Diego LaCrete

Q: Airport Time Capsule - Setting Up - Impossible

Hi guys,

 

I bought an ATC a few months ago, and did not set it up properly at the office, since by that time we were installing a backup server, a twin wifi connected to mine, etc.

 

Well, now I found time to deal with it so I tried to connect it, but found that impossible (ambar light blinking, of course):

 

(steps I followed: 1. Light off the router 2. connect the ethernet cable to the router and the ATC in the bottom switch 3. light the router and the ATC.).

 

- First of all, every time I connect the ATC to the router via the ethernet cable, the internet provided by the router does not work. It is like the ATC steals the internet signal, so I cannot even browse the web or do anything else (including looking for help or update the firmware)

 

- In that case, in the main screen of the Airport Utility App, several problems are highlighted in orange and displayed once I click on the ATC image: (1) WAN setup warns about security (2) Problem with DNS (3) Problem with PPoE (4) No internet connection.

 

The Wifi I once created from the ATC exists, and the devices can see it, but it does not connect (trying by PPPoE but does not succeed).

 

I also tried to connect directly the ethernet cable from the ATC to the iMac, but the latter does not even find the ATC.

 

Could somebody guide me step to step? I find myself completely lost, I am far from being a tekky...

 

Thanks very much in advance!

Airport Time Capsule 2TB, OS X El Capitan (10.11.5)

Posted on Aug 17, 2016 9:04 AM

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Q: Airport Time Capsule - Setting Up - Impossible

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  • by JimmyCMPIT,

    JimmyCMPIT JimmyCMPIT Aug 17, 2016 9:06 AM in response to Diego LaCrete
    Level 5 (7,035 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 17, 2016 9:06 AM in response to Diego LaCrete
  • by Diego LaCrete,

    Diego LaCrete Diego LaCrete Aug 17, 2016 9:11 AM in response to JimmyCMPIT
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 17, 2016 9:11 AM in response to JimmyCMPIT

    well, no really, but thanks

  • by John Galt,Helpful

    John Galt John Galt Aug 19, 2016 5:56 AM in response to Diego LaCrete
    Level 8 (48,633 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 19, 2016 5:56 AM in response to Diego LaCrete

    Connect the Time Capsule the way you would like it to be connected when it's in use. In other words if you want your iMac to connect to it wirelessly, then don't connect its Ethernet cable to your iMac. If you were to do that, it will expect that cable to be connected when your iMac wants to connect to your network.

     

    Then: start with a "hard reset" (read below), select "New AirPort Time Capsule" from your iMac's Wi-Fi menu, and proceed to configure it using AirPort Utility.

     

    When you're finished configuring it, the Time Capsule will restart. After it restarts, select the network you specified in your iMac's Wi-Fi menu.

     

    To "hard reset" an AirPort Base Station: make sure it's powered up, then gently press and hold its tiny reset button. Don't apply any more force than required to feel a tactile click. Keep it depressed for five to ten seconds, long enough for its LED to flash amber rapidly. Release the reset button. Then, the LED will glow amber steadily for about a minute. Then, it will flash amber, slowly, about once every second or two, waiting for you to configure it with AirPort Utility.

  • by Diego LaCrete,

    Diego LaCrete Diego LaCrete Aug 17, 2016 2:31 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 17, 2016 2:31 PM in response to John Galt

    Ok. I will try that tomorrow at the office.

     

    In the menatime, I tried at home, and the ATC worked fine after a reset. At home, however, there is only an ADSL router. On the other hand, at work my rooter gives signal or is connected to:

     

    - another router giving signal to upper office. This router with its own password, but depending on my router in order to internet access.

    - a backup server with PCs are connected (not my computer, which is an iMac)

    - a printer/scanner (directly connected by a cable).

     

    Maybe it's just that the ATC does not "know" how to connect or with which device. In any case I just plug it to my router, which is the one providing the internet signal.

     

    I'll try again tomorrow and come back to you should any problem be found.

     

    The ATC, can be however used in two different places (home&office) with the same created network, doesn't it? I mean, if a create Diego's Network in the ATC, it can be used at home and at the office, an evrywhere I use the ATC?

     

    Thank you very much in advance

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Aug 17, 2016 7:25 PM in response to Diego LaCrete
    Level 8 (48,633 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 17, 2016 7:25 PM in response to Diego LaCrete

    Diego LaCrete wrote:

     

     

    The ATC, can be however used in two different places (home&office) with the same created network, doesn't it? I mean, if a create Diego's Network in the ATC, it can be used at home and at the office, an evrywhere I use the ATC?

