Background:
A few weeks ago, I purchased a 1GB Time Capsule to upgrade both the back-up, as well as the WiFi capacity of my home network. Almost a year ago, I discontinued my broadband ISP cable service and switched to wireless broadband internet access via a (cellular) Sierra Wireless 595U, EV-DOrA, USB AirCard, that I plug-in directly to my vintage, 1GHz, (DVI), Titanium PowerBook G4 through a USB cradle. But it's been tricky for me —if not impossible— trying to set up Time Capsule correctly, since the set-up process asks me to select which type of internet access I have; (dial-up modem, ethernet connection from another router, a LAN, etc.). My USB cellular AirCard modem doesn't fall into any of the three pre-determined categories. There's more. I used to have a WiFi network set up in the past via the old, round AirPort Extreme, "G-standard," router base station, (with the retro, integrated, 33.6 kps dial-up modem), along with a smaller "G" AirPort Express unit. But, I stopped using them both, since once the dedicated cable modem was gone, I no longer had an internet feed wire I could connect to either of my AirPort Extreme|Express base stations through ethernet. In other words, with the newer, wireless USB Sierra AirCard modem, both my AirPort base routers became irrelevant, just because I couldn't figure out how to add the new USB AirCard into the equation. I still don't. And sadly, I even stopped using old features like AirTunes via the AirPort Express unit altogether. Ideally, I wouldn't want to miss out on the wireless router capabilities of my new Time Capsule as well, aside from its backing-up purposes.
The Question:
Is there any proven way to connect my Sierra USB AirCard modem directly to the Time Capsule unit, and hence, be able to share internet access via WiFi from the Time Capsule itself? Has anyone of you been able to figure this one out? I know the USB port on the back of the TC works only when adding another (USB) hard drive and/or (USB) printer, (be it individually or through a USB hub). I also know that certain "express card" modems, at least the PC-Card type, snap-fit into specific, same-brand, external routers that would connect to Time Capsule via ethernet, but that's not the case with the USB modem card I have.
A Few More Details:
I do know I can set up WiFi "internet sharing" via AirPort, from my PowerBook itself; (tried it, but haven't been able to make it work just yet). But, that would only defeat the purpose of having my new Time Capsule be the main hub for WiFi internet access anyway. In fact, since my Time Capsule arrived a few weeks ago, I've been using Time Machine to do my backing-up exclusively through gigabit ethernet, if only because I've been way too busy to continue the AirPort troubleshooting process of trying to set it all up correctly. I guess I kinda totally lost my patience.
In Summary:
So again, has anyone been able to use a USB cellular modem directly with Time Capsule? Any clues? I'd appreciate all the help I can get. Please know I'm also a newbie here at the MacRumors forum, (even though I've been a Mac user since 1987!), so I'm trying to get a feel for the site and I apologize if I seemed to ramble way too much. My intention has been only to provide as many details about my set-up, in order to answer any possible questions in advance. Thanks a lot!
A few weeks ago, I purchased a 1GB Time Capsule to upgrade both the back-up, as well as the WiFi capacity of my home network. Almost a year ago, I discontinued my broadband ISP cable service and switched to wireless broadband internet access via a (cellular) Sierra Wireless 595U, EV-DOrA, USB AirCard, that I plug-in directly to my vintage, 1GHz, (DVI), Titanium PowerBook G4 through a USB cradle. But it's been tricky for me —if not impossible— trying to set up Time Capsule correctly, since the set-up process asks me to select which type of internet access I have; (dial-up modem, ethernet connection from another router, a LAN, etc.). My USB cellular AirCard modem doesn't fall into any of the three pre-determined categories. There's more. I used to have a WiFi network set up in the past via the old, round AirPort Extreme, "G-standard," router base station, (with the retro, integrated, 33.6 kps dial-up modem), along with a smaller "G" AirPort Express unit. But, I stopped using them both, since once the dedicated cable modem was gone, I no longer had an internet feed wire I could connect to either of my AirPort Extreme|Express base stations through ethernet. In other words, with the newer, wireless USB Sierra AirCard modem, both my AirPort base routers became irrelevant, just because I couldn't figure out how to add the new USB AirCard into the equation. I still don't. And sadly, I even stopped using old features like AirTunes via the AirPort Express unit altogether. Ideally, I wouldn't want to miss out on the wireless router capabilities of my new Time Capsule as well, aside from its backing-up purposes.
The Question:
Is there any proven way to connect my Sierra USB AirCard modem directly to the Time Capsule unit, and hence, be able to share internet access via WiFi from the Time Capsule itself? Has anyone of you been able to figure this one out? I know the USB port on the back of the TC works only when adding another (USB) hard drive and/or (USB) printer, (be it individually or through a USB hub). I also know that certain "express card" modems, at least the PC-Card type, snap-fit into specific, same-brand, external routers that would connect to Time Capsule via ethernet, but that's not the case with the USB modem card I have.
A Few More Details:
I do know I can set up WiFi "internet sharing" via AirPort, from my PowerBook itself; (tried it, but haven't been able to make it work just yet). But, that would only defeat the purpose of having my new Time Capsule be the main hub for WiFi internet access anyway. In fact, since my Time Capsule arrived a few weeks ago, I've been using Time Machine to do my backing-up exclusively through gigabit ethernet, if only because I've been way too busy to continue the AirPort troubleshooting process of trying to set it all up correctly. I guess I kinda totally lost my patience.
In Summary:
So again, has anyone been able to use a USB cellular modem directly with Time Capsule? Any clues? I'd appreciate all the help I can get. Please know I'm also a newbie here at the MacRumors forum, (even though I've been a Mac user since 1987!), so I'm trying to get a feel for the site and I apologize if I seemed to ramble way too much. My intention has been only to provide as many details about my set-up, in order to answer any possible questions in advance. Thanks a lot!