Time Capsule option to add to existing network doesn't work

Make sure that the Ethernet cable connects from an Ethernet port on the mesh router to the "O" Ethernet port on the Time Capsule.

Power up the Time Capsule if it is not already on and let it run a minute

Hold in the reset button on the back of the Time Capsule for 7-8 seconds and release

Allow a full minute for the Time Capsule to restart to a slow blinking amber light status

On your Mac.....

Click on the WiFi menu

Look for a listing of New AirPort Base Station

Click on AirPort Time Capsule, or it might say just Time Capsule

When you click on Time Capsule, that will start up the AirPort Utility setup 'wizard". The wizard will take a few seconds to analyze the network and then display a screen that looks like the example below, except that you will see a Time Capsule on your screen.

Network Name.......Type in a name. Later, the WiFi will be turned off as a separate operation if you don't need another network

Base Station Name......Type in a device name. You can use the same name that you used before if you wish

Password......Type in a password

Verify.....Type in the same password to confirm

Click Next, and the setup utility will configure the Time Capsule with the correct settings to use with the mesh system. After a minute, you should see a message of Setup Complete and the Time Capsule should display a green light.

Click Done

Important.......now log onto the mesh WiFi system and see if you can run a backup. You may....or may not......be able to do this at this time, but it will tell us where we need to go next.

Report on your progress. Later, we will turn off the WiFi on the Time Capsule if you don't need another network for guests or the kids.

Whenever you connect the Time Capsule using Ethernet, you must set it up to "Create a network". That is the only setup option that will work correctly when an Ethernet cable is connected to the Time Capsule. The iOS setup should have suggested this as a default.

Apple could have saved everyone a lot of time and frustration if they had offered a simple option in AirPort Utility like......"Set Up TC as a wired hard drive only".

Turn off the WiFi would be good

To do that, make sure that you are logged onto the mesh WiFi signal and there are no backups running at the time

Open AirPort Utility on your Mac

Click to select the Time Capsule

Click Edit in the smaller window that appears

Click the Wireless tab at the top of the next wlndow

Change the setting for Network Mode from "Create a wireless network" to "Off"

Click Update to save the new settings and give the Time Capsule a minute to restart

I am using the TC as an Ethernet hub at the moment, as well, since these mesh routers don’t seem to come with the extra Ethernet ports as traditional routers.

The TC can work this way, but there is a potential downside to this type of setup. If the TC has a problem, then so too will the other Ethernet devices connected to the TC likely have a problem.

Not a big deal, but a better setup in terms of network design would be to add an Ethernet switch to the Ethernet port on the mesh router. Switches come in 5-port, 8-port, 16-port versions. Example:

Connect an Ethernet cable from the mesh router to Port 1 on the switch. That will leave 4 available ports for Ethernet devices. Connect the TC and the other Ethernet devices that are now connected to the TC to the switch. If you need more ports, you can go to an 8-port switch.

Any big box electronics retailer will have a selection of switches as well as Amazon.

"Add to an existing network" is not the correct setting to use with a Time Capsule, since this type of setup assumes that the Time Capsule will connect to the mesh system using only a WiFi connection......something that it cannot do......so the result in an error in the setup.

The correct setup option may surprise you. It is "Create a network". More details later.

The setup would be easier.....and we can provide screenshots of the step by step process...... if you have a Mac handy to use. is that an option?

There are a few more tricks required for this setup to work.. reliably, perhaps, maybe.. so don't be surprised if it fails.

It also can take a long time because it has to verify the current backup in its new network location.. so wait until it finishes and then tell us how it goes.

"Preparing" can take a long time......an hour or more......before the actual backup will begin if it has been some time since the last backup, because Time Machine senses a change on the network and it may need to verify all the old backups before the actual backup process will begin.

Let things run until the backup completes or until you see an error message. If you stop the process, then it must start all over again. If an error message appears, post back with the exact text of the message.

Did the backup complete?

Did you want to turn off the WiFi function on the Time Capsule and use it as only a backup drive?

Nice work!