First Time Capsule Backup Via Ethernet

...but you can have it join your wireless network so as to be available for wireless backups. And you can just turn that off in Airport Utility when you want to connect by ethernet cable directly to do an initial backup.

I have a similar question. I want to use my Time Capsule as a time machine but not through wifi, only directly connected to my computer through ethernet. I followed the great directions above and it backs up ok but I cannot enter time machine. Any advice? thanks

..but you can have it join your wireless network so as to be available for wireless backups. And you can just turn that off in Airport Utility when you want to connect by ethernet cable directly to do an initial backup.

The problem here is that when the Time Capsule is configured to "Join" a wireless network, the Ethernet ports are disabled. So, you cannot connect using Ethernet.

Thanks. I'm confused about how it can join the wireless now, without plugging timecapsule into wireless router? ie can i leave in the ethernet cable and just change settings somewhere? for me, the issue is i want to leave it physically where it is though ideally make it wireless from there, like my computer is.

Apple's terms are confusing.

"Join" tradionally means that a device is connecting using wireless only.

But, Apple is using "Join" now to also mean that a device is connecting using a wired Ethernet connection.

If your Time Capsule is now connected to your wireless router using an Ethernet cable from one of the LAN <-> ports on the wireless router to the WAN "O" port on the Time Capsule, you are all set. You can simply connect your Mac using another spare Ethernet cable to one of the LAN <-> ports on the Time Capsule and backup that way.

When the backup is done, you can disconnect the Ethernet cable from your Mac to the Time Capsule and continue to backup using wireless.

However......if your Time Capsule is not presently connected to your wireless router, it was likely originally configured to connect to the wireless network using wireless only. In this case, you cannot connect your Mac using an Ethernet cable to backup. Actually, you can, but since the Ethernet ports on the Time Capsule are disabled, the backup will still occur using wireless.

It is going to get pretty complicated to try to reconfigure the Time Capsule just for an Ethernet backup and then reconfigure it again back to way you have it now.

My advice would be to simply allow plenty of time for the backup and connect it as you have it setup now.

hmmm, i seerm to have totally messed it up. i went into airport utility 5.6 and tried to go back to wireless, 'join' my home wifi but that meant the time capsule has stopped working -- wouldn't back up and wouldn't enter time machines. so i tried to go back to the old settings but airport utility 5.6 now can't "read the configuration" so i'm sort of stuck!

very sorry, and thanks for your patience! i think i wasn't clear. i configured it through ethernet directly to computer, using Airport Utility 5.6 so I could do that initial back up quickly -- impossible when I tried with wireless set up. anyway i would like now to make it wireless without pluggting it into my router (too far away even for long cable) - by 'join' my wifi network. can i do that? what i've tried is using Airport Utility 6, now, and it all says it's connected via my wifi but it still won't enter Time Machine. should i unplug cables? thanks

Message was edited by: Norie Neumark

what i've tried is using Airport Utility 6, now, and it all says it's connected via my wifi but it still won't enter Time Machine. should i unplug cables?

Which cable(s) are you referring to here? The Ethernet cable from your Mac to the Time Capsule? If yes, disconnect that cable.

Click the Time Machine "clock" icon at the top of the Mac's screen

Click Time Machine Preferences

Click Select Disk

Click the Time Capsule disk to highlight it

Click Use for Backups or Use Disk

Wait and see if Time Machine will complete a normal hourly backup.

If it will, you should now be able to click the Time Machine icon on the dock and enter Time Machine to see your backups.

This will take a few minutes to load using wireless, so allow 4-5 minutes.

Thanks! I've been testing the TC on an older, prelion computer with direct ethernet connection to computer and Apple Utility 5.6 and it can enterTimeMachine on tha. Now it's back on my new, Lion, computer and it backs up but won't go into Time Machine. So I'm thinking it's a Lion issue and that going wireless isn't going to make it any better? So not sure if there's much point

Fantastic; had the same problem. Now the first backup to time capsule is progressing at amazing speed, via ethernet; Thanks a LOT!!!

P.

I apologise for ressurecting this post,

but I have just bought a 3T Time Capsule to replace my old 1T, and want to do the first back up of my iMac(2012/Mountain Lion) via ethernet to speed up the process.

I have followed Bob's steps, and tried three different Cat-5e UTP cables with no luck. As soon as I turn off the wireless, I cannot see the Time Capsule. I have to reset every time.

In all instances, under ethernet in my Network Preferences says "Either the cable for Ethernet is not plugged in or the device at the other end is not responding." I am not sure if that is normal or not for this purpose. It is set to Configure ip4 via DHCP, if that is relevant.

So I connected my old macbook pro to my new iMac via ethernet and could not get anything to come up in the network either. Has it been so long that I have forgotten something about ethernet networking setup? Or could my ethernet port be faulty? Any way to check?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. I guess in the mean time i had better start sending my data wirelessly, and hope the power does not go out...

This has been uncharicatristically frustrating and I am not sure why Apple dropped the ball on ease of use here.

Thanks!

Just an update, was connecting the TC to my laptop via ethernet and it works, so my suspicions my ethernet port on my imac is faulty are a little bit more confirmed.