User profile for user: Aditya1505
Aditya1505 Author
User level: Level 1
14 points

Getting a 'No DNS Server' error on AirPort Time Capsule

I recently got a second-hand Airport Time Capsule and decided to use it as my home network router. Replaced my TP-Link router with the AirPort TC.


So here is my setup: I have a Fibre Optic Modem/Converter that acts as a optic-to-ethernet converter. I just put the ethernet cable on the WAN port of the AirPort TC, did the setup on my iPhone, skipped the PPPoE part and just let it run on DHCP & Nat. It gave a few errors relating to Double NAT but I ignored them.


It ran well for a day - nice speed and performance. But after that it showed me a bunch of errors starting with 'No DNS Server' and then PPPoE Server and No Internet Connection.


Here is everything I tried:

  1. Soft Reset
  2. Hard Reset
  3. Using the PPPoE login credentials but it still says they are incorrect
  4. Setting up a DNS Server (8.8.8.8 & 8.8.4.4. - something I saw others do on a forum)
  5. Updating Firmware





Nothing seems to work. What am I getting wrong?

The Router worked well for a day. Did I mess up a setting?

Time Capsule

Posted on Mar 2, 2025 4:36 AM

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User profile for user: Bob Timmons
Bob Timmons
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User level: Level 10
174,278 points

Posted on Mar 2, 2025 6:22 AM

Unfortunately, AirPort Utility for iOS is not really the same application as AirPort Utility for the Mac.


Do you have a Mac that you could use for the setup?


You should not have a Double NAT error if the Time Capsule is set up correctly, but AirPort Utility for iOS does not detect the type of signal that it is receiving from an upstream device all that well.....while AirPort Utility for Mac will normally work much better in this regard.


We want to avoid that Double NAT if at all possible, because ignoring a problem does not make it go away.

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User profile for user: Bob Timmons
Bob Timmons
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User level: Level 10
174,278 points

Mar 2, 2025 6:22 AM in response to Aditya1505

Unfortunately, AirPort Utility for iOS is not really the same application as AirPort Utility for the Mac.


Do you have a Mac that you could use for the setup?


You should not have a Double NAT error if the Time Capsule is set up correctly, but AirPort Utility for iOS does not detect the type of signal that it is receiving from an upstream device all that well.....while AirPort Utility for Mac will normally work much better in this regard.


We want to avoid that Double NAT if at all possible, because ignoring a problem does not make it go away.

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User profile for user: Bob Timmons
Bob Timmons
Community+ 2025
User level: Level 10
174,278 points

Mar 2, 2025 8:13 AM in response to Aditya1505

Should I try a Static IP instead of Double NAT?


No, that won't help at this time.


Static IP would help if you were using a Router Mode of "DHCP Only", which is a very rarely used type of setup on the Apple AirPort routers. Apple never officially supported this type of setup.

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Getting a 'No DNS Server' error on AirPort Time Capsule

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