How to set up two 3TB TC on the same network?

Question

How to set up two 3TB TC on the same network?

Hello,

I have bought a second Time Capsule 3TB for Time Machine back up for my wife MacBook. So each one of us back up on its own TC.

I am currently using my own Time Capsule 3TB for my own back up and it works quite well on my wifi network.

But when i link the second TC to the existing network using an ethernet cable between the 2 TC, the wifi network falls down.

I have tried times and times, rebooted, reconfigued all the network from scratch but doesnot work.

The TC i want to add on the network seems to work fine and is recognized but the two TC cannot work together : the wifi connection falls down or one of the two TC status light switch from green to orange.

Is there a procedure or did anyone using two TC linked by ethernet as well on same network.

Thanks for your help, i have been struggling for weeks 😕

Time Capsule 3 TB-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jul 28, 2015 7:54 AM

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Answer 1

Jul 28, 2015 9:52 AM in response to AppleScruff2014

Where do you want to locate the second TC? Will it connect to the first TC?.....or......Do you want it to connect to another device, like your modem/router? (assuming that you have one)

Do you want the second TC to produce a wireless signal like the first one does?.....or.....do you want to use the second TC only as a wired hard drive to back up another Mac?

Are you still using OS X (10.6.8) on your Mac, as you indicate in your profile?

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Answer 2

Jul 28, 2015 1:15 PM in response to Bob Timmons

hi Bob,

thanks for your help.

Following the Apple instructions about extended network i thought the only way to use the two TC for wifi Time Machine back up was to connect the two through ethernet. One of the two TC, connect to my ISP modem, playing the role of Wifi router.

"Do you want the second TC to produce a wireless signal like the first one does?.....or.....do you want to use the second TC only as a wired hard drive to back up another Mac?" I would take the best solution i have no clue for a choosing one or the other. The two TC are in the same room as I read that connecting the two TC through Wifi would cause a huge loss of wifi bandwith.

My main goal is dedicate one TC for Time Machine back of my Mac and the 2nd one to back up my wife's MBP.

If the second TC produce a wireless signal as well that renders my network more efficient sure i would consider it.

I downgraded my system lately to Snow Leopard, my MBP original OS, as last Yosemite upgrade 10.4 cause my system to crash regardless new installations.

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Answer 3

Jul 28, 2015 1:43 PM in response to AppleScruff2014

Sorry, let's try this again since you have added new information that may impact things.

You have one 3 TB Time Capsule (let's call it TC1) that is connected to your modem and TC1 is providing your wireless network....which both your MBP and your wife's MacBook connect to....is that correct?

And you are backing up to TC1 with your MBP, correct?

You have purchased another 3 TB Time Capsule (let's call it TC2) and you want your wife's MacBook to back up to TC2, correct?

A new TC requires that you have Lion, Mountain Lion, Mavericks or Yosemite installed on the device that will be used to set up the new TC2. Since you have Snow Leopard installed on your MBP, it cannot be used to set up the new TC2. So....we will need to use your wife's MacBook to set up the new TC2. That MacBook is now running Lion, Mountain Lion, Mavericks, or Yosemite correct?

If not, do you have an iPhone or iPad there that can be used to set up the new TC2?

I understand that you are OK with connecting the new TC2 to TC1 with a spare Ethernet cable.....which must remain connected at all times, correct?

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Answer 4

Jul 28, 2015 2:18 PM in response to Bob Timmons

hi Bob,

All what you wrote is correct :-)

I coud use my wife's MacBook which runs Mountain Lion. I also own an iphone under ios 8.

My original plan is to add TC2 to the network connecting TC2 to TC1 with a spare Ethernet Cable.

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Answer 5

Jul 28, 2015 2:32 PM in response to AppleScruff2014

OK, thanks for the clarification. We'll do this in two parts.

Power up TC2 for a minute or two and hold in the reset button for 7-8 seconds and release. Allow a full minute for TC2 to restart to a slow, blinking amber light status. The reset button is located just to the right of the AC power jack.

Connect the Ethernet cable from one of the three LAN <--> ports on TC1 to the WAN "O" port on TC2

On the MacBook, click the WiFi icon at the top of the screen. Look for a listing of New AirPort Base Station and just under that click directly on Time Capsule.

The example below shows an AirPort Extreme, but you will see Time Capsule on your screen.

When you click on AirPort Extreme, that will get the setup "wizard" going and it will take a few seconds to analyze things and then suggest that TC2 will be set up to extend TC1. That is correct.

Enter a device name that you want to call TC2 and click Next

Watch the next screen to confirm that TC2 is being set up to extend using Ethernet. That is correct. When you see the message of Setup Complete, click Done.

That's the basic setup. Should be a green light on TC2. Post back on your progress at this point and then we will continue. If you want, you can go ahead and set up the MacBook to back up to TC2.

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Answer 6

Jul 28, 2015 3:02 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Great! Thanks Bob, i can try this set up in 4 hours time. As soon as i do it i get back to you.

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Answer 7

Jul 28, 2015 3:13 PM in response to AppleScruff2014

If you want to go ahead and get the MacBook backing up to TC2.....and the MacBook has an Ethernet port.....the first big backup will go quite a bit faster that way than using wireless.

Just connect the MacBook to one of the LAN <--> ports on TC2.

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Answer 8

Jul 30, 2015 6:00 PM in response to AppleScruff2014

Thanks Bob, sorry for the delay for getting back to you.

The procedure worked perfectly! 😎

for curiosity i don't get why it must be the Wan port of the TC2 rather than one of the three LAN..

For the backing up of the TC2 you suggest to do the first one through ethernet to save time but i have always read that the containers for wifi and ethernet Time Machine back up were different, and that you couldnot start with ethernet and then swith to wifi for backing up 😕

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Answer 9

Jul 30, 2015 6:26 PM in response to AppleScruff2014

i don't get why it must be the Wan port of the TC2 rather than one of the three LAN..

It can be any port that you want now......but for setup......you should use the WAN port.

but i have always read that the containers for wifi and ethernet Time Machine back up were different, and that you couldnot start with ethernet and then swith to wifi for backing up

Not true. There are separate containers for each Mac that backs up, but each Mac can back up using Ethernet or wireless. i swap back and forth from Ethernet to wireless and vice versa all the time, and have done so since the Time Capsule was introduced about 8 years ago.

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Answer 10

Jul 30, 2015 6:27 PM in response to Bob Timmons

thanks bob,

then i can switch during the TM back up from wifi to ethernet and vice versa, hot plug ?

or do i have to follow a procedure ?

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Answer 11

Jul 30, 2015 6:41 PM in response to AppleScruff2014

No, you would never want to try to switch during a backup that has already started.

If you want to speed things up, use Ethernet for the first backup.....since everything on your Mac will be backed up on the first pass. When the first backup has been completed, disconnect the Ethernet cable and use wireless after that, since the hourly incremental backups will only take a few minutes.

If you have already started the backup using wireless.......do NOT try to switch to Ethernet. Let the backup run over wireless.

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Answer 12

Jul 30, 2015 6:47 PM in response to Bob Timmons

ok Bob, thanks for your great help and fast answers, all is fine THANKS!

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