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How can I access Time Capsule as my Time Machine back up?

I had been using my Time Capsule as my wireless router and Time Machine back up device for multiple Macs I own. But I have moved and rearranged my WiFi set up and want to use my Time Capsule not as a router but continue to access it as my Time Machine back up. I have read that this is quite doable.


So I now have a eero MESH network for my WiFi. This serves as my wireless router. I have used Airport Utility to turn OFF the router function of my Time Capsule. And I have connected my Time Capsule WAN port to one of my eero MESH router units.


Question is, when I go to my iMac, I no longer “see” the old Time Machine back ups. So how do I reconnect my Macs with this this Time Capsule and all of the back ups that are on it?


Hope someone can help.

Airport Time Capsule 802.11ac Gen1

Posted on Mar 15, 2020 6:21 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Mar 15, 2020 7:19 PM

I have used Airport Utility to turn OFF the router function of my Time Capsule. And I have connected my Time Capsule WAN port to one of my eero MESH router units.


Strictly that should have worked.. but it is a bit fragile.


Let me suggest you do a full factory reset of the TC. Leave it plugged into the Eero by ethernet to TC wan port.

No files are lost doing this. It merely resets the router side.


In the airport utility start the setup wizard and the TC should substantially configure itself.

It will get an IP from the Eero router and work in bridged mode.

As you go through the setup PLEASE DO USE NEW SHORT NAME. NOT WHAT YOU USED BEFORE.


The name is short, <8 characters, no spaces and pure alphanumeric.

Password same rules. 8-20 characters.


Test that you can open it in Finder.

If you can mount the TC disk in Finder.. then go to Time Machine, add or remove disks.


Add the newly renamed TC. Time Machine will say it is going to do a new backup.. ignore this.

You do not need to do anything else.. wait until Time Machine begins a backup and make sure it actually picks up your previous backup. It will verify the backup and then do the next incremental. From that point you should be able to open TM backups to any of your previous dates.


If that works on first Mac the rest will function the same.


NOTE.. to be stable you do need to do a few things.

  1. Set the IP to static value in the TC.
  2. Turn IPv6 to link-local only
  3. If wireless is on, turn it off in the TC.
  4. And much more complicated.. domain issues.. leave it for now.


I have put these instructions in other posts so let me dig you up a reference.

15 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Mar 15, 2020 7:19 PM in response to bikemd

I have used Airport Utility to turn OFF the router function of my Time Capsule. And I have connected my Time Capsule WAN port to one of my eero MESH router units.


Strictly that should have worked.. but it is a bit fragile.


Let me suggest you do a full factory reset of the TC. Leave it plugged into the Eero by ethernet to TC wan port.

No files are lost doing this. It merely resets the router side.


In the airport utility start the setup wizard and the TC should substantially configure itself.

It will get an IP from the Eero router and work in bridged mode.

As you go through the setup PLEASE DO USE NEW SHORT NAME. NOT WHAT YOU USED BEFORE.


The name is short, <8 characters, no spaces and pure alphanumeric.

Password same rules. 8-20 characters.


Test that you can open it in Finder.

If you can mount the TC disk in Finder.. then go to Time Machine, add or remove disks.


Add the newly renamed TC. Time Machine will say it is going to do a new backup.. ignore this.

You do not need to do anything else.. wait until Time Machine begins a backup and make sure it actually picks up your previous backup. It will verify the backup and then do the next incremental. From that point you should be able to open TM backups to any of your previous dates.


If that works on first Mac the rest will function the same.


NOTE.. to be stable you do need to do a few things.

  1. Set the IP to static value in the TC.
  2. Turn IPv6 to link-local only
  3. If wireless is on, turn it off in the TC.
  4. And much more complicated.. domain issues.. leave it for now.


I have put these instructions in other posts so let me dig you up a reference.

Mar 15, 2020 9:52 PM in response to bikemd

I have used Airport Utility to turn OFF the router function of my Time Capsule.


Does this mean that you turned "off" the wireless function of the Time Capsule?




If yes, that is OK, but there is another setting that you need to change as well. Post back for more instructions.


Note.....whenever you change the modem or the router to which the Time Capsule connects, it is best to reset the Time Capsule back to factory default settings and then set it up again from scratch........so that all the "old" network settings are erased and the Time Capsule can pick up the "new" settings that it needs to connect your "new" network.


We'll try to avoid having you reset your Time Capsule......but that may be necessary if a "try this" and "try that" approach results in continued problems.



Mar 15, 2020 10:14 PM in response to Bob Timmons

You are right. I have "turned "off" the wireless function of the Time Capsule" using that option in Airport Utility.


So, you are saying/confirming what LaPastenague wrote, that I can reset the TC without losing my back ups. And that it's best to reset it to allow my TC to pick up new network settings.


I'll try to take that next step.


Thanks.


Mar 16, 2020 6:39 AM in response to bikemd

So, you are saying/confirming what LaPastenague wrote, that I can reset the TC without losing my back ups. And that it's best to reset it to allow my TC to pick up new network settings.


Correct


However, the Catalina operating system has created a number of new issues with Time Machine, so if you have installed Catalina on your Mac(s) there may be more challenges ahead.

Mar 16, 2020 7:40 AM in response to bikemd

If you need assistance with the basic setup, my neighbor has an Eero mesh system and I helped him set up his Time Capsule on the network, so I am familiar with this type of configuration.


His Mac running Mojave is working great. His other Mac running Catalina cannot "see" the older backups that were made by the Mac before he "upgraded" to Catalina. This is a frequent issue that we have seen many times on this forum.



Mar 16, 2020 10:03 AM in response to bikemd

Not sure where the Aperture image library is stored on your Mac, but it might be a good idea to have more than just a Time Machine backup of the image library. That might mean copying the image library over to another USB drive that is connected directly to your Mac.


It's your call, but personally I would be nervous if I only had only one backup of important data. Even more so if the Time Capsule is 4-5 years old or older.



Mar 17, 2020 8:20 PM in response to LaPastenague

Thanks.


The Time Capsule was actually still working well. When I moved into this new place, I wanted to try a MESH WiFi system to get really good coverage. It took me a bit to find the info and realize that I can use a MESH WiFi system but still use my TC to maintain the Time Machine back ups of multiple Macs.


The TC is old technology for sure. The 3TB hard drive inside failed on me about a year ago and I had taken it apart and replaced it with a brand new 4TB unit. Since I had just spent some money on it, I was keen to try to keep it working...


It’s great to have resources like these user forums and people who have the expertise and are willing to lend a hand.


Thanks!

How can I access Time Capsule as my Time Machine back up?

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