this question with myself as well.. currently I have a 500gb Lacie ..my question is: am I able to partition it so then I can use half to back up my MBP with time capsule while the other half for storage and backup for my PC?
 
Although plenty of people are having troubles with the AEBS and USB hard disks, some have reported success with certain disk drives. I wonder if anybody has compiled a list of drives that seem to work?
 
I would say go for an external drive. It seems like a good fit for you, but Time Capsule is a good price for all that you get inside.
 
rlove06 said:
Yea, I heard about those issues and I agree with you on that point.

I guess you could use something like this dlink http://www.dlink.com/products/?sec=1&pid=509

You'd have to plug it into your router directly but if you have gigabit on your router the throughput would be real nice.

Once again, it comes down to how you are going to use it.
Click to expand...

this thing is pretty sweet! I might consider this
 
I have a MBP and I decided to go for the external drive. I got a 500GB Western Digital with FW 800 and I just partitioned it. It only set me back about 160 bucks, and now I have a 300GB TM drive and 185 GB of external storage. That is plenty for me because I am keeping my music on my internal. That pretty leaves only movies on my external.

Next year I'll be at college so I either won't be carrying my external to class, or I will be in my room plugged in. Being wireless isn't really an issue for me. And if I ever need a few movies for travel, I can put them onto my internal!
 
Tc

I have a new mbp aluminum and a 500gb TC, and it works perfect for wireless N connectivity as well as a external HDD. Transferring files wirelessly I transfer at over a MB/sec. very pleased.
 
I have a 500gb TC and I couldn't be happier. I use it for movies, music, photos, etc. It does a great job of streaming movies and any thing else I have asked of it. I for one think its a great product.
 
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