     

    I'm not sure if I understand the question. If you are asking if you can use the Time Capsule in one location, then transport it to another location with another modem with another ISP and have it create a network exactly as it did in the first location, it's not as simple as that.

     

    You can, however, export each configuration file used to connect it to your office and your home. Then, when changing locations, import the configuration used for that location, and update the TC. Those options are found in AirPort Utility's File menu.

  • by Diego LaCrete,

    Diego LaCrete Diego LaCrete Aug 18, 2016 3:50 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 18, 2016 3:50 AM in response to John Galt

    Thanks John. What I mean is: I set up a Network yesterday at home with the ATC called Diego's Network, and I succeed doing a backup of my laptop (Macbook Air) at home. The ATC plugged with the router at home.

     

    If now I take the ATC at the office, should I create a new network from my ATC in order to backup the desktop computer (iMac) and to use the ATC wifi at the office, or I could use the one created at home?

     

    Thanks in advance!

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Aug 18, 2016 9:01 AM in response to Diego LaCrete
    Level 8 (48,633 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 18, 2016 9:01 AM in response to Diego LaCrete

    Yes, you could do that, but it sounds rather inconvenient to routinely transport a Time Capsule from one location to another.

     

    Note that portable Macs back themselves up using "local snapshots" that are flushed to your Time Capsule when it becomes available: About Time Machine local snapshots - Apple Support. The salient point is that it's not necessary to have a portable Mac connected to a TC all the time, just often enough so that a Time Machine backup can be created once in a while.

     

    Perhaps it would best if you were to leave the TC where the iMac usually resides (the office). When your MacBook Air connects to your office network, it will automatically back up to the TC.

  • by Diego LaCrete,

    Diego LaCrete Diego LaCrete Aug 19, 2016 5:39 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 19, 2016 5:39 AM in response to John Galt

    Ok. Now it worked.

     

    I erased the data of the ATC drive (just a backup of my laptop). Then I reset and set up again the ATC at home from the home router, and did not do anything else (no laptop backup, nothing).

     

    The day after (today) I connected the ATC to the office router (both, ATC switched off, then plugged the ethernet cable from ATC to the router, then switch on the router, and once it booted completely, I switch on the ATC. Then fine, I've got the ATC WIFI working perfectly BUT, the system does not allow me to make backups from my iMac.

     

    I got this strange error message:

     

    Captura de pantalla 2016-08-18 a las 16.27.33.png

     

    Looks like there's a problem with theKeychain Access, so the system refuses to use the TAC as the bakup disk for Time Machine. The message is in spanish, but it's like "The error 100001 took place while creating a new entry in the keychain of the system xxxxxxxx".

     

    What could the problem be? First I thought that, since the password fot the ATC and Admin/User password for the iMac is the same, it might confuse the system, but I don't think so...

     

    Any ideas of how to solve it?

     

    Thanks in advance!!

     

    BTW, all firmware is updated

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Aug 19, 2016 10:26 AM in response to Diego LaCrete
    Level 8 (48,633 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 19, 2016 10:26 AM in response to Diego LaCrete

    The reason for that message is that the network name for the Time Capsule's backup was established for its location at home. Removing the Time Capsule from your home and connecting it to a different router results in an inability for Time Machine to find the backup.

     

    If you want to use the Time Capsule in that manner, you will have to reset and reconfigure it each time you change locations. As I wrote you can "export" the applicable configuration file for each location, and subsequently "import" that file when changing locations. And, as I wrote, that seems terribly inconvenient. (The backups themselves are not erased when resetting a Time Capsule.)

     

    Time Machine uses Keychain to store information regarding the identity of the backups it creates. The intent is to prevent someone with malicious intent from accessing a backup of a Mac that isn't theirs, and possibly creating a duplicate image of its contents. What you are describing is exactly what would occur if someone were to steal your Time Capsule, and attempt to restore one of your backups to their Mac.

  • by Diego LaCrete,

    Diego LaCrete Diego LaCrete Aug 22, 2016 2:43 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 22, 2016 2:43 AM in response to John Galt

    Ok, got it!

     

    Actually I decided just to have the ATC at the office in order to backup my iMac, and use ChronoSync so my laptop is updated with the iMac ervytime I need that.

     

    But, as I told, you, I did not succed setting up the ATC at the office, and that's why I set it up at home, and brang it to the office (now, here the created Network ath home is running perfectly, but refuses backup).

     

    How it gets the ATC "steals"the wifi router signal at the office while connected (and trying to setting up) and does not do that at home?

