Time Capsule- how useful is it?

[stone315]

so, i'm thinking about getting a time capsule as a backup hard drive for college, but before then i want to use it as a wifi router in my house. is it possible to hook up a dell running xp via lan cable to the time capsule and still use the time capsule as a wifi source for a macbook so that both have internet? i'm assuming it is, but i just wanted to check to make sure that a macbook wouldn't have any problems with the wifi or time machine if a dell was using it too.

 

[speakerwizard]

if you have a laptop, very, if you have a desktop and a router you are happy with, then an external HD is probably better for ya.

 

[queshy]

Just to add to speakerwizard, it's also useful if you have a desktop and need a router and an external HD...but if you have any one of those 2 items then time capsule isn't that useful.

 

[LaJaca]

Only marginally off topic:

Will a Time Capsule allow TM backups from more than one mac (ie desktop and laptop)?

 

[Le Big Mac]

Will a Time Capsule allow TM backups from more than one mac (ie desktop and laptop)?

Yes.

And for OP, yes. You can hook up any computer to the LAN ports just like with any router. Same for the wireless, so long as you have wireless card. But your setup will be no problem and the wired connection with the Dell means no oddball wireless connection problems with Mac/PC.

(fwiw to both -- I have a TC with an iMac wired and a macbook wireless both being backed up to the TC and with the TC serving as a router for my house)