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Time Capsule: No Ethernet Jack, Must Connect Via WiFi - Desperately Need Help ASAP, Please!!

I've recently moved into a new building that has wifi included for its tenants. I have no access to the modem, router, or any ethernet jacks. I have an AirPort Time Capsule 802.11ac that I would like to connect to this network. In my last home, I was able to connect my Time Capsule to the existing internet through an ethernet jack. In turn, I then created my own wireless network which I used to connect all of my devices - rather than connecting them directly to the home's internet. Since I don't have an ethernet jack in my new building, I can't set it up like this.

I've been on all kinds of forums this afternoon attempting to find a solution to this problem. I've read enough to know that setting it up wireless is not ideal and believe me, I understand that. The upside (I think) is that the Time Capsule already has my previous backups. As much as I know it's not ideal, I do know that there are workarounds - especially with an increasing number of people living in buildings with wifi for tenants. I've tried soft, hard, and factory resets along with various options through the Air Port utility including an attempt to use my Time Capsule as a bridge, an attempt to extend the network, and an attempt to join the network. I'm not stupid and am decently literate with technology, but clearly seem to be missing something because nothing is working. I can connect to the Time Capsule, but then the Time Capsule doesn't connect to the wifi. I'm just absolutely confused at this point.

Would someone please, please provide me detailed step-by-step directions for how to set up this Time Capsule at my new building using the existing wifi? Thank you so very much!

I have:

AirPort Time Capsule 802.11ac (model A1470)

MacBook Pro w/ Yosemite

iPhone 6

iPad Mini

wifi network name

wifi network pw

ethernet cable

I do NOT have:

access to the router

access to the modem

access to an ethernet jack

Airport Time Capsule 802.11ac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.2), null

Posted on Jun 9, 2015 11:57 AM

39 replies

Jun 11, 2015 10:11 AM in response to applegirl0207

We are going to need to check some settings and probably change some of them on your Mac in an attempt to work around the Yosemite bugs that are causing all the "errors".

On your Mac......

Open System Preferences (gear icon on the dock)

Open Network

Click on WiFi on the left panel to highlight it

Click Advanced at the lower right of the window

Click the TCP/IP tab

Make sure that the setting for Configure IPv6 is set to Link Local Only

Click OK

Click Apply in the next window

Then, repeat the same sequence as above, except......

Click on Ethernet on the left panel to highlight it

Click Advanced at the lower right

Click the TCP/IP tab

Make sure that the setting for Configure IPv6 is set to Link Local Only

Click OK

Click Apply in the next window

Restart the Mac again

Click on System Preferences

Click on Sharing

Make sure that the name of your Mac appears correctly here, and that there is not a (2), (3), etc after the name. If there is, edit the name to correct it

Close the windows and restart the Mac again

Now, try resetting the AirPort Express again

Power up the Express for a few minutes

Hold in the reset button on the back of the Express for 7-8 seconds and release

Allow a full minute for the Express to restart to a slow, blinking amber light

Set up the Express again using wireless

Then, connect the Ethernet cable to the Mac and test to see if the Internet is working that way

Jun 11, 2015 7:11 PM in response to Bob Timmons

I've been following this thread as I actually have the same issue with being unable to connect my Time Capsule to the internet via ethernet cable. I have wireless access only. I have an airport express configured as advised above. I have turned off the wireless on my Mac and connected to the airport express via ethernet cable, and the connect is good. Can you share what the next steps would be to configure the Time Capsule? Thanks!

Jun 11, 2015 7:22 PM in response to snick1980

It all depends on what operating system your Mac is running. What might that be? If you are not sure, click the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen, then click About This Mac. Post back with the OS X Version number that you see there.

Jun 12, 2015 3:42 AM in response to Bob Timmons

OSX Version 10.9.5

Also, not sure if it makes any difference, but I have the older version of the time capsule .

Thanks!

Jun 12, 2015 6:41 AM in response to snick1980

The simplest thing to do.....would be to trust Apple's configuration "wizard" to provide the basic setup. Then, once that is done, check the network to see if it will what you want. The downside to doing it this way is that you will "see" other users on the network and they will "see" you as well. Just like you were down at the coffee shop connecting to the Internet.

Reset the Time Capsule back to default settings by holding in the reset button on the back of the Time Capsule for 7-8 seconds, then release and allow a full minute for the TC to restart to a slow, blinking amber light. This will not affect any data that you might have stored on the TC.

Connect an Ethernet cable from the LAN <--> port on the AirPort Express to the WAN "O" port on the Time Capsule

Click the WiFi icon at the top of the Macs screen

Click directly on Time Capsule (just below the heading of New AirPort Base Station)

The example below shows an AirPort Extreme. You will see Time Capsule on your screen

That will get the setup wizard running. It will take a minute to analyze the network, then suggest a setup that looks like this, except that you will see a picture of the Time Capsule:

Network Name...........Type in a short simple name for your wireless network

Base Station..............Type in a short name that you want to call the Time Capsule

Password...................Type in a password to be used with the wireless and base station

Verify..........................Type in the same password to confirm

Click Next

The wizard will set up everything for you. When you see the message of setup complete, click Done.

Now, you can select the network that you named and enter the password to connect.

There is a more complicated way to set up the Time Capsule, which has some advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage is that you will have a private network, so you won't "see" other users on the main network and they won't see you. The disadvantage is that browsing may slow down a bit and you may not be able to reach some sites. No way to know until you try.

Jun 12, 2015 8:44 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Hate to keep saying it's not working, but well, it's not working...

