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time capsule as a repeater in a mixed PC/Mac environment

Hello all,


I have a mixed environment network that has a Sonicwall TZ 200w as their main router. I would like to enhance the wifi signal either with an Access Point or some type of Repeater. Furthermore, I am looking for a NAS device for all the PCs and Macs. I figure since this is a mixed Win/Mac environment, that Time Capsule might be best since their preference is Apple.Has anyone ever 1) configured Time Capsule in a mixed Win/Mac environment as a Repeater? 2) Do Windows PCs get flustered with Wifi/Nas backups? Is there an alternative option?


The main thing here is that the Sonicwall must stay as the primary router for the network and that any device must support PC and Mac.

Posted on Jul 7, 2012 11:16 AM

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Posted on Jul 7, 2012 1:00 PM

TC cannot repeat from non-apple router. Although that is not quite true WDS is so bad and so insecure you would never in a million years do it. if you have a security router like Sonicwall.


It would be like building a castle with a moat and the drawbridge can never be pulled up or the gate shut.


If you setup the TC in bridge and as an AP plugged into the sonic wall by ethernet.. that will work fine. You can setup a roaming wireless network.. which works well on Macs but generally PC fail totally. That is only relevant to laptops and portable devices though.


PC will be able to use the TC as a backup target.. it is not ideal and you will generally need to play around a bit but it does work.


You should note.. a TC is not a NAS.. it is primarily designed as a backup target for Mac Laptops with Time Machine. That is why the combo of wireless plus hard disk.

It is a dumb box.. really a hard drive hanging off a wireless router.. (only it is inside it.. well sealed inside).

It is slow.. fast enough for wireless clients.. but it is a single green drive.. no raid to mirror.. no esata or way to extend the drive.. no JBOD .. when it runs out of space.. it is out of space.

But principally there is no internal backup.. as a place to store files.. it stinks.. you will have to setup a manual backup.


If you want a NAS buy a NAS and plug it into the fastest router point you have.

To extend wireless use a proper repeater if you have to.. repeaters are never a great idea.. it is much better to use multiple AP's tied back by ethernet.

Cost wise the TC is very hard to beat if it suits your function.. but it has a short lifespan.. do not trust it after 3 years. It is sealed.. if it dies in warranty it is replaced.. no data will be recovered.. after all .. it is a backup device.. there are no parts available to fix it.. power supply being the chief thing that goes wrong.


Read in google a bit.. dead time capsule

You will see what I mean.

4 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Jul 7, 2012 1:00 PM in response to AO212

TC cannot repeat from non-apple router. Although that is not quite true WDS is so bad and so insecure you would never in a million years do it. if you have a security router like Sonicwall.


It would be like building a castle with a moat and the drawbridge can never be pulled up or the gate shut.


If you setup the TC in bridge and as an AP plugged into the sonic wall by ethernet.. that will work fine. You can setup a roaming wireless network.. which works well on Macs but generally PC fail totally. That is only relevant to laptops and portable devices though.


PC will be able to use the TC as a backup target.. it is not ideal and you will generally need to play around a bit but it does work.


You should note.. a TC is not a NAS.. it is primarily designed as a backup target for Mac Laptops with Time Machine. That is why the combo of wireless plus hard disk.

It is a dumb box.. really a hard drive hanging off a wireless router.. (only it is inside it.. well sealed inside).

It is slow.. fast enough for wireless clients.. but it is a single green drive.. no raid to mirror.. no esata or way to extend the drive.. no JBOD .. when it runs out of space.. it is out of space.

But principally there is no internal backup.. as a place to store files.. it stinks.. you will have to setup a manual backup.


If you want a NAS buy a NAS and plug it into the fastest router point you have.

To extend wireless use a proper repeater if you have to.. repeaters are never a great idea.. it is much better to use multiple AP's tied back by ethernet.

Cost wise the TC is very hard to beat if it suits your function.. but it has a short lifespan.. do not trust it after 3 years. It is sealed.. if it dies in warranty it is replaced.. no data will be recovered.. after all .. it is a backup device.. there are no parts available to fix it.. power supply being the chief thing that goes wrong.


Read in google a bit.. dead time capsule

You will see what I mean.

Jul 7, 2012 5:01 PM in response to AO212

So to clarify; TC is a weak router. Check. TC cannot serve as an AP to non-Apple devices. Check. TC is not a NAS because it only backups Mac laptops with time machine. Check. TC does not have RAID. Check.


To set it up any other way would essentially making it a dumb box with no backup management.


Thanks, not as good as i thought. I will instead get an external network drive perhaps like a Seagate BlackArmor for network files and SonicPoint as an access point to my SW router.

Aug 7, 2012 2:29 PM in response to AO212

The TC can be bridged and the wireless turned off.. although you went too far in your previous summary.. the TC can make a fine AP .. in bridge it is perfectly happy dumb AP with all the controls handled by the Sonicwall. You simply need to set wireless and TC names to SMB standard.. short, no spaces.. pure alphanumeric.. as per standard windows networking. Apple will work fine with those settings as well.


And just to be clear .. the TC itself does nothing.. it is a dumb as a board hard disk on a wireless router; all the smarts are Time Machine in the computer. But it is easiest and most compatible device to run TM backup to if you want a network target.

time capsule as a repeater in a mixed PC/Mac environment

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