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Yeti60

macrumors member
Original poster
May 26, 2009
67
0
Hi,
I just moved into my college dorm and would like to set up my time capsule to automatically back up my MacBook hard drive every hour.

Can someone walk me through the steps?
Thanks. :)
 
I'm sorry I should have given you some more details...

I had worried about setting up my Time Capsule wirelessly because I was told it would interfere with the other wireless connections on the campus of my school.

So I brought my MacBook and my Time Capsule to a Mac store where someone showed me how to set it up using an ethernet cable connection.

Now that I'm here at school, I think I want to try to set it up wirelessly. The thing is that when I look under Airport Utilities it won't find my Time Capsule...
Do I have to plug the Time Capsule into my MacBook and then change preferences from there? If so, how do I do that?
 
To be able to view an AirPort base station in AirPort Utility, you must be connected to the wireless network it is broadcasting. Even if the Time Capsule isn't connected to the internet, it can still broadcast a network name. If its connected to power, and your computer's AirPort card is on, you should be able to find its network name under the AirPort menu icon and join the network. Once you have joined the network, again, irregardless of whether there is an actual internet connection, open AirPort Utility and see if you can read the Time Capsule's configuration. If you still cannot, disable the computer's wireless card, and hook an Ethernet cable from your computer's Ethernet port into one of the LAN ports (marked with the <---> icons), and then open AirPort Utility.
 
Well unfortunately it's not detecting the Time Capsule even though it's hooked up to power.

If it means anything, the light on the Time Capsule is blinking yellow.
:confused:
 
Try Resetting Time Capsule

If the Orange light is flashing, it means Time Capsule has a problem.
Resetting it will default the Time Capsule to Factory setting and then you can configure it again.
 
the TC needs to be plugged into a modem... the TC isn't connected to the internet right now.

are there ethernet ports in your dorm room? are they live?
 
No if you setup time capsule first as just a hard drive no wireless, you need to plug ethernet cable into the back of the time capsule and one into your mac, run airport utility it should see the time capsule and let you change settings
 
No if you setup time capsule first as just a hard drive no wireless, you need to plug ethernet cable into the back of the time capsule and one into your mac, run airport utility it should see the time capsule and let you change settings

When I plug my TC into my Mac with the ethernet cable my internet cuts out...

Plus what settings should I change when the TC is detected by Airport Utilities?
 
Yeah I'm still really stuck... I think I will have to go to the tech desk here. But they will probably say I can't set it up wirelessly because it will interfere with the networks... :(
 
uhm. I'm a newbie with any kinds of Apple products and specially with wireless networking.

And correct me if I'm wrong but as far as I know, the Time Capsule uses a 802.11n wireless card/adapter.

So Theoretically, the Time Capsule should not interfere with any wireless signals present in your school so, if that is your only main concern about setting up a wireless router with the Time Capsule, I don't think you should have any problems with that.

But as for getting internet connection with your Time Capsule, I'd have to get back to you on that one or perhaps others might be more helpful to you rather than me. :p

Just my 2 cents. :D
 
uhm. I'm a newbie with any kinds of Apple products and specially with wireless networking.

And correct me if I'm wrong but as far as I know, the Time Capsule uses a 802.11n wireless card/adapter.

So Theoretically, the Time Capsule should not interfere with any wireless signals present in your school so, if that is your only main concern about setting up a wireless router with the Time Capsule, I don't think you should have any problems with that.

But as for getting internet connection with your Time Capsule, I'd have to get back to you on that one or perhaps others might be more helpful to you rather than me. :p

Just my 2 cents. :D

Yeah I agree with you, I don't think it will interfere with any network. However I can't get the thing to work wirelessly.
 
hmmm... that's weird, when you set up TC for the first time it should have some settings.

And I'm assuming that you tried to connect the ethernet cable directly to your Macbook to test if there is really an internet or your Macbook CAN connect to the internet.

Well..if I were you, I'd try to reset my TC and then try to set it up again as if it's from out of the box and perhaps you would see there the option for it to be your wireless router.

Hope I'm a little helpful instead of confusing you more. :rolleyes:
 
hmmm... that's weird, when you set up TC for the first time it should have some settings.

And I'm assuming that you tried to connect the ethernet cable directly to your Macbook to test if there is really an internet or your Macbook CAN connect to the internet.

Well..if I were you, I'd try to reset my TC and then try to set it up again as if it's from out of the box and perhaps you would see there the option for it to be your wireless router.

Hope I'm a little helpful instead of confusing you more. :rolleyes:

That sounds good to me. However here's the thing: I don't know how to do that... also, I don't want to use the TC for internet, simply a wireless backup device.
 
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