lilskye

Q: Connecting 2 computers thru Time Capsule without Internet?

I had started a question in another area (Mountain Lion) because I am trying desperately to migrate a Windows PC running Windows 7 to a new iMac.  The Migration assistant on both computers does not find any computers.  The Apple Care people say I am doing everything right, but now some people online are saying that I can't do this wirelessly thru Time Capsule (which we have and is the router for our office which the PC is connected to wirelessly).

 

The new Mac is in set up beginning mode (meaning it has not been set up wirelessly or anything yet), because on launch it offers to move the data from the PC to set up the new Mac.  It is stuck "looking for a computer"

 

Here is the whole discussion:

 

https://discussions.apple.com/message/23377824#23377824

 

 

Today I went by an Apple store to ask their opinion and the guy told me that I can't connect the 2 computers via ethernet (even though that is what the Migration insturctions say to do), but he said that I shoud be able to connect each computer via ethernet to the Time Capsule and have them recognize each other.

 

Does this sound right to any of you???

 

The PC is clear across the room and no where near the internet line, so I would either have to buy a REALLY long ethernet cable to drag over to it, or take the whole computer apart to try and get it near the TC.  The mac of course is no problem to move.

 

I just don't want to do all this if this will not really act as a network (I guess as a server of sorts).

 

I am confused as the TC manual says that it can be used without internet, but I don't seehow (I've tried rebooting it without a connection).  I do not know why the internet is involved at all since what we need is the TC to act as a wireless router (which it is) and do not need to involve the internet at all to link the 2 computers.

 

I am just totally frustrated that these computers should just communicate wirelessly and/or with each other somehow and do not seem to, as Apple says they should.  I know this will turn out to be something really simple and dumb and I'm just not seeing it.

 

Is it not possible to take the TC and reboot it with the 2 computers connected to it and create a network using the TC as a server or router without needing any internet just so I can get this stuff from the PC migrated (and then never have to deal with it again!!!!)

 

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks!

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Oct 12, 2013 3:48 PM

Close

Q: Connecting 2 computers thru Time Capsule without Internet?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Oct 12, 2013 4:11 PM in response to lilskye
    Level 8 (49,666 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 12, 2013 4:11 PM in response to lilskye

    No Internet connection is required since no outside communication is necessary for Migration Assistant.

     

    An Ethernet cable can be used to connect two Macs to each other, or through a router. A wireless connection is also available, as is a FireWire or Thunderbolt connection between the two Macs. Migration Assistant will work with any of these configurations.

     

    The obstacle you are encountering is almost certainly a sharing / firewall / anti-virus / wizard setup on the PC. While OS X is designed to continuously and relentlessly seek a connection on every port available in a Mac's hardware by default, Windows requires specific actions to enable specific connections. Resolve that issue and Migration Assistant will work.

  • by lilskye,

    lilskye lilskye Oct 12, 2013 6:40 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 12, 2013 6:40 PM in response to John Galt

    Thanks John.  I'm just at my wits end trying to figure out what the heck is in the PC that's causing this as I have every single security thing on it uninstalled or turn off (to the point that there are bright red warnings everywhere in their Security control panel.

     

    I've used Migration Assistant before with ease but it was Mac to Mac.  I've never tried using TC as a server, just as a backup HD and WiFi router & internet broadcaster.

     

    Our office has a PC geek in the UK that I've sent an email to - hopefully he can tell me what magical thing is holding this up.

     

    I can hardly wait to get rid of that thing altogether and have a Mac.

     

    Kindest regards

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Oct 12, 2013 7:29 PM in response to lilskye
    Level 8 (49,666 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 12, 2013 7:29 PM in response to lilskye

    I realize it's obvious to you, but when your PC geek responds make sure he is familiar with this Apple Support document:

     

    About Windows Migration Assistant

     

    Migration Assistant bypasses OS X's normal Sharing preferences, but if you enable File Sharing on the Mac, and use the PC as you normally do (i.e. not using Migration Assistant) can you use the PC to connect to your User account on the Mac, and copy files back and forth? In other words, have you ever successfully established a network connection between the two?

     

    You definitely don't need an Internet connection, just make sure each is a client on your LAN and determine that you can establish a network connection between them through your router. A direct Ethernet connection between the two should work but it depends on the PC's hardware. Connecting them through your router should offer the greatest possibility of success.

     

    I know MA works with XP and Vista. I never tried 7 or 8 but it's supposed to work.


  • by lilskye,

    lilskye lilskye Oct 13, 2013 5:51 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 13, 2013 5:51 AM in response to John Galt

    I think where the confusion lies is that this is a brand new Mac and NEVER been set up.  We are trying to Migrate from the Windows on initial setup - which is what the Mac asks you when you first start it:  Language, Keyboard (english) and then if you are setting a New Mac or wanting to tranfer your info to set up from another Mac or from a PC.  You choose PC and the MA automatically looks for the other PC.  The Windows MA does the same thing.  You launch it on the PC and it looks for the Mac to connect to.

     

    They are not "finding" each other - even when connected directly via the ethernet cable to each other as dictated by the MA instructions  (see the link you provided and click:

    Transferring with the Setup Assistant that appears when your Mac starts up for the first time

    This is what I am doing.  This is what 2 different guys from Apple Care also said was correct.

     

    They do not communicate.  This is why some in the ML discussion area are telling me I can't do this with an ethernet cable even though these are the instructions.  They are telling me to use the TC as a router between them.

     

    The PC is already wirelessly connected to the TC but when I connect the Mac to the TC it still does nothing (because I assume it hasn't been "set up" yet to the wireless network).

