How do I reconnect to the physical Apple Time machine via new WiFi carrier. Does it matter that the WiFi carrier is Verizon and it is "cellular" internet?
Apple still supports the 802.11ac "tower" version of the Time Capsule, but I don't think that Chat would be the way to go for assistance. Chat is primarily for iPhones and iPads. Use the main Support link or call the 800 number so that you can talk to the right person with some Time Capsule experience.
If your Time Capsule is one of the older "flat" versions that look like a small white pizza box, those models are classified as Obsolete, so Apple is not going to help on one of those models.
Whenever you change the modem or modem/router to which the Time Capsule is connected, or you change ISPs, it is necessary to reset the Time Capsule back to default settings and then set it up again, so that it will pick up the new correct settings that it needs from the new modem or modem/router. This type of reset will not affect any of the stored data on the Time Capsule hard drive.
Did you perform a Hard Reset or Factory Default Reset before you attempted to connect the Time Capsule to the new Verizon product?
If not, that would be the first thing that you want to do. Then, simply follow the instructions in the Time Capsule setup guide for your particular model. You can find setup guide for Time Capsule's here:
The process is not that difficult and we can likely provide some help with that if you don't need someone on the phone to walk you through.
Apple still supports the 802.11ac "tower" version of the Time Capsule, but I don't think that Chat would be the way to go for assistance. Chat is primarily for iPhones and iPads. Use the main Support link or call the 800 number so that you can talk to the right person with some Time Capsule experience.
If your Time Capsule is one of the older "flat" versions that look like a small white pizza box, those models are classified as Obsolete, so Apple is not going to help on one of those models.
Whenever you change the modem or modem/router to which the Time Capsule is connected, or you change ISPs, it is necessary to reset the Time Capsule back to default settings and then set it up again, so that it will pick up the new correct settings that it needs from the new modem or modem/router. This type of reset will not affect any of the stored data on the Time Capsule hard drive.
Did you perform a Hard Reset or Factory Default Reset before you attempted to connect the Time Capsule to the new Verizon product?
If not, that would be the first thing that you want to do. Then, simply follow the instructions in the Time Capsule setup guide for your particular model. You can find setup guide for Time Capsule's here:
The process is not that difficult and we can likely provide some help with that if you don't need someone on the phone to walk you through.
Hello Bob. Thanks again.
My Time Capsule is the "tower" version. I did reset the AirPort Time Capsule to factory settings (pressed and held the reset button until the status light began flashing). A black "box" pops up on my screen with the heading
"This AirPort Time Capsule will create a network."
Then, the little circle keeps spinning and there is. message that reads:
"Waiting for an Ethernet cable to be plugged in..."
The Ethernet cable is plugged in to the VZW Gateway Modem and the AirPort Time Capsule. I have tried both LAN ports on the VZW Gateway and all 4 Ethernet ports on the Airport Time Capsule; the little circle keeps spinning and the message continues to read: "Waiting for an Ethernet cable to be plugged in...".
The tower has four (4) ports into which the Ethernet cable fits; is there only one (1) that is the "RIGHT" one? If so, do you know which one is the "right" Ethernet port?
I have attached images: one (1) of the back of the Time Capsule, and two (2) of the bottom of the VZW Gateway.
Bob, I appreciate any assistance you are able to provide that will allow me to renew the process of backing my MacBook data up to the Apple AirPort Time Capsule.
Thank you, and have a great weekend!
Not sure what you mean when you say that you cannot find support from Apple. Apple provides all the setup guides and manuals for the different Time Capsule models along with phone support, and the experts on this user-to-user forum have many years of experience working with the Time Capsule products.
The Time Capsule must connect to a "modem" or "modem/router" using a wired Ethernet cable connection. Are you saying that your Verizon "modem" or "modem/router" that is providing your Wi-Fi service does not have at least one or two Ethernet ports? It would be difficult to believe that an Internet Service Provider (ISP) would not provide wired and wireless capability with their product, but I suppose anything is possible.
