Time Capsule and a separate wireless router

Since you will (effectively) have two routers in your network configuration, you would just need to reconfigure the TC as a bridge. This will allow the new 2Wire router to provide both NAT & DHCP services for the entire network.

To reconfigure the TC as a bridge, use the AirPort Utility: AirPort Utility > Manual Setup > Internet > Internet Connection > Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode)

I've assumed that you wanted to continue to use the TC for Time Machine backups. If that is the case, connecting it to the new 2Wire router and reconfiguring it as a bridge will allow you to do so. The other option would be to reconfigure the TC to "join" the wireless network, created by the 2Wire. In the latter configuration, the TC will perform as a wireless client which you can still access for the backups.

if I connect it as a bridge the TC won't still want to be the router (somehow strong-arming the new 2wire)?

Configuring the TC as a bridge disables NAT, which effectively disables the TC's router function. Instead, the TC will take advantage of the upstream router for these services.

I just got a time capsule and am not sure whether to
1) have the TC join my current network (I have a wireless network with Sky as the provider), or to
2) replace the existing wirelss router with the TC

Does anyone understand the pro's and con's of each?

I have exactly the same question so please let me know if you find an answer. I have a linksys router that works great and all my other computers and wireless devices work great through it. Some of the computers are PCs and some are Macs so I want to hook my new iMac up to the linksys as well since it works flawlessly. However, I bought a Time Capsule and want to set it up as an automatic backup device. I don't want to reset all my other wireless devices to the Time Capsule and really only want the TC for backup, not as a router. Is there a way I can set it the TC up downstream from my linksys router and use it wirelessly?

Welcome to the discussions!

Based on the information in your post, you would want to configure the Time Capsule to "join" your existing wireless network. Backups will occur over your existing wireless network.

In this type of configuration, the Time Capsule is simply a wireless backup device for your network. It will not perform any routing functions at all, and the ethernet ports on the device will not be active.

Please understand that backups from your iMac will only occur "automatically" if you have the Time Machine application installed on your Mac. It's standard with Leopard and Snow Leopard Macs.

Post back if you need more info or have questions.

Welcome to the discussion area!

+I just got a time capsule and am not sure whether to....+

+1) have the TC join my current network (I have a wireless network with Sky as the provider)+,

Pros...simplicity. Backups will occur over your existing wireless network. Cons...the TC will perform no routing functions at all and will function simply as a wireless backup device. The ethernet ports on the device will not be active.

+2) replace the existing wirelss router with the TC+

Pros...if you need a dual band wireless router with an additional Guest network feature, it would make sense to configure the TC as the main router. Devices could connect either using wireless or ethernet.

Cons...Your Sky device is likely a "gateway", (a combination modem and router on the same chassis). If you replace the Sky with the TC, you will need to reconfigure your Sky device as a simple modem (which may or may not be possible), or you will need to purchase a simple modem (which may or may not be compatible with the Sky setup that you have).

Thank you for your reply.

So I just plug the ethernet cable that used to go to my PC to the Time Capsule now? And then connect my new iMac wirelessly to the linksys router or to the Time Capsule?

Or do I need to connect my new iMac to the Time Capsule with an ethernet cable? And if I do that will my iMac still be using the linksys as a router?

Finally, and I am sorry for all the questions, if I hook the TC up to the linksys router and then connect to the network indirectly through the TC, will that offer something of a firewall in addition to the one on the router? I am replacing my PC with a Mac for security purposes; someone got remote control of my PC even through my linksys router, even with antivirus and antispam software on the computer, and it became completely unusable. I know already that Macs are much safer than PCs but want to maximize my protection after today's events.

Thank you.

Your last post indicated that:

+I bought a Time Capsule and want to set it up as an automatic backup device. I don't want to reset all my other wireless devices to the Time Capsule and really only want the TC for backup, not as a router. Is there a way I can set it the TC up downstream from my linksys router and use it wirelessly?+

My answer was to configure it to "join" your existing Linksys wireless network, which met all of your requirements. When the TC "joins" a wireless network, it connects to the wireless network using wireless, not ethernet.

It is not a router (as you requested above), it is an automatic wireless backup device. Since it is not a router in the type of configuration you requested, it cannot perform any routing functions. Therefore, it cannot act as a firewall.