When I go to WiFi and Ethernet in Network, I have the following inconsistencies with your directions:

-rather than IPv6, mine is IPv4

-drop down options from IPv4 for WiFi are: Using DHCP, Using DHCP with Manual Address, Using BootP, Manually, Off

-drop down options from IPv4 for Ethernet are: Using DHCP, Using DHCP with Manual Address, Using BootP, Manually, Off, Create PPPoE Service

Jun 12, 2015 9:19 AM in response to applegirl0207

You indicated above that you were using Yosemite 10.10.x., so I included instructions for Yosemite 10.10.x.

System Preferences > Network > WiFi > Advanced > TCP/IP tab.....and the screen looks like this:

A very similar screen will appear when you choose Ethernet and go through the steps.

Jun 12, 2015 6:10 PM in response to Bob Timmons

All my lights are green now so looks like my issue is resolved. Thanks for your help!

Jun 12, 2015 6:23 PM in response to snick1980

If you are happy.....then we are happy.

Jun 13, 2015 1:45 PM in response to applegirl0207

So, is everything working at this time?

If yes, there is a different option for setting up the Time Capsule that will isolate you from the main wireless network.....so you won't see other unknown computers under the Shared heading in the Finder on your Mac...and they won't "see" you from their computers.

Jun 14, 2015 6:57 AM in response to Bob Timmons

So sorry for the oversight with the iPv6 screens the other day. I was attempting to get it setup before rushing out the door. As of yesterday, the Express has been successfully setup with confirmed internet via ethernet.

At this point, though, I've had no success with the Time Capsule. I attempted setup countless times yesterday - repeatedly resetting, restarting, disconnecting, etc. all associated devices. Each time, I got the following error screen. I turned the Express on and off, but that had no impact. After a while, I just became so frustrated that I left it alone.

This morning, I've attempted to setup the Time Capsule, but it's not even "seen" by my MacBook. I had no past issues setting it up at my old place and my MacBook "saw" it yesterday, so I can't imagine it's a hardware problem. Any thoughts?

Jun 14, 2015 7:39 AM in response to applegirl0207

Not sure what is going wrong, as you can see the instructions that I provided worked fine for the other person who was doing the same thing as you.....and they worked fine for me when I tested the same type of setup here just a few minutes ago.

That step about cycling the power, etc that you posted above does not ever appear for me during the setup. Try ignoring that step and continue with the setup. If you can get the Time Capsule set up, even if it has a blinking amber light, we may be able to go in and look at some settings manually. But, the setup wizard does not allow you make manual settings changes during the initial setup.

Jun 14, 2015 4:53 PM in response to Bob Timmons

But, the setup wizard does not allow you make manual settings changes during the initial setup.

This is correct.. but you can infact setup a TC directly from factory reset.

You must connect by ethernet.. least ways that is the way I have always done it..

And start the setup from configure other.

Exactly as outlined here.

Airtport Utility can't find Airport Time Capsule on either of my 2009 Macs

Jun 20, 2015 8:08 AM in response to LaPastenague

Thanks to all of your help, I've finally managed to get the Express and the Time Capsule setup and connected to one another! I've confirmed internet through the Express with an ethernet cable and all is well...until I attempt to connect to the new wifi network I created. When I do that, I get an error message in network preferences that there's a self-assigned IP address that won't connect to the internet. I've been on various forums trying to solve the problem myself - including removing certain files from Keychain Access and from /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/ but with no luck. As a reminder to put things in context, I'm in a building with wifi but no ethernet jacks. I've connected my Express to the building's wifi and then connected my Time Capsule to the express and have created a new wifi network. It's when I connect to that newly connected network that I get the "self-assigned IP address" error. When I connect to the building's wifi network directly, no problems at all. Would much appreciate some guidance!

Jun 20, 2015 9:11 AM in response to applegirl0207

A name like Kristen's Wi-Fi Network is not what you want. There are two special characters in there......an apostrophe and a dash.....not to mention several blank spaces.

Make that name KristenWiFi or KristensWiFi.

You know that the AirPort Express is working correctly, so concentrate on the Time Capsule. Power it up and hold in the reset button for 7-8 seconds, then release and allow a full minute for the Time Capsule to restart to a slow, blinking amber light.

Connect the Ethernet cable from a LAN <--> port on the Express to the WAN "O" port on the Time Capsule.

Temporarily, connect another spare Ethernet cable....any length will do from your Mac to one of the three LAN <--> ports on the Time Capsule. Turn off the wireless on the laptop for now.

Open AirPort Utility, then click on the File menu at the upper left corner of the computer screen and click on Configure Other. For IP Address......enter in 10.0.1.1

Leave the password area blank for now and click OK. A screen that looks similar to this will open:

If the screen does not appear, go back and enter in the word public for the password and try again.

Click on the Base Station tab

Type in a simple short name for the Time Capsule device. Mine is TC, for example

Type in a device password that you want to use for the Time Capsule and type it in again to Verify

Click on the Internet tab and confirm that the Time Capsule is set to Connect Using DHCP.

Click on the Wireless tab

Confirm that the setting for Network Mode is set to Create a wireless network

Use a short, simple name for the wireless network

Security is WPA2 Personal

Type in a password for the wireless network and Verify

Click on the Network tab

For now, change the setting for Router Mode to read "Off (Bridge Mode)"

Now click Update at the lower right of the window and give the TC a full minute to restart to a green light.

Disconnect the Ethernet cable that you used to set up the Time Capsule with the Mac

Turn the WiFi back on at the Mac

Power off the AirPort Express

Power off the Time Capsule

Wait a minute

Power up the AirPort Express and let it run for a full minute

Power up the Time Capsule and let it run a full minute

See if you can connect to the Time Capsule wireless network and get an Internet connection that way

Report on your results

***Time Capsule: No Ethernet Jack, Must Connect Via WiFi - Desperately Need Help ASAP, Please!!***