  • by Diego LaCrete,

    Diego LaCrete Diego LaCrete Aug 22, 2016 6:24 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 22, 2016 6:24 AM in response to John Galt

    Ok, bad news.

     

    I managed to set the ATC ath Office, and it works fine now, regarding the Network and the Wifi: the prior wifi coming form the router is working fine, and so does the Wifi signal coming from the ATC.

     

    I dont't now exactly how I did it. It has been a metter of playing, first reseting the device and setting "Adding to a new Network" (with the router-wifi network data), then changed to "create a new Network", and changinf the security from WPA/WPA2 Personal to WPA2 Personal. So now it works!

     

    BUT, Time Machine still refuses to use back up with the same annoying 100001 error. No backup in another device was made after the reset, and the only set up after the reset was done in the current location, so I'm lost.... Where the problem is coming from?

     

    Thank you again, John, and apologies for my insistance

  • by John Galt,Helpful

    John Galt John Galt Aug 23, 2016 5:51 AM in response to Diego LaCrete
    Level 8 (48,633 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 23, 2016 5:51 AM in response to Diego LaCrete

    The Time Machine backups fail because it is unable to find the previously established path to its backup destination on the Time Capsule.

     

    No need to apologize, I'm glad to help, but it will be challenging to find a solution to the unusual Time Machine configuration you would like to use. I can only offer general suggestions that are likely to succeed.

     

    My original recommendation was to first "connect the Time Capsule the way you would like it to be connected when it's in use" followed by the "hard reset" and then configuring it with AirPort Utility. Please note that "connect" in this context refers to means by which the Time Capsule communicates with your office network. It does not necessarily imply a physical cable needs to be connected to it, however, that is the ideal configuration. I realize a wired connection may not be convenient or even possible in some circumstances, but if a wirelessly connected TC is near or beyond the limits of its network's wireless coverage area, TM backups will fail for the exact same reasons you are encountering.

     

    Next: There are several basic Time Capsule configurations, but the only one likely to work in your office is to have it "add to" your existing office network. It can do that either with a wired Ethernet cable or wirelessly, but in either case you need to start with the "hard reset" so that it can determine which one to use. If a viable Ethernet LAN connection is available, AirPort Utility will select it by default because it is more reliable than any wireless connection.

     

    Then, and only after AirPort Utility has finished configuring the TC in that established configuration, you can select it as a backup destination for Time Machine, and it should work reliably from then on. Any subsequent changes to that established configuration, including relocating the TC to your home or any other network, will require selecting the resulting new Time Machine destination so that it can continue to work. The backups themselves will remain available and intact, but having to re-select the backups each time you relocate the TC will be inconvenient at best — and remember you will need to start over with a reconfiguration (or re-load a previously saved configuration file) each time you do that.

     

    ... then changed to "create a new Network",

     

    From that description, it seems as though you now have two networks at the office: one created by the office wireless router, and another created by the Time Capsule. Is that right? If so it's not ideal for a number of reasons: when you are connected to your office network's Wi-Fi, there will be no path to the TC, and TM backups won't work.

     

    The only solution that is likely to work (a word about that later) will be to have your TC "add to" the existing office network. In that configuration, it will act as a client in the exact same way any other network device connects to it. And, in that configuration, you will need to set up Time Machine so your Mac can always has that same path to the TC.

     

    Here is the caveat to that solution: According to Apple's documentation, Time Machine will back up to a Time Capsule "on your network" (boldface added). According to anecdotal reports that I have no way to confirm, Time Machine might be unreliable when a TC is configured as a client on a non-Apple network. A great deal of uncertainty arises when enterprise-grade routers are used, such as might be the case with your office network. They can be configured to prevent access to any equipment an office's network administrator might deem inappropriate. They can also change that configuration at any time, as often as they wish, for any reason, or for no reason at all.

     

    Taking a number of similar Apple Support documents into account as a whole, one can infer the only solution guaranteed to work is an all-Apple network – defined as one created by an Apple AirPort Base Station (Extreme, Express, or Time Capsule). That does not strictly conclude you will not be able to implement the configuration you seek, it just means that you should seek the least complicated solution: configure the TC as a client to your office network. Assuming it works in that configuration, leave it that way.

  • by Diego LaCrete,

    Diego LaCrete Diego LaCrete Aug 23, 2016 6:22 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 23, 2016 6:22 AM in response to John Galt

    Hi John,

     

    Thank you very much for your wide explanation. I do appreciate.

     

    Actually I suceed solving the problem yesterday evening, before your last answer was posted (I'll explain how later).

