Connecting 2T Apple Time Capsule by Cable to iMac Desktop

You won't be using the Wi-Fi on the Time Capsule. You can even turn it off if you want.

Connect the Time Capsule to your router using an Ethernet cable. Then, you can use your normal Wi-Fi network to connect to the Time Capsule when you want to access the hard drive.

The bottom line here......the Time Capsule must be connected to your router using an Ethernet cable so that it will be on the same network as your router's Wi-Fi. This is the way that a network drive is designed. We can't change the design of the Time Capsule.

If you prefer to have a hard drive that connects directly to the Mac, then you need a USB drive.....not a network drive like the Time Capsule.

The Time Capsule is a "network" drive. That means that it was designed to connect directly to a router using an Ethernet connection to function correctly. You could then connect the iMac to one of the Ethernet ports on the Time Capsule and it could be used for extra storage.

The iMac could also connect to the Time Capsule using your normal Wi-Fi network, but this would not be as reliable as an Ethernet connection.

If you were thinking about connecting the Time Capsule directly to your iMac without first connecting it to a router, this won't work the same way that connecting a USB drive directly to a Mac would function. You would have to log off of your normal network, then establish a connection to the Time Capsule. When you were done with the Time Capsule, you would have to log back onto your normal network.

"You won't be using the Wi-Fi on the Time Capsule. You can even turn it off if you want."

Oops, I miss read that, Bob said 'can' I read 'can't'. In Airport utility, edit the time capsule, go to wireless, then under Network Mode choose 'none'

"Connect the Time Capsule to your router using an Ethernet cable. Then, you can use your normal Wi-Fi network to connect to the Time Capsule when you want to access the hard drive."

Not quite that simple. With an earlier Gen Time Capsule, sometimes you have to connect directly with the time capsule, either ethernet or WiFi to use Time Machine with it. Connecting to it via another LAN point sometimes doesn't work. I have discussed just this point with an Apple employee of the AirPort Express/Time Capsule division. That working, using another LAN access point, has flip-flopped several times over the history of the Time Capsule. I think you can always access the hard drive within, but sometimes can't use Time Machine with it.

Note, Apple is stopping all support for Time Capsule soon, like in the next 6 months.

Hmm, my post here seems to have been deleted, at least I don't see it.  But I didn't get an e-mail about the delete. Still shows under my subscriptions.

I too found backing up Monterey on an early TC troubling, it would go on for hours then quit.  But it did the same to my G5 running Leopard.  So I thought it was time to retire it.  Couple of years ago it lost a bunch of stuff on it, and mistakenly, stupidly, I didn't reformat it then, I was way too busy to even worry about it.

I had no trouble backing up a MBP running Monterey to a Gen 5 A1470 TC.

I talked to the AirPort/Time Capsule group at Apple.  Seems using Time Machine to a TC when hooked to your LAN via another point (WiFi I think was only discussed) other than the TC is a miss or hit proposition. It been allowed then not allowed back and forth.  I tried backing up the MBP/Monterey hooked to one of the early TC's ethernet ports, and still had problems.

So like others have said, hook the TC to your network via its ethernet  port (one with the circle).  Then use it as a 'Network' drive accessing it through the LAN.  In this case turn off its DHCP server (choose Router mode: off under Network.  Also choose Network Mode:  Off  under Wireless  if you choose not to access it via its WiFi access point.

Sure, post back if you are need step-by-step instructions to set up the Time Capsule on your network.