When do I replace Airport Extreme

Time machine backup devices:

Switching is not required. You can ADD an additional Time machine backup destination at any time, and it can be a completely different type. The added drive will start a new stand-alone backup as of this moment, and continue as a completely independent backup set. Every-other backup goes to every-other drive.

Once your first backup has complete, the two will be equivalent, except the older one will have a longer history. Time machine.app will read BOTH and give you a combined view back in time. Either can be removed at any time.

MacOS 10.13 High Sierra and newer also support 'shared backup destinations'. I use a drive on my Home Server as an additional backup destination for some home Macs, which avoids having cables and a drive sitting next to my wife's MacBook Pro.

Launch Airpot Utility. It should find your airport device, and show the device.

Click on the device and a pane opens with some specifications, name, serial number, and an Edit button.

follow along in this article:

AirPort Utility User Guide for Mac - Apple Support

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<< ... use my Xfinity cable router not just as the router, but also as the internet device without bridging over to the AirPort Extreme >>

I was suggesting you use the Xfinity device as Router, and as provider of Wireless network in your home. You can also put the Apple Router in Bridge mode and use it as a wireless extender. This is what many "mesh" devices would do for you.

This setup uses a portion of you wireless bandwidth to talk to the access point.

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The preferred way is to connect with an Ethernet cable:

the second setup increases the coverage in your home without using wireless bandwidth to do so.

the key to which Router is providing your main Wireless network in in two features.

Wi-Fi on/off.

dispensing local DHCP addresses or not.

to switch "which is in charge" change the Xfinity to dispense DHCP addresses, and the Apple router to not -- Apple actually uses the term "Bridge mode"

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The AirPort Extreme Time Capsule is a combination of backup device and Router. When 'how to assemble the required devices and make a backup' was seen as a big mystery, and drives were frighteningly expensive, that was an easy choice.

But there are now more focused solutions for both the backup and the Router problems.

A five-year life for a backup drive is typical, but there is a very wide standard deviation (some fail much sooner, some seem to last forever). No additional enclosure and cables required for that backup drive is a plus, but a wired USB-2 connection for a new drive is as fast as almost every Rotating Magnetic Drive.

For Routers, a recent Xfinity Router is likely superior to the Apple Router, and you could re-arrange in a straightforward fashion my reversing roles of your two Routers: Make the Xfinity the main router, and Bridge the Apple Router. Connect the Xfinity directly to cable and supplying DHCP addresses, the Apple Router becomes only an access point in Bridge mode.

What do you think about that?

Apple makes connecting an external backup drive inside the Time Capsule really simple. The device is already in a format Time Machine loves.

Doing the same trick on a non-Apple Router can be MUCH more complex, and not recommended if you have another way.

Hi, tmh2599, about the only ( sorta) answer(s) I have for you are : 1-if it works fine, ( and yes it’s old technology, ) you may wish to replace it with something kinda newer… the AirPort Extreme ( the flat smallish white box one will do up to 802.11n on either 2.4 or 5Ghz… when tv is streaming, and it being slow to load means you’re sharing the same Internet/Ethernet connection between TV, Mac and whatever Wifi devices you have around your place… you could try changing the channel it broadcasts on… if you hold down the “Option” key and click on your WiFi icon it’ll show you useful stuff- speed, data rate, channel, frequency… the AirPort Time Capsule will do 802.11 ac ( which is supposed to be pretty modern and has a somewhat better data rate than 802.11n) where the AirPort Extreme won’t… yes, it’s also true that Apple has gotten out of the backup/Wifi making devices business, but, as Grant Bennett-Alder pointed out there are more focused solutions for both backup+router( or at least alternatives, anyways)… not from Apple… maybe a Mesh Wifi system which should have a usb socket on it somewhere, so’s you can connect up a backup drive to it and use Time Machine with it…I can’t recommend any particular maker//manufacturer or model, as I’m still using my AirPort Time Capsule+ AirPort Extreme ( as a wifi extender) in my place, which is around 1200 square feet and on one floor. Mind you if I saw a good deal locally on a newish, working fine AirPort Time Capsule, I’d get it… just my opinion though

John B

do you have a computer with an Ethernet port?

that allows you to connect and re-configure even if the Wi-Fi is turned off. Just plug an Ethernet cable into a computer with an Ethernet port and the other end into the Apple Time Capsule/Router.

Maybe power down AirPort Extreme, eg disconnect power cord … wait about 10 mins.. plug power cord back in while inserting straightened paper clip into little hole at rear of AirPort Extreme.. you should see flashing yellow light on front of AirPort Extreme.. I can get AirPort setup utility for iPhone..

John B