Replace external drive with Time Capsule?

Hello,

I already have a 320 gb external hard drive, connected via FW 400 to my MBP, which has a 320 gb internal drive (upgraded myself). My wife has an iMac with a 1 TB external drive on FW 800.

We need to get a new router, our d-link is disconnecting us constantly. With my university discount, I can get the AEBS for $159 or the 500 gb Time Capsule for $279.

I can't decide if the extra $120 is worth it, considering that I already have a perfectly adequate Time Machine drive for my MBP. I don't mind connecting the firewire whenever I sit down at my desk (along with the power cable and audio out cable). What I find annoying is having to unmount the drive in Finder every time I leave.

For those of you who have switched, is the convenience worth it? Does the Time Capsule perform just as well as the AEBS? It seems the reviews are less glowing about range, etc.

Thanks a bunch!

 

I see your point. $120 is $120, and I don't really care about a centralized data server.

Just to clarify, though, the 500 gb Time Capsule would replace my 320 gb FW 400 drive that I plug in every time I put my MBP down on my desk. I would simply use the TC 500gb for my Time Machine backups, and then I would probably take the 320 external drive and archive to it, putting it in my safe deposit box for safekeeping.

So, my wife won't use the TC, since she has a 1 TB external drive on FW 800.