I have used my TC as a router but I have now changed to a mesh network as I had problems with coverage. But I still want to use my TC for backup. I really cannot make that work. I connect the TC with a wire . but they do no not seem to connect. What shall I do?
What shall I do?
Remember that the Time Capsule was programmed to work with your "old" modem or system, so if you have connected it to another modem or mesh router system, it is still trying to connect to your "old" modem or system. It does not know that you have a new modem/ mesh system, so it is lost and does not know what to do.
The solution is to perform a Hard Reset* on the Time Capsule to reset the network settings back to factory defaults......so the Time Capsule can be set up again to pick up the new settings that it needs to connect to your new mesh system. This type of reset will not affect any of the data that might be currently stored on the Time Capsule hard drive.
The Time Capsule will by default provide a WiFi signal when it is set up again, so if you don't need the WiFi service from the Time Capsule, it is a simple matter to turn off the WiFi function on the Time Capsule to allow you back up to the Time Capsule over the mesh WiFi network.
*A Hard Reset is performed by holding in the reset button on the back of the Time Capsule for 7-8 seconds while it is powered on. Release the reset button and allow a full minute for the Time Capsule to restart to a slow blinking amber light status.
Post back if you need a few more tips on how to set up the Time Capsule to work with your mesh system. We will assume that you will be using a Mac to set things up.
What shall I do?
Remember that the Time Capsule was programmed to work with your "old" modem or system, so if you have connected it to another modem or mesh router system, it is still trying to connect to your "old" modem or system. It does not know that you have a new modem/ mesh system, so it is lost and does not know what to do.
The solution is to perform a Hard Reset* on the Time Capsule to reset the network settings back to factory defaults......so the Time Capsule can be set up again to pick up the new settings that it needs to connect to your new mesh system. This type of reset will not affect any of the data that might be currently stored on the Time Capsule hard drive.
The Time Capsule will by default provide a WiFi signal when it is set up again, so if you don't need the WiFi service from the Time Capsule, it is a simple matter to turn off the WiFi function on the Time Capsule to allow you back up to the Time Capsule over the mesh WiFi network.
*A Hard Reset is performed by holding in the reset button on the back of the Time Capsule for 7-8 seconds while it is powered on. Release the reset button and allow a full minute for the Time Capsule to restart to a slow blinking amber light status.
Post back if you need a few more tips on how to set up the Time Capsule to work with your mesh system. We will assume that you will be using a Mac to set things up.
Thanks for the additional information. Unfortunately, we will need to start all over again. Please follow these steps carefully.
Power off the Time Capsule
Connect an Ethernet cable from one of the LAN <--> Ethernet ports on the mesh router to the "O" WAN Ethernet port on the Time Capsule.
Power up the Time Capsule and let it run for a minute
Hold in the reset button on the back of the Time Capsule for 7-8 seconds
Release the reset button and allow the Time Capsule a full minute to restart
The indicator light on the Time Capsule will be slowly blinking amber at this point
Click the WiFi menu at the top of your Mac's screen
Look for a listing of New AirPort Base Station
Click directly on AirPort Time Capsule
When you click on AirPort Time Capsule, that will start up the AirPort Utility software. After a few seconds, you will see a screen that looks like the example below, except your screen will display a Time Capsule.
Network Name.......Type in a name for the Time Capsule WiFi. Later, we will turn this off, but it must be on for now
Base Station Name.......Type in a device name that you want to call the Time Capsule
Password.......Type in a password for the Time Capsule
Verify.....Type in the same password again to confirm
Click Next, and allow the AirPort Utility software a minute to set up the Time Capsule
When you see the message of Setup Complete, click Done
There should be a green light on the Time Capsule
Very important........now you need to log your Mac onto the mesh WiFi network by clicking on the WiFi menu at the top of the screen and selecting the name of the mesh network
There are more steps to complete, but first a progress check to make sure that the Time Capsule is connected to the mesh network correctly........this is very important.......
Does the Time Capsule appear when you open AirPort Utility?
Does the Time Capsule appear under the Locations heading on the left side of a Finder window?
