Time Capsule vs. Airport Extreme

Discussion in 'Buying Tips and Advice' started by sartinsauce, Sep 16, 2009.

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  1. sartinsauce, Sep 16, 2009

    sartinsauce macrumors regular

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    Los Angeles
    #1
    Hi all.

    First of all, let me apologize if this question has already been addressed in another thread. I've done a search and can't find the answers I'm looking for.

    I'm trying to decide which device to purchase to upgrade my network from 802.11b/g.

    I understand that the Time Capsule contains HDD(s), while the extreme doesn't. I have a 2TB NAS array that I use for file sharing and backup, so I feel like maybe I only need an Airport Extreme. However, I'd like to start putting my Time Machine backups on the NAS. Can I do that with Airport Extreme? I seem to recall that after the last hardware refresh, people were upset that they couldn't attach an external drive to the Airport Extreme. Apple.com says you can, but I can't figure out if that drive can be used for Time Machine backups. Does the NAS array need to be formatted HFS+ for Time Machine, or will Time Machine work with FAT32?

    I don't feel like spending the extra money for a Time Capsule when I already have more than enough storage. However, the wireless Time Machine backup capabilities might tip the scales in favor of a Time Capsule.

    Do you understand my dilemma? Can anyone advise me?

    thanks
     
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  2. Dimwhit, Sep 16, 2009

    Dimwhit macrumors 68000

    Dimwhit

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    #2
    We have an airport extreme in our office. It has a hard drive attached to it and works just fine for Time Machine backups. I don't know that ours is the newest airport extreme, so I don't know if anything has changed. But I don't think so.
     
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  3. trip1ex, Sep 16, 2009

    trip1ex macrumors 68000

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    #3
    Time Machine is not officially supported on the AEBS. It does appear to work, but not sure I would trust it for data backups.

    If you have 2 Mac then one can have an external drive attached to it for Time Machine backups. And now with Snow Leopard (and an AEBS) that Mac can be woken up by another device such as a 2nd Mac for purposes such as Time Machine backups.
     
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  4. PhightinPhils26, Sep 16, 2009

    PhightinPhils26 macrumors 6502a

    PhightinPhils26

    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2007
    Location:
    Philly
    #4
    I don't mean to take over this thread but I'd rather post here than start a new.

    I have an Airport Extreme with Gig Ethernet... I am trying to plug my 1TB USB drive into it to use as a Time Machine, however I am not having any luck. Can someone help me out! :)

    Thanks!
     
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  5. Nintendolinky, Sep 16, 2009

    Nintendolinky macrumors 6502

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    #5
    Its fully supported in Snow Leopard, I got a AEBS yesterday and I plugged in a HFS formatted drive and time machine saw the drive and asked if it was going to be used as the backup volume.
     
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  6. trip1ex, Sep 17, 2009

    trip1ex macrumors 68000

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    #6
    It's not officially supported by Apple.
     
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