     

    Just for you (and any other like me who might face the same issue) to understand what I did. Fisrt step, of course, following your recommendation:

     

    My original recommendation was to first "connect the Time Capsule the way you would like it to be connected when it's in use" followed by the "hard reset" and then configuring it with AirPort Utility.

    The point is, strangely, until yesterday, every time I did that, the internet signal from the router (feeding other devices and the depending-router upstairs) dissapeared, and the ATC couldn't work (PPoE, DNS, WAN issues) so no way to set up anything. Instead, yesterady, after an ATC disk eraseand a hard reset, I disconnected the ATC and the router. Then connected the ethernet cable between them; then booted the router until operational internet signal was on, and then booted the ATC. Since, I found the same connectivity issues, I started by "adding the ATC network to an existing Network" (the one provided by the router - let's call it Office Wifi Network OWN - , which was working fine, and didn't find itself "stolen" by the ATC as previously had occured). I changed a couple of things and went back to "Creating a new Netwok", I changed from WPA/WPA2 personal to WPA2 Personal, I included the DNS (putting the same adress as for the router (192.168.1.1), and the ATC created the new Network, which is working simultanieously with the OWN.

     

    Even if you consider that

     

    From that description, it seems as though you now have two networks at the office: one created by the office wireless router, and another created by the Time Capsule. Is that right? If so it's not ideal for a number of reasons: when you are connected to your office network's Wi-Fi, there will be no path to the TC, and TM backups won't work

    I am forced to have both networks operating: the OWN is providing internet and wifi to the upstairs router for my employees computers, general backup PC server, wireless printers, etc; the ATC netwrok must work in order to provide access/path to my backups from my iMac. Let's say at this point that I'm living in Mauritania, and nobody in this country (no technician, no apple support agent, NOTHING-NO ONE) is able to create a network working for both, my employees (using windows PC) and I (using Mac). Also, I prefer to keep my things/information aside.

     

    Well, then, once I had both Networks working fine, and the ATC reachable without trouble from the Aiport Utility App, I tried to backup with the aforementioned results (100001 error).

     

    So, I digged in other forums, in the meantime your sure answer took to arrive, and I found this:

     

    Boot to recovery holding CMD+R until you see the apple logo.  You may have to select your Language on the next screen, or it may go straight to OS X Utilities.   In OS X Utilities, at the top of the screen  you have a black apple, OS X Utilities, File, Edit, Utilities.  Click "Utilities" and click "Terminal".   In Terminal, type out  /usr/bin/chflags norestricted,nosunlink “/Volumes/drivename/Library/Keychains/System.keychain”  but replace drivename with your disk name (I.E. Macintosh HD).  If you see "Invalid Flag" you typed something wrong. After it finishes, you should see a bash# command.  If so, click the black apple and click restart, then try backing up.

     

    from the Keychain error 100001 when attempting to reconnect time machine. posted by Kaemaahl.

     

    And it just worked fine.

     

    Once I did that, I tried to backup from the ATC and it worked. Now I have my iMac brand new first backup in the ATC and I feel like heaven has opened to me.

     

    Thank you again, John, for your time, patience and knowledge.

     

    PS.You can't even imagine how hard/frustating is to live in Mauritania regarding technology issues. There is no one to be found if the issue is not a really conventional.

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Aug 23, 2016 7:42 PM in response to Diego LaCrete
    Level 8 (48,633 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 23, 2016 7:42 PM in response to Diego LaCrete

    Great! I'm glad you got it sorted out. You're now Mauritania's official Mac expert.

     

    Thanks for posting that Discussion link... the problem was due to incorrectly set permissions. How that occurred is anyone's guess. Erasing the applicable Keychain entry should have fixed that, and we will never know the reason it didn't.

     

    I realize how difficult it can be to troubleshoot problems such as this even if one is physically present. Attempting to remotely determine what's wrong on a site such as this can be a challenge.

     

    The point is, strangely, until yesterday, every time I did that, the internet signal from the router (feeding other devices and the depending-router upstairs) dissapeared, and the ATC couldn't work ...

     

    Not that it matters any more, but if I understand you correctly that might be normal. The temporary network created with a TC that has been "hard reset" disappears after you finish configuring the TC. You then have to reconnect to the network you want to use: either the one created by the TC, or (as in your case, I believe) your office's existing network that the TC has joined as a client.

     

    That's what I meant by:

     

    When you're finished configuring it, the Time Capsule will restart. After it restarts, select the network you specified in your iMac's Wi-Fi menu.

     

    Now that you have established a working connection to the TC it should continue to work reliably. If that should change, TM will let you know, in which case please write back.