     

    I did not want to set up the Mac initially on its own because then you create a User and Password and when you migrate it creates a second User and will not migrate into the initial one you set up, ergo you forever are stuck with 2 users on login and 2 sets of stuff taking up space in your Mac.

     

    It should do this on start up.  I have NO doubt this is a PC issue, even though I disabled everything I could possibly see to do on it (this is why I need the PC geek in the UK to make sure).  The Apple techs have told me some people have to disable and reboot this stuff several times (ARGH!) LOL!

     

    Anyway I did wonder when I tried yesterday to simply take TC off the internet connection and set it up on its own, I could never get it to stop looking for internet (I rebooted it and reinstalled it with a new name and password), but when you look at it in Airport Utility (I'm using a Macbook for the set up), you see it still blinking looking for internet.

     

    I could not find any instructions for someone to use the TC as a router only or as a server, even though you can see there are more choices in the AU setup tabs.  The one guy at the Apple store (not Apple Care) said that if I connected the 2 computers to the TC it would act as a router and they could "see" each other for me to setup - but this did not work, hence I came here.

     

    Hope I'm making sense!  Thanks so much for your help.

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Oct 13, 2013 8:20 AM in response to lilskye
    Level 8 (49,666 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 13, 2013 8:20 AM in response to lilskye

    Thanks. I agree it would be easier if you could just set up the Mac first so that you can use it to diagnose any network communication problems.

     

    I did not want to set up the Mac initially on its own because then you create a User and Password and when you migrate it creates a second User and will not migrate into the initial one you set up,

     

    Correct, but don't let that stop you from initially setting up the Mac. The way around the above concern is to create a "throwaway" User account in Setup Assistant, for the sole purpose of setting up the Mac and subsequently using Migration Assistant to migrate the account or accounts you wish to use permanently. Simply give that temporary account a name you don't wish to use for your permanent account. After migrating your permanent account and ensuring it contains the work environment you wish to use, you would log in to it and delete the "throwaway" account. It will occupy a negligible amount of space, and even that will be reclaimed after you delete it.

     

    Make sure your permanent account has Administrator access before deleting the "throwaway" account. It is not supposed to be possible to delete the only remaining Admin account, but that hasn't prevented users from finding themselves in that position somehow.

  • by lilskye,

    lilskye lilskye Oct 13, 2013 9:49 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 13, 2013 9:49 AM in response to John Galt

    Thanks so much John Galt.  I guess the reason I was afraid to try this is if memory serves, the initial setup forces you to enter your apple id (which is an email address) and I didn't want to use the one we already have for the office and want to keep (its what purchased the equipment and is used on the office iPhone) if I then have to abandon it for another one created to migrate.

     

    Am I wrong and I can set up initially without an Apple ID?  Maybe if I can set this up it I can get the new Mac to recognize the PC via the wireless Wifi.

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Oct 13, 2013 12:21 PM in response to lilskye
    Level 8 (49,666 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 13, 2013 12:21 PM in response to lilskye

    lilskye wrote:

     

    Am I wrong and I can set up initially without an Apple ID?

     

    You can skip that step with the button at lower right labeled "Skip".

     

    Setup Assistant uses your Apple ID to configure iCloud services including the ability to use your Apple ID to log in to your User account if you forget its password. All of that is optional.

  • by lilskye,

    lilskye lilskye Oct 19, 2013 2:57 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 19, 2013 2:57 PM in response to John Galt

    Hi John Galt:

     

    Hope you can still help me.  I ended up setting up the new Mac on initial start up using Migration from my Mac at home (which has a lot of the same files and all the mail & folders, calendar, contacts I want to use on the new one.

     

    However, while it didn't ask me to provide an Apple ID, it instead migrated everything over, including my User Names on my home Mac.  What I needed was to have a NEW User ID (Office) and simply migrate the same Mail, Folders, Calendar, Contacts.  I thought it would ask me to create a User Name....

     

    From what I can see online, people are saying you cannot change a User Name.  So what is the point of migration if you are forced to keep the same User Name?  What will happen if I go into Sys Pref>Users and change the "Full Name"?  Will I then not be able to access all the stuff I just migrated?

     

    If I create a new User Name to what I want (Office) can I then migrate as you suggested above into that User Account ?  Or will this not allow me to migrate my email, calendar, contacts from one User to another under a different name?

     

    Hope I'm making sense!

     

    Thanks for your generous input.

  • by John Galt,Solvedanswer

    John Galt John Galt Oct 19, 2013 4:18 PM in response to lilskye
    Level 8 (49,666 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 19, 2013 4:18 PM in response to lilskye

    From what I can see online, people are saying you cannot change a User Name.

     

    That's not entirely correct, in that the "Full name" that appears in the Login screen is easily changed in System Preferences.

     

    What you may have read is that changing an account's "short name" - the name of your Home folder - is less easily changed, but can be done. I believe that is what you intend.

     

    You have a couple of options; one of which is to simply migrate one of your existing User accounts on the source Mac a second time. Since an account already exists with that name, Migration Assistant will propose renaming it. You can change the name to whatever you choose, such as "Office". After MA finishes, the existing account with the identical name already migrated can be deleted at your convenience.

     

    The other, probably faster and more attractive option is to simply change the User Name according to the following.

     

    Apple Support Communities contributor Pondini found an astonishingly simple way to accomplish what you seek. etresoft distilled that information into the following User Tip:

     

    Changing user account short name

     

    It is a far better method than Apple's support article on the subject, which I will not bother linking here because it's outdated and cumbersome.

  • by lilskye,

    lilskye lilskye Oct 19, 2013 5:31 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 19, 2013 5:31 PM in response to John Galt

    OMG I can't thank you enough!!!!!!!!!  Thank you for the link.  This totally worked and saved me weeks of labor.

     

    Gld Bless You!