You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

How to setup/use a time capsule as an external drive?

I read a few posts here on this matter but, questions and answers offered do not fully meet my needs.

If it is possible, I want to use a time capsule that no longer is used; it was the backup device a few years ago. It has 3T of storage.

I have a thunderbolt 3 docking station where I connect my MacBook Pro (2019) to 4 external drives; my router is connected to the docking station with an ethernet cable.

I would like to erase the time capsule HD and format Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

I need your help in setting up this time capsule for the purpose I want to use it: storing 40K pictures that are taking too much space in my MBP an 2 external volumes.

Thanks in advance.

MacBook Pro 15”, macOS 10.15

Posted on May 19, 2020 10:46 AM

Top-ranking reply

Bob Timmons

Community+ 2024

Level 10

170,594 points

Posted on May 19, 2020 11:19 AM

First requirement is that the Time Capsule must connect to the network router or a network Ethernet switch using a permanent, wired Ethernet cable connection.

Not much point in continuing this discussion if you cannot connect the Time Capsule to your network in this manner. Please let us know if you want to proceed.

Please.....keep in mind that while the Time Capsule might be located "externally", it will not act like an external USB drive. Reason.....the Time Capsule is a "network" drive that must connect to the network. In that regard, the TC acts more like a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device than a normal external drive that connects directly to a computer.

Also you should be aware that the Time Capsule was designed to store backups of your Macs. Access to data stored on the Time Capsule is going to be slow......significantly slower than a normal USB drive.

View in context

How to setup/use a time capsule as an external drive?

Similar questions