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How do I use Time Capsule as an external disk?

I'd like to download all of my photos from Flickr to an external disk. I have not been using the TimeCapsule for backing up for a long time so I'd like to make it useful to store thousands of photos. When I plug it in it conflicts with my wifi Internet connection because it still thinks it's a router apparently. Can anybody help please?

iMac Pro

Posted on Jan 4, 2019 2:21 PM

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Posted on Jan 4, 2019 3:24 PM

The Time Capsule is always a network drive .. not local. You cannot plug it into your computer and expect to copy files to it.. for that you need an ordinary USB drive.. much better option.. faster and much more reliable.


To use the TC you must set it to factory.. plug it into the main router by ethernet and reconfigure it for use as network disk without wireless..


You can then mount and use the drive.. but I do not recommend it.


You must always backup your photos and so if you intend for just using the TC as backup that is fine.. otherwise it is really unsuited to working as a storage device.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 4, 2019 3:24 PM in response to Carolina Cohen

The Time Capsule is always a network drive .. not local. You cannot plug it into your computer and expect to copy files to it.. for that you need an ordinary USB drive.. much better option.. faster and much more reliable.


To use the TC you must set it to factory.. plug it into the main router by ethernet and reconfigure it for use as network disk without wireless..


You can then mount and use the drive.. but I do not recommend it.


You must always backup your photos and so if you intend for just using the TC as backup that is fine.. otherwise it is really unsuited to working as a storage device.

Jan 4, 2019 6:56 PM in response to Carolina Cohen

I just got this running by connecting the TC to my AT&T "gateway" device. The connection that worked was plain Ethernet port to plain Ethernet port. It did not work when I connected the TC using the special port intended to be connected directly to the Internet. Second step, get Airport Utility going and shut off all of the router functions of the TC (wired and wireless). Apply those changes (causing TC to restart) and you should be good to go. When you attempt to mount the TC drive (or target it with TM), you will have to supply the TC administrative password that you chose.

How do I use Time Capsule as an external disk?

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