Hello Bob. Thank you.
The Verizon "modem" does have an ethernet port; in fact, the Verizon "Gateway" has two ethernet ports and the Apple Time capsule appears to have 4 (?). I have tried all 4 of the Apple Time Capsule's ethernet ports and both of the Verizon Gateway ethernet ports. Currently, I have the ethernet cable in the top port on the Time Capsule and in the port next to the power cable on the Verizon "modem". The Time Capsule is supposed to backup automatically, and - there is the option to "Back Up Now". When I select the "BackUp Now" option on my MacBook Pro I receive the following "error" (?) message:
"Backup Disk Not Available
Try backing up again when 'BK's Airport Time Capsule' is available."
This message implies (at least to me) that the Airport TIme Capsule and the Verizon "modem" are not communicating. It have been unable to backup my MacBook Pro since I switched to Verizon internet at the end of September 2022.
I have attempted (unsuccessfully) to find a page on the Apple Support url on which I can chat with a specialist. If you are willing and able to provide an Apple Support url with this functionality (or a Time Capsule support phone number), it would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you, Bob. Take care and have a great day,
bk
I have tried both LAN ports on the VZW Gateway
Thanks for the screenshots. This really helps. LAN ports are labeled with a symbol that looks like this: <-->
The (Time Capsule) tower has four (4) ports into which the Ethernet cable fits; is there only one (1) that is the "RIGHT" one? If so, do you know which one is the "right" Ethernet port?
The WAN port, which is always marked with an "O" is the correct port. This is the port at the bottom of the row of ports on the back of the Time Capsule. You have the cable plugged into the correct port on the Time Capsule in the picture that you posted.
"Waiting for an Ethernet cable to be plugged in..."
AirPort Utility is not detecting the Ethernet connection. Here are the possible reasons:
Often....it is a bad Ethernet cable......try another Ethernet cable
The LAN port(s) on the Verizon gateway may not be active. Check the Verizon gateway manual to see if there is a setting or option to enable the Ethernet ports.
If you have a computer with an Ethernet port on the device, you can check to see if the Ethernet connection is working by temporarily connecting an Ethernet port from one of the LAN <--> ports on the gateway to the Ethernet port on the computer.
Turn off the Wi-Fi on the computer so that it will use the wired connection. Check and see if you can get a good Internet connection that way. If you can, then you know the Ethernet port on the gateway is working and the Ethernet cable itself is good.
If you cannot get a good Internet connection when you are running this test, then try another Ethernet cable to see if things will work that way. If they do, you know that the previous Ethernet cable was defective. This happens quite frequently.
If things still do not work with the second Ethernet cable during the test.......(it is highly unlikely that you would have 2 defective Ethernet cables).......then the LAN port(s) on the gateway have likely not been enabled or they are defective.
If you find this to be the case, then you will need to check with Verizon about why the Ethernet ports are not working correctly.
Now, if you can get a good Internet connection when you run this test using computer, then that tells you that the Ethernet port(s) on the gateway are good and the Ethernet cable is good as well. You can now connect the cable to the Time Capsule and turn the Wi-Fi back on at the computer.
When you connect the Ethernet cable back to the WAN "O" port on the Time Capsule watch carefully to see if a very small green light appears next to the port. If it does, this means the port is working. If the light does not appear when you connect the Ethernet cable, then you may have a defective WAN "O" port on the Time Capsule. This is very unusual, but it is possible.
If the WAN "O" port on the Time Capsule is not working, things get more complicated and we will have to try some other workarounds.
Please post back on your progress.
Hello Bob.
I didn't forget to update you; I just haven't been able to make the time to follow your instructions, yet. I will keep you informed as time allows.
Thank you.
OK, thanks.
I have a physical Apple Time Machine. You know, a white rectangular "hard drive". I changed internet carriers in Dec 2022 and have not been able to reconnect to the Time Capsule since. I can't find Apple Support for this product.