But I cannot reach the TC at all.
More actions.....and possibly starting over again.....will be required.
If you open AirPort Utility on your Mac.......(Finder > Applications > Utilities > AirPort Utility).....does the Time Capsule appear in the network layout display?
If you open any Finder window on your Mac and look for the Locations heading on the left side of the Finder window, does the Time Capsule appear here as a device?
Check again to make sure that your Mac is connected to the mesh WiFi network.
Try to run a backup.
Click on the Time Machine "clock" icon at the top of the Mac's screen
Click on Backup Now
This may.....or may not.....work at this time, but it will tell us what needs to happen or change next.
If the backup begins, you may see "Preparing" for a long time before the backup actually begins. Let the process run until the backup completes......or.....until you see an error message indicating that the backup did not complete.
If an error message appears, post back with the exact text of the message
When backups are working correctly, you can turn off the WiFi on the Time Capsule if you do not need another WiFi network for guests or the kids.
Post back for the steps if you want to turn off the Time Capsule WiFi
You are done, unless you do not need the WiFi network that the Time Capsule is producing for guests......so guests can connect to the Internet and you don't have to give them the password for your private mesh WiFi network.
If you want to turn off the WiFi on the Time Capsule........
Make sure that your Mac is connected to the mesh WiFi network
Open AirPort Utility on your Mac
Click on the Time Capsule to select it
Click Edit in the smaller window that appears
Click the Wireless tab at the top of the next window
Change the setting for Network Mode from Create a wireless network to Off
Click Update at the lower right of the window and give the Time Capsule a full minute to restart
Later, if you want to re-enable the WiFi on the Time Capsule, reverse the process and tell the Time Capsule to Create a wireless network, then assign a name for the network, choose WPA 2 Personal security and a password.
Thank you for your support. I am sorry that I have failed to set it up. I have restarted the TC with a hard reset, I have turned off the wifi on the TC and connected the TC with a wire to one of the ports on the TP Link router. On the TC I have connected to one of the LAN ports. Everything looks nice and the lamp gets green. But I cannot reach the TC at all. In Time Machine I can only see a couple of days (maybe that is stored on the MacBookPro I use) and I cannot start safety copying. I have also tried to set it up as an extension to my network, but that has also failed as the TC says that it cannot find my network. Ideas how I should proceed? Are there more settings that I should change?
Just noticed that some of my original response was not included for some reason, so I am posting that portion again below in italics.
If the answer to either of the questions above is "no", then the Time Capsule is not connected to the mesh network correctly, and we'll have to start over again with a new setup.
If the answer to both of the questions is "yes", then we'll know where to go for the next troubleshooting steps.
Once again, many thanks for helping me. I have made another factory rest, the led light flashes slowly in amber. In Airport utilities the TC is visible, and says that it is going to create a new network.
It is visible in Places as a network.
I have not connected the TC with my mesh with a wire so far.
How shall I proceed?
Now, it has started a backup, but it seems that it starts everything all over, and creating new data files, not only updating what has happened since it copied last time. It says this will take about 4 hours.
Let the process run until it completes, then check to see if you can enter Time Machine to view your backups.
Sometimes, Time Machine will start over with a new backup if it detects that a number of changes that have occurred on your network. Nothing you can do about that unfortunately. Nature of the beast with Time Machine.
We'll know more when the current backup is done, then you can decide on some options.
I could not shut off the TC network. I got a message that something went wrong. So I kept the network instead and I have just tried to do another backup and that has worked fine.
I would like to thank you so much for your efforts to make this work for me. I am thankful and grateful for you support. If - in the next few days - I get into troubles again I will contact you.
Just to put it right:
the TC is not visible in Places, but is visible when i connect the TC with a wire to the mesh thing.
I have done this. The light is green. The Time Capsule is visible in Airport Utility. And in Locations under Network. So far so good, I suppose. What comes next?
Now, the backup is done and I can enter the Time Machine to see my backups. That is very good. What shall I do next?
Nice work, glad that you got things going again.
TimeCapsule on a mesh network
