What Should I Do ?

[dougmoose]

Here's my situation and what I'm thinking about doing.


I currently own a 2008 iMac with a 2008 Airport Extreme and an 2TB USB 2.0 external hard drive that stores my iTunes and iPhoto libraries (currently apx. 400 GB).


I need to extend home wifi as I'm only getting a weak wifi signal on our second story and we want to use Netflix upstairs. The airport extreme is in the basement but it would be a major pain to move it to the main floor so that's really not an option.


Backing up my photos and to a lesser extend music is a priority.


Our current computer is in need of an upgrade (too slow!) so here's what I'm thinking :


I want to purchase a 15" Macbook Pro w/ a 256 SSD with a 2TB Time Capsule. My idea is to plug my currently owned external hard drive into the Time Capsule as I want to use it to store my iTunes and iPhoto libraries as they will take up too much room on the Macbook. Then I want to have Time Machine back up my External hard drive AND my Macbook. I also want to plug my printer into the Time Capsule as well (I know I'll need a USB hub) so I can print from my Macbook.


Would this work? Anyone have any better ideas? Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks a lot

Doug

 

[satcomer]

I think it would be better with a Modern Airport Extreme and get a USB2 External (make a it a self put together external - to replace the disk if you have to) + a powered USB2 hub. Then with two external one could be time Machine while the other acts as a iTunes, iPhoto Library holder. This would the best way instead of internal hard drive you can't replace in the future.

 

[burne]

The airport extreme is in the basement but it would be a major pain to move it to the main floor so that's really not an option.

Do you have a long UTP cable? Just put it on the main floor, compare what it does to your signal strength upstairs. I borrowed a 150ft UTP cable and found the best spot in the house. Yes, cabling was a bit of a PITA but I found a way. Good signal from inside the car in front of the house all the way to back in the garden.

 

[Altemose]

Here's my situation and what I'm thinking about doing.


I currently own a 2008 iMac with a 2008 Airport Extreme and an 2TB USB 2.0 external hard drive that stores my iTunes and iPhoto libraries (currently apx. 400 GB).


I need to extend home wifi as I'm only getting a weak wifi signal on our second story and we want to use Netflix upstairs. The airport extreme is in the basement but it would be a major pain to move it to the main floor so that's really not an option.


Backing up my photos and to a lesser extend music is a priority.


Our current computer is in need of an upgrade (too slow!) so here's what I'm thinking :


I want to purchase a 15" Macbook Pro w/ a 256 SSD with a 2TB Time Capsule. My idea is to plug my currently owned external hard drive into the Time Capsule as I want to use it to store my iTunes and iPhoto libraries as they will take up too much room on the Macbook. Then I want to have Time Machine back up my External hard drive AND my Macbook. I also want to plug my printer into the Time Capsule as well (I know I'll need a USB hub) so I can print from my Macbook.


Would this work? Anyone have any better ideas? Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks a lot

Doug

A Time Capsule will not backup the external USB connected drive (when attached to itself). If the drive is attached to the computer then it could be backed up by the Time Capsule through Time Machine.

You say moving the router is too hard. The problem with wireless extension is that you lose half of your bandwidth when wirelessly extended. Whether that makes a difference for Netflix is up for debate but you will notice a noticeably slower backup time wirelessly. Your options would be to keep the Time Capsule in the basement and run an Ethernet cable up to the 1st or 2nd floor and install either an Express or Extreme to set up a roaming network. There is no loss of speed this way. The other option is to move the Time Capsule up to the main floor in the centermost portion of your home. Remember that if you have a cable or DSL modem it most likely can be plugged into any jack in your home.

 

[Tumbleweed666]

What about power line extension of Ethernet to a router upstairs?

 

[dougmoose]

Thanks very much for all the suggestions.

I didn't want to move the airport upstairs because all the cables are neatly hidden in the basement and my PS3 is connected via ethernet to the airport. If I moved it upstairs I would have to use wifi. I think from what I've read the new Airport has a much stronger signal than the one I have now and should be able to supply my house no problem (I get 6Mbps upstairs right now).

Now I don't know how best to handle my backups. I wanted to avoid plugging the external hard drive into the macbook as that kinda defeats the purpose of having a portable laptop. But it's important to me to have it backed up as I don't want to lose the pictures. Would unplugging the external from the time capsule and plugging it in to the macbook say once a week to back it up be an option? Or would that cause problems?

Thanks again everyone,

Doug

 

[Altemose]

Thanks very much for all the suggestions.

I didn't want to move the airport upstairs because all the cables are neatly hidden in the basement and my PS3 is connected via ethernet to the airport. If I moved it upstairs I would have to use wifi. I think from what I've read the new Airport has a much stronger signal than the one I have now and should be able to supply my house no problem (I get 6Mbps upstairs right now).

Now I don't know how best to handle my backups. I wanted to avoid plugging the external hard drive into the macbook as that kinda defeats the purpose of having a portable laptop. But it's important to me to have it backed up as I don't want to lose the pictures. Would unplugging the external from the time capsule and plugging it in to the macbook say once a week to back it up be an option? Or would that cause problems?

Thanks again everyone,

Doug

Well... there is no issues with setting the MacBook to backup to either the Time Capsule or USB drive. I am just a little bit concerned about you trying to go through two floors of interference. Does your home have Ethernet run through it all connected to a switch? If so you could add an access point in some room on the 2nd floor and plug it into the switch which would go to the Extreme.

 

[satcomer]

Thanks very much for all the suggestions.

I didn't want to move the airport upstairs because all the cables are neatly hidden in the basement and my PS3 is connected via ethernet to the airport. If I moved it upstairs I would have to use wifi. I think from what I've read the new Airport has a much stronger signal than the one I have now and should be able to supply my house no problem (I get 6Mbps upstairs right now).

Now I don't know how best to handle my backups. I wanted to avoid plugging the external hard drive into the macbook as that kinda defeats the purpose of having a portable laptop. But it's important to me to have it backed up as I don't want to lose the pictures. Would unplugging the external from the time capsule and plugging it in to the macbook say once a week to back it up be an option? Or would that cause problems?

Thanks again everyone,

Doug

You have to remember that a house as electric cable and pluming pipes running through a house. So any wireless needs to be placed right by the stairs or get a wifi extender. An Airport Extreme near the modem and an Airport Express in the upstairs hallway. This way you could still put a powered USB2 Hub and a couple of externals an fuse one as a Time Machine backup and the other as a media holder. With the Express on the extremes network and you would still have the access yo those externals.