Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

APPLEFAN8

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jun 30, 2007
1,183
3
NJ/GA/FL
Should I just get an External HD instead of time capsule and save 200 or should I get Time Capsule. Just because I want to get it now so my Hard Drive doesn't fail like it did last tuesday and apple replaced it for free? Thanks
 
Well if you already have a functioning router and everything I'd rather stick to a normal external hard drive and use time machine like this... I just find it more practical: It's cheaper, it's faster and you can use it for other things as well ^-^
 
Just connect an external drive to your router if you've got one and make sure the router supports that.

TC is a waste if you ask me. It would be cheaper to get an AEBS and external drive.
 
Thanks guys and I'll just get an external Hard Drive 500GB I guess. By the way anyone know what geektools is?
 
So $500 for a 1 TB HDD and a few ethernet ports is worth it? You can get a purpose-built router, say the AEBS, and a HDD for, at the most, $400.

For me, the $100 isn't a make or break deal. I like the convenience of it all in one. To you, the $100 is a make or break deal.
 
So $500 for a 1 TB HDD and a few ethernet ports is worth it? You can get a purpose-built router, say the AEBS, and a HDD for, at the most, $400.

That's why rfrankl said "TC is definitely worth it, but to each his own." It's worth it for him but it may not be worth it for everyone. There are times I will pay the extra money for the convenience, but other times I won't.
I wanted a TC but couldn't afford it at the time so I got an Airport and I will get an external hard drive soon. I think I will only save $50.00-$100.00, but now I will have to get a "Y" adapter (because I have the printer hooked up to the Airport), and have more crap on my desk that has the router on. If I got the TC it's all in one, takes less room, and looks nicer. I might still get a TC and just sell the Airport on eBay or something.
 
My Linksys WRT54G just recently took a dump on me, So I was in the market for a new router..

I went to Best Buy and bought a 500GB TC... Once I got home, I set up my network and began backing up my iMac. The transfer speeds were so deathly slow (like 6-10MB/s, over gigabit), that I returned it that same day and got a $100 netgear gigabit & 802.11N router..... Has been working great ever since.
 
Ya 500 dollars is a lot of money to spend on one. I personally just got a 80 dollar Netgear N router from Best Buy and a 165 dollar 1TB external drive from newegg. Now lets see do I want to spend 250 dollars or 500? That's the question you should be asking yourself now.
 
For me its worth it in the convenience sector. However, a while back I couldn't afford it, so I took the External Drive and AEBS route.

Still, like a poster above me said, I think i might end up selling the AEBS on eBay and get me a Time Capsule once those babies reach 2TB, which shouldn't be long seeing as how 2TB drives are readily available.
 
will time machine work with an external drive hooked up via USB to my linksys router?

I have shared drives from a windows box that I can't use for time machine which kind of blows. They just don't appear and I can't browse to them in the time machine setup. I don't want to get an external drive just for time machine if I have to plug it into my MBP. I have a nice dual band router that I like a lot and I don't want to shell out the cash for time capsule.
 
will time machine work with an external drive hooked up via USB to my linksys router?

I have shared drives from a windows box that I can't use for time machine which kind of blows. They just don't appear and I can't browse to them in the time machine setup. I don't want to get an external drive just for time machine if I have to plug it into my MBP. I have a nice dual band router that I like a lot and I don't want to shell out the cash for time capsule.

Ya you can, assuming the drive is formatted HFS+.

That's the reason why your networked drives don't show up in the time machine preferences.
 
Thanks guys and I'll just get an external Hard Drive 500GB I guess. By the way anyone know what geektools is?

I saw a 1TB made by SimpleDrive at Best Buy for $119, which I bought for my Macbook, and they had a Seagate 1.5TB for $139, which I bought to replace another HD that was full.
 
TC is worth it; I bought a new TC 1TB on greedbay (ebay) for $300 after MS cashback (thanks MS) and have been happy. I also have my printer plugged into TC and I now print wireless.
 
My Linksys WRT54G just recently took a dump on me, So I was in the market for a new router..

I went to Best Buy and bought a 500GB TC... Once I got home, I set up my network and began backing up my iMac. The transfer speeds were so deathly slow (like 6-10MB/s, over gigabit), that I returned it that same day and got a $100 netgear gigabit & 802.11N router..... Has been working great ever since.

I too replaced my WRT54g and got the Time Capsule and it worked GREAT! I've since upgraded to the newer TC so I can take full advantage of the N speed with AppleTV and my uMBP and not get bogged down by iPhone 'other' G speeds.

The first back up via Ethernet cable was slow but, once complete, wireless updating has been flawless.
 
I brought TC, I love it. I have both hubby and mine MacBook backed up on it, yes the first back up was slow as hell, but after that no problems. I never have to worry about doing a back up it does it for me every hour on the hour.
 
The Time Capsule is great if you need to backup notebooks, I bought mine so I could wirelessly backup both my iMac and my Macbook Pro. If you only have a desktop then TC isn't worth the money, just buy an external hard drive, simple!
 
TC is worth it; I bought a new TC 1TB on greedbay (ebay) for $300 after MS cashback (thanks MS) and have been happy. I also have my printer plugged into TC and I now print wireless.

Why do I find it funny MS gave you cash back on an Apple product? lol :D

So how good of a condition was it in? I might go that route.
 
I like my time capsule. I got the 500GB because of the expense. ;) I have no complaints using it with one laptop to back-up. But, 'rumor is' there can be cons with multiple users - I heard trying to back-up 2 macs can lead to problems... It's in a forum somewhere in here...try mroogle.com

mine is nice n' fast though :D

CrackBookPro:cool:
 
I like my time capsule. I got the 500GB because of the expense. ;) I have no complaints using it with one laptop to back-up. But, 'rumor is' there can be cons with multiple users - I heard trying to back-up 2 macs can lead to problems... It's in a forum somewhere in here...try mroogle.com

mine is nice n' fast though :D

CrackBookPro:cool:

Ya you can use it to back up multiple mac's if the drive is large enough. You can do this with a normal external drive too. You just have to partition the drive itself then select 1 part for 1 computer, another part for the next computer, and so on...
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.