Guest network on time capsule not visible

Hello!

There might be several reasons for this:

1/ Did you give the guest network a unique name? If not, please do so.

2/ Did you try to find the guest network with more than 1 device? It might just be invisible to the one device you're trying to find it with.

3/ Since the Time Capsule provides the wi-fi, it's best to make sure it handles the wi-fi's DHCP and NAT as well. If it's relegating the NAT part to your Speedport, you're at the whims of whatever your speedport decides to do to your Time Capsule's guest network. You can find this setting in the Airport Utility after clicking on the Time Capsule > [edit] and then proceeding to click on the [network]-tab. The routermode should be "DHCP & NAT" If not, apply this change now.

Should Airport Utility complain about "double use of NAT" after applying these changes, please click on double use of NAT" and select "ignore"

Apple assumes that you will be connecting the Time Capsule to a simple modem.......not a modem/router type of device.

A simple modem will allow the Time Capsule to provide the Guest Network feature correctly.

But, connecting the Time Capsule to a router, or modem/router type of device requires that the Time Capsule be configured in Bridge Mode to avoid having two devices both trying to act like routers on the network, which can create conflicts and other unpredictable results.

Depending on what version of AirPort Utility that you have , the Guest Network option may not appear at all. In recent 6.x versions of AirPort Utility, the Guest Network option might appear, but it will not allow that network to connect to the Internet.

If you need the Guest Network feature, the simplest thing to do might be to contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and ask them if they can provide you with a simple modem.......not a modem/router.

In some cases, users have found that they can configure the Time Capsule or other Apple router incorrectly......which will create a network error called Double NAT and possible IP address conflicts....but sometimes if you are lucky, and have a simple network, you can get away with the error. If you are using Back to My Mac, or have a game console on your network, the Double NAT will likely prevent things from working correctly for those items.

We do not recommend this for most users, but will try to help if you want to try it. We cannot guarantee that it will work for you, however.

Bob, there's nothing technically wrong with what you say and you obviously know your networking, but aren't you being too cautious here?

Bob Timmons wrote:

If you need the Guest Network feature, the simplest thing to do might be to contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and ask them if they can provide you with a simple modem.......not a modem/router.

I don't think referring Oli to his ISP and try to get a simple modem instead of a router is the simplest solution here, even if it's logically the best solution. Most ISP's ship modem/router-combo-devices nowadays. They won't happily ship their customers a replacement mode, espcially if Oli also uses digital tv or voice-over IP. The simplest solution is to change the routermode on his Time Capsule to "dhcp & nat" and if problems arise such as "dhcp range conflicts" we can help him get around them.

The Time Capsule is configured in Bridge Mode for a reason.........it is the correct setting to work with your Telekom (Speedport) router.

Unless you really do need another network, have some time to experiment, and are willing to reset the Time Capsule back to factory default settings if necessary, our first recommendation would be to leave the Time Capsule connected correctly in Bridge Mode.

But, it is your decision.

Oli_TimeCapsule wrote:

Hey Bram,

thanks a lot for response. 1) and 2) I did earlier, no success.

3) I changed, in fact I had Bridge mode., now "guest network" appears... BUT error message in airport popping up "please check if your base is still connected, if you press ignore it will be disappearing in your network" or at least similar message. what shall I do with that message.

both networks still work my normal network and my guest network. I fear to loose network by pressing ignore.

Airport Utility can't find your Time Capsule anymore. Please check if your computer hasn't automatically connected to a different network. Also try connecting back to your primary wi-fi network. Does the Time Capsule re-appear.

Also: the basics. For routermode: dhcp & nat to function correctly, an ethernet cable has to run from your Speedport straight into the WAN-port of your Time Capsule. The WAN-port is the "sun"-port. Without this ethernet cable, it's a no-go.

but aren't you being too cautious here?

Not in my opinion. Here are some typical things that users report when they have Double NAT on their network:

Browsing slows down

Some sites will load,others won't

Back to My Mac won't work

Port Mapping is messed up

Game consoles won't allow interactive play.

If a user understands that Double NAT might make things worse on his network....as it does on mine.....I will try to help, but cannot offer guarantees that a workaround for the error will be found.

Double NAT posts seem to go for pages of "try this" and "try thats". Hopefully, this one will not.

Oli_TimeCapsule wrote:

Friends,

now I lost my TC connect in Airport. It doe not appear. I am still online but TC is blinking yellow and I cannot bring it back to before status (green).

I switched it off and on and tried to search TC new in airport. I just get my Speedport visible no TC...:-(

It might be blinking yellow because of the unresolved "double use of NAT" warning I decribed earlier. It doesn't mean your TC is broken.

Can you find your Time Capsule in the Airport Utility when clicking on "other Airport devices"?

If you can't find your Time Capsule anymore, it needs to be reset by pressing the reset button for about 10 seconds while it's connected to power. See: Resetting an AirPort base station FAQ - Apple Support Please note that the images on the page show Airport as not connected to power. This is a little misleading.

After the reset, reconfigure it with Airport Utilty. Go with Bob's expertise and call your ISP for another modem. Or if you wish to connect an ethernet cable and try out DHCP & NAT, let me know.

Oli_TimeCapsule wrote:

Bram,

puuh, you are perfectly right:-) I had my LAN cable connected on Mac w/ Speedport. That's why it couldn't find. You are an expert.

So, now I do have running TC w/o guest network in Bridge mode...OK

and if I switch to "DHCP and NAT" it will work on both networks (I tested) , but appear orange blinking...issue or not?

What do you recommend.

The guest network is a nice to have for my son to have him and friends not working in my home network. if it does not work, he simply will not enter my network;-)

Ah, thank the stars! 😉

You better connect a cable from Speedport to WAN-port of the Time Capsule if you're interested in using DHCP & NAT. Bob's concerns are valid and you should consider them. If you're not worried, go to Airport Utility, click on the Time Capsule and it will tell you why it's blinking. It's probably "double use of NAT" Click on that sentence and choose "ignore"

Connect all your devices to the Time Capsule's wifi, guest network wifi, or ethernet ports from now on.

if I switch to "DHCP and NAT" it will work on both networks (I tested)

Check to make sure that all of the devices on your network will connect and that things appear to be operating normally on both networks.

Can you connect to web sites quickly and correctly from both networks?

If you do not use BTMM, or have port mapping configured on your network, you might be OK.

If everything seems to be operating OK, and you do not want to see the blinking amber light, there is a setting to "ignore" the Double NAT notice, and the Time Capsule will display a green light.

Please note......whenever you update the Time Capsule with a firmware update, the Time Capsule may configure itself back in Bridge Mode, so you will need to check the settings from time to time.

The same may be true if you perform an operating system update on the Mac that is using AirPort Utility for the Time Capsule.

Good luck.