Time Capsule backup: 81GB takes 12 hours???

[malch]

Hi there,

I've had questions about my Time Capsule ever since I got it... mostly having to do with how long the initial backups take (I've had to do a few such backups because I occasionally swap out my MBP hard drive for a faster, bigger one).
And no, I don't leave it to wirelessly/incrementally backup because I'm a video editor, and when the TC is backing up it creates annoying lags and hesitations in my work.

After upgrading to 10.6.3 the other day I decided to do a whole new backup. I started it at 8:30pm on Friday night. At 8:30 am on Saturday morning it had backed up just 81GB (of 324GB).
I had it connected via ethernet.
I just called Apple (Wireless Dept.) to ask about this — this seems slow to me — and the fellow had me go through a couple tests, and told me that my ethernet ports aren't working. I don't think they ever have. The fellow at Apple said sorry, but the TC is beyond its warranty period.
Anyway, he said, 81GB in 12 hours is normal, and I shouldn't worry about it.

I said I'd check this math with people who use Time Capsules regularly.
So I'm asking: is 81GB in 12 hours o.k.? That means it'll take me 48 hours to backup. During which time editing doesn't go well.
What do people think?
thanks, malch

 

[Celeron]

That seems about right. The Time Capsule has never had terribly fast transfer rates, even when using a wired connection.

Assuming the Time Capsule is able to accept data at about 12megabits per second, you're look at a 1.5megabyte / second transfer rate.

81gig is (roughly) 81000 megabytes.

81000 / 1.5 / 60 / 60 = 15 hours.

 

[malch]

O.K., thanks for getting back to me.
Even though I had an ethernet cable plugged in, I think TC was backing up wirelessly. I've now set my TC up again, and will do this first big backup with wireless shut off.
That should speed things up.
Regards, malch