HT201945: Resetting an AirPort base station FAQ

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M Senft
Level 1 (4 points)
Apple Watch

Q: Multiple Time Capsule problems -- flashing amber light

This my set-up: Wire coming into the house is attached to a Verizon Fios router. Attached to that is a Vonage internet telephone box. The Vonage box is connected to the Time Capsule. That's been the set up for years and worked reasonably well till about a month ago when Vonage stopped connecting to the internet and the Time Capsule stopped backing up.

 

I do hard reset after hard reset and always end up with three problems.

 

1. Per Airport Utility, no ethernet cables are attached. In fact two are, one from the Fios router, one from the Vonage box.

 

2. Airport Utility denies a connection to the internet. Wants a reset of the Fios router. Done it a number of times, clearly without any benefit to the Time Capsule.

 

3. It suddenly lost the DNS Server address. Whose address and where do I find it?

 

FYI: Took the Time Capsule in to an Apple Store Genius and the hardware is fine. The machine with which I'm trying to do all this is a tear old iMac running current versions of MacOS and the Airport Utility.

iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2013), OS X Yosemite (10.10.3)

Posted on Sep 6, 2015 9:52 AM

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M Senft

Q: Multiple Time Capsule problems -- flashing amber light

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  • by Mike's Pad,

    Mike's Pad Mike's Pad Sep 6, 2015 10:28 AM in response to M Senft
    Level 2 (361 points)
    Wireless
    Sep 6, 2015 10:28 AM in response to M Senft

    In an attempt to find/isolate the problem, I recommend first disconnecting the Vonage box.  Then connect (Ethernet) the Time Capsule directly to the Fios router.  Whats the outcome of that?

     

    Most likely you will have to reset the TC and rerun Setup after making the TC to Fios connection.

  • by M Senft,

    M Senft M Senft Sep 6, 2015 4:07 PM in response to Mike's Pad
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Watch
    Sep 6, 2015 4:07 PM in response to Mike's Pad

    So disconnect the Vonage-Time Capsule connection. And when I power back up, should I have the ethernet cable attached or attach it after powering up?

     

    Thanks!

  • by Mike's Pad,

    Mike's Pad Mike's Pad Sep 6, 2015 7:42 PM in response to M Senft
    Level 2 (361 points)
    Wireless
    Sep 6, 2015 7:42 PM in response to M Senft

    I'd start by powering down all network devices, Fios router, Time Capsule, and whatever else you may have on your network.  Then connect the Ethernet between Fios router and TC; power up the Fios (only) for now and wait for a good internet connection.  Let that run for a few minutes, then do a factory reset on the TC as you power it up, then run through the TC setup routine.  Are you familiar with the setup process?  Resetting an AirPort base station FAQ - Apple Support

  • by Mike's Pad,

    Mike's Pad Mike's Pad Sep 7, 2015 2:55 AM in response to Mike's Pad
    Level 2 (361 points)
    Wireless
    Sep 7, 2015 2:55 AM in response to Mike's Pad

    Just in case, here is the Setup instruction I should have included above: Setting up Time Capsule for the first time - Apple Support

  • by M Senft,

    M Senft M Senft Sep 7, 2015 7:32 AM in response to Mike's Pad
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Watch
    Sep 7, 2015 7:32 AM in response to Mike's Pad

    Started the factory settings reset/set up as new, and it's hanging at the point where the AirPort Utility is asking for an ethernet cable to be connected. The cable is connect and the utility shows no awareness of it. And I now have a very slow flashing amber light.

  • by Mike's Pad,

    Mike's Pad Mike's Pad Sep 7, 2015 8:00 AM in response to M Senft
    Level 2 (361 points)
    Wireless
    Sep 7, 2015 8:00 AM in response to M Senft
    • DId you get a quick flashing Amber light after the reset?  If so, good,  the reset took.  Unplug the Ethernet, wait a minute, and plug it back in.  If no change in Amber light status,    Power down the TC, wait a minute, then power back up. 

     

    • IF you did not get the quick flashing amber light, you missed it and need to try the reset again. 

     

    Additionally, above all make sure you are using a good (tested good) Ethernet cable AND make sure the connections are from LAN jack on router to WAN on the TC.