Nothing will change on your network except you will be adding a wireless backup device. This is what you requested.

Do you want the TC to perform other tasks? If so, what would they be?

Thanks so much for your clear reply!
With this in mind, I will use the TC only as back up (for now at least).

Another question if I may...

I download movies and TV shows to my Apple TV regularly and they sync with my Mac. The issue I have is that now both are running out of memory because of the size of the video files.

The question is, what are the options (or best way) to free up space in the Apple TV and Mac, and make sure I can easily access these files from the TC when needed?

Thanks very much,
Luciana.

I have a similar question. I am currently using my TC as a router and have Uverse. The Uverse router can also function as a wireless access point, but that feature is currently disabled.

My goal is to extend the range of my WLAN and I'd like to relocate the TC to the 1st floor and plug it into my my cable box (which I'm told every box is also a node on the home network). Then, enable the uverse wireless functions and have a hard wired connection between the uverse router and my imac while simultaneously being able to backup the TC.

I also have a wireless printer that somehow uses the TC as the "mid point" for printing with my imac and PCs.

I noticed in the wireless setup of the TC, I can select extend the "extend wireless network" in the utility. I have to get my password from att so I can enable my wireless on the 2wire. I'm hesitant to try moving the TC without a some input from this board. Has anyone done this before? If so, were there any issues to be aware of?

Added => Also, in reading other posts, what are the security consideration for doing this?

+Another question if I may...+

+I download movies and TV shows to my Apple TV regularly and they sync with my Mac. The issue I have is that now both are running out of memory because of the size of the video files.+

We're really drifting here on this thread and I would like to help, but I don't download movies, etc on a regular basis and haven't faced the memory issue that you describe, so I'm not the right person to answer your question based on experience and know how.

It's very doubtful that other users will dig this deep into a thread and see your question, so I would suggest that you post another question and start a new thread. With a descriptive subject such as "Can I transfer movies and music from my computer to the Time Capsule?"

One thought that comes to mind here...and you can certainly copy the files over to the Time Capsule disk....is that if you do this, you will have no backups, so keep that in mind as well.

Hopefully, you will receive some good answers and options.

Sorry, I'm not following the questions about the "cable box".

To answer the last question first, you can only "extend a wireless network" using wireless if both the "main" and "remote" routers are Apple "n" devices. In other words, the "main Apple router broadcasts a wireless signal" and the "remote" Apple router picks it up and re-broadcasts it, or "extends" the wireless signal.

The Time Capsule (TC) could pickup the wireless signal from the AT&T router and "join" the wireless network, so backups would occur over the AT&T wireless network. But, the TC would not "boost" or "extend" the wireless signal it received. Configured like this, the TC would simply be a wireless backup device. It would perform no routing functions at all on your network.

+My goal is to extend the range of my WLAN and I'd like to relocate the TC to the 1st floor and plug it into my my cable box (which I'm told every box is also a node on the home network).+

This is where I'm confused and don't understand what you mean by cable box. Can you provide more details about this? Do you mean to say that this is an ethernet wall jack?

+Then, enable the uverse wireless functions and have a hard wired connection between the uverse router and my imac while simultaneously being able to backup the TC.+

If you are able to establish an ethernet connection between your AT&T router and the iMac that will work fine.

If you can establish an ethernet connection between your AT&T router and the TC, then all of the devices that are connected to the AT&T router...wired and wireless devices...will be able to backup to the TC. Instead of a wireless connection between the AT&T router and the TC, you would have an ethernet connection. That's a superior setup if that's possible because it's always better to use a wired connection over wireless if at all possible.

If you connect the TC to the AT&T router using ethernet, you could also configure the TC as a "bridge" to "Create a wireless network" using the exact same wireless network name, security and password as the AT&T network. If you did this, then you would increase your wireless coverage by a wide margin. You would have, in effect, a much larger wireless network. Computers would automatically connect to the nearest wireless router.

+I also have a wireless printer that somehow uses the TC as the "mid point" for printing with my imac and PCs.+

If the printer works now, it should work in a new location.

Security wise, you'll be transmitting a somewhat stronger signal, so WPA2 Personal Security should be used on both routers if at all possible and you should have a long, non-dictionary password consisting of random numbers and letters for the network.

Message was edited by: Bob Timmons