Is My Time Capsule Dying?

[jason.siegel]

I have a Comcast 20 Mbps cable Internet plan and noticed recently that my download speed had dropped to 2 Mbps. I called Comcast and we figured out (by hard-wiring from the modem to my Air via a Thunderbolt adapter) that the problem was not my Internet service but rather my Time Capsule. It's a first-generation and I am thinking that perhaps its wireless signal is dying. Is there some way to confirm this? Is there a way to know that it is my Time Capsule rather than my Air's wireless, without taking my laptop elsewhere to check the speed? And if it is my Time Capsule, is there some way to fix it so I don't have to throw it out? Thanks.

 

[jason.siegel]

I figured out that the problem is interference (I recently moved), and by switching the Time Capsule to 5ghz only, my Air now has good wifi speed. However, my iPhone 4S cannot pick up the 5ghz signal. Is there some solution for this?

 

[AlphaDogg]

Have you tried broadcasting just at 2.4GHz?

 

[jason.siegel]

Yes, same slow 2 Mbps speed.

 

[ColdCase]

You have tried a different channel right?

 

[jason.siegel]

Just automatic. I should try each individually?

 

[ColdCase]

Setting the TC (or any airport) manually to another channel has helped many here. Pick a channel that you don't think a neighbor is using. There are a few apps around that can scan and then tell you which channels are not being used.

 

[rivettmj]

The current versions of OS X have it built in as well.

Link

The result will be a table that shows you signal strength and channel number, for the 2.4ghz there are only three that you should pick from 1,6, and 11 you can pick the others... but they overlap, and you'll have the interference from both! Look at the table and pick the channel that has the fewest devices on it. It might also be easier to just do a speed test (www.speedtest.net is nice) on the three different channels and see if any work better

Setting the TC (or any airport) manually to another channel has helped many here. Pick a channel that you don't think a neighbor is using. There are a few apps around that can scan and then tell you which channels are not being used.

 

[jason.siegel]

I'll try that, thanks.

Isn't the point of Automatic to auto-select the best channel?

 

[jason.siegel]

There are 9 signals on channel 1, 10 signals on channel 6, and 6 signals on channel 11. (I live in a large apartment complex.)

I switched to channel 6 and still got very poor data speeds.

Any more thoughts?

 

[djc6]

I switched to channel 6 and still got very poor data speeds.

Any more thoughts?

I'm in a similar situation. I have a 1st Gen Airport on 5Ghz but needed a 2.4Ghz network for a couple iPhones. I ended up getting an airport express and using that to create a 2.4Ghz network - its wired to my time capsule. It has the added benefit of being hooked up to my stereo, so now I have AirPlay capabilities! Seemed cheaper/more flexible than buying a newer TC capable of being on 5Ghz and 2.4Ghz simultaneously.

 

[NogbadTheBad]

Create two wifi networks one at 2.4 Ghz and one at 5Ghz, its what I do.