Adding AirPort Time Capsule to an existing network

Ok, here goes .... (now you gonna tell me i shouldn't have done it....) I connected the TC as bridge mode but the the users couldn't see the TC as a additional device to perform their back up (that was the initial reason to purchase the TC!)then I chnage the TC to wireless mode.... then as i mentioned y earlier post it worked fine untill now. everytime I disconnect the TC from the Network, users outlook connect to the cloud server without a glitch!

You are fixing one issue by changing to the wrong mode.. and then causing glitches in another.

Sorry but you MUST fix the setup that is correct.. not change modes.

In your network.. the TC must be bridged and plugged into the main router with ethernet. Any other way is wrong.

If the computers then cannot find the TC to do backups it is likely because they are using Mavericks.. which is a basic problem with its networking.

I recommend you start over.

Factory reset.

Rename everything in the TC.. do not use apple names.. especially in a mixed network.. and especially with Mavericks.

So base station name.. TCGen5 (or whatever model it is)

Wireless name can be identical to the existing network but lets work on using a secondary wireless network just for the Mac's as that will leave the windows machines to their fate.

I recommend TC24ghz for 2.4ghz and TC5ghz for 5ghz name.

Now on a Mac.. make sure it connects to the TC .. not the main network.

This makes life a bit easier for Mavericks which cannot see networking items via a different brand due to domain namee issues.

See if it is now recognised and usable.

Keep the PC's away from the TC and they will not have issue.

Hi all I have been reading through threads on this topic for the last couple of weeks and was hoping that someone could give me some assistance on similar areas. Fairly new to apple and networking but here's a summary of my network so far...

Huawei VDSL router. Router has three wired ethernet connections to; timecapsule, IPTV and Blu ray player. VDSL router also has wifi capability. Currently on.

Time capsule. TC has ethernet connection to MacMini, PS3 and Powerline adaptor that connects to Airport Express and AppleTV - a 3rd adaptor will be attached soon for streaming). TC has wifi enabled. TC is 2TB tower. TC is in bridge mode and is only used to back-up.

MacMini. MM has a USB Harddrive connected where I have all my Itunes and photos on...apx 400 gb and growing fast. Hard drive is old and will need to be upgraded soon. Time Machine backs up the HD and MM to the TC.

Airport express is connected to the TC via powerline adaptor. AE has wifi enabled and has the same wifi name and password as TC...it is not extended. Ethernet out of AE goes into my wife's Windows PC.

AppleTV connected via Powerline.

In the house we have 5 apple mobile devices and 2 windows PCs which all connect wirelessly and a 3rd PC that is connected to the network via powerline adaptor from the AE. The TC and router are downstairs and AE is upstairs to improve wifi coverage.

What I'm looking to achieve:

1. Improved wifi coverage. Idea was to name router wifi and password the same as TC and AE and in effect have 3 networks that all devices can connect to without issue. I'd like to know if this is recommended and if so any advice on things to watch out for. I see in an earlier post that an option is to have them all the same even across non-apple kit. If this is possible I was going to move my TC upstairs and swap it into where I have the AEand then put the AE in another room to be able to stream music to a stereo.

2. Streaming of movies and music. Currently using REMOTE app works well with ATV but my ipad takes an eternity (when it works) to connect to the 'home shared' itunes library. I've read that this can be an issue with large libraries or when it is done over wifi...hence my idea to use the router's wifi to help create better wifi coverage.

I also wonder if using an old 5400 rpm hard drive just doesn't cut it? So I am now considering investing in a NAS for my setup. If Ido this would I connect it to the router or MacMini as I want all the devices on the network to be able to access it. Also I'm probably going for a non-RAiD solution to keep costs down so will I be able to back it up to my TC (was looking at a Lacie d2 as it has time machine backup capability and can do itunes serving).

Also are there any connectivity issues associated with having some devices physically connected to the router that will need to access data / be controlled from devices attached to other networking devices...eg TC??

What I'm looking to achieve:

1. Improved wifi coverage. Idea was to name router wifi and password the same as TC and AE and in effect have 3 networks that all devices can connect to without issue. I'd like to know if this is recommended and if so any advice on things to watch out for. I see in an earlier post that an option is to have them all the same even across non-apple kit. If this is possible I was going to move my TC upstairs and swap it into where I have the AEand then put the AE in another room to be able to stream music to a stereo.

You are using roaming network which is the best way to do it.

All of the wireless, including the Huawei can use the same wireless name and security credintals.

The only thing to watch out is channels for 2.4ghz, as they are limited to 3 that do not overlap, 1, 6, 11 (13 in UK and most of Europe). The auto settings in most routers can lead to chaos so it is worth stepping in and controlling the wireless channels manually.

Also take the time with a laptop of whatever breed and do a wireless survey around the house to determine the black spots. Inssider on PC is excellent.. and Apple have built in quite good diagnostics since Mountain Lion.

See http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5606

The only problem with moving the TC is I am unsure where your MacMini lives.. if at all possible you want ethernet to that box or fast AC wireless.. as backup and sharing from that will need the fastest link.

2. Streaming of movies and music. Currently using REMOTE app works well with ATV but my ipad takes an eternity (when it works) to connect to the 'home shared' itunes library. I've read that this can be an issue with large libraries or when it is done over wifi...hence my idea to use the router's wifi to help create better wifi coverage.

Network speeds are often the key.. and yes, wireless is a problem.. double hop wireless between items.. is slow.. meaning any devices that connect to the same router / AP that are both on wireless is going to be slow. You want ethernet as much as possible. Even using EOP can be just as slow as wireless unless your getting good speeds out of it.

I also wonder if using an old 5400 rpm hard drive just doesn't cut it? So I am now considering investing in a NAS for my setup. If Ido this would I connect it to the router or MacMini as I want all the devices on the network to be able to access it. Also I'm probably going for a non-RAiD solution to keep costs down so will I be able to back it up to my TC (was looking at a Lacie d2 as it has time machine backup capability and can do itunes serving).

Network network network.. that is your problem.. and actually it is simpler than that.. it is wireless.. and perhaps the EOP adapter. 5400rpm drive is no problem.. most NAS are fitted with cheaper green drives.. that is not the issue.. ethernet even at gigabit gives you a speed near to the speed of transfer of the slow disks.. the problem is the actual processor in the NAS will have to be fairly high power to give good speeds. (Loads of RAM as well). Your current external drive .. is it connected by USB2.. there is a problem.. but no where near as big as wireless.

itunes serving btw might not be all you think it is.. iTunes still needs a computer in the mix for movies .. none of those cut down iTunes servers does video streaming AFAIK!!

If you do buy a NAS it plugs by gigabit into the fastest router you have.

Backup is not so easy either as Time Machine cannot backup network drives.

Also are there any connectivity issues associated with having some devices physically connected to the router that will need to access data / be controlled from devices attached to other networking devices...eg TC??

Loads of issues.. it is usually better to settle on one system and stick to it.. A NAS is great. But if you want to use iTunes library on the NAS it is not so great. iTunes is much better on an external disk plugged into a Mac by the fastest interface you have.. well thunderbolt is too expensive for us mere mortals for now.. but USB3 is excellent and cheap. FW800 is old standard and best you will get on most older Macs .. but there are plenty of poor FW800 around (WD stand up now please) that are same speed as USB2.

But plugging ethernet into the Mac directly is irrelevant.. it is still network.. and therefore no different to plugging into the router.

Good luck..

BTW.. spend the money and run ethernet.

Thanks for the speedy response LaPastenague, awesome. I saw in one of your earlier posts about the manual config re channels so did that last night...across the three they are manually set at 1 6 and 11.

If I move the TC it will be connected via powerline adaptors to the VDSL router...so not ideal but better than wifi. I was going to replace the TC...which is right next to the mac with a Gigabit switch that I have...that will then feed ethernet to the mac, ps3 and to the powerline adaptor...actually as I'm typing this I've realized I should move the powerline adaptor to be 'fed' by the vdsl router shouldn't I?? It takes one hop out. Does this (using switch and moving powerline to feed ethernet from router) make sense?

Re harddrive I am pretty sure it is connected through USB2....how can I find out? I like the simplicity of the time machine backups to TC so I think I'll upgrade to a larger USB 3 harddrive as I wasn't aware of the issue around video streams and TC backups...thanks for that.

Some good news...we're just about to renovate the kitchen/living area so hello ethernet!!

Re harddrive I am pretty sure it is connected through USB2....how can I find out?

How old is the mini?? Apple only upgraded the USB ports to USB3 in the mid 2012 version I think.. 2011 and it is usb2..

Any old usb disk will be usb2. Never buy another usb2.. always buy usb3.. but it won't help if the computer doesn't support it.

as I'm typing this I've realized I should move the powerline adaptor to be 'fed' by the vdsl router shouldn't I??

Anything you do to keep up speeds of the links will help. Gigabit is always the tops..(until 10GB or fibre reaches costs somewhat below your mortgage) followed by fast ethernet, EOP and wireless. Even if wireless speeds are high on paper, they have such big limitations that real world speeds seldom approach fast ethernet. I guess really short hops on AC wireless .. the so called gigabit wireless can get very good transfer speeds.. but at distances that a patch cable reaches with ease. At any distance where wireless makes sense it is slower than fast ethernet.

For file transfer like backups getting things gigabit connected is ideal.. doesn't matter then where in the house they are.. as long as it is full speed gigabit.

Got the MacMini last year so shouldbe AOK for USB 3 so I'll double check and source one. I'm gonna shift the PLine adaptor to be fed off the router this weekend and see how I go with moving my TC upstairs...only issue will be backups will be done over powerline ethernet rather than hard lined.

Will no doubt come back with more questions later but in the interim thank you very much for your insights and advice!

Glad to help.

Backups that are small incrementals are fine.. but whole backup of like your proposed USB disk on the Mini.. don't.. think out a different strategy.. eg another USB3 drive.. you use for backups.. so one for media and one for backups.. and use CCC or a cloner type backup and you will be fine.

Barkini, Yes a nerd.....