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MacBook can't find TC for backup even while using TC to connect to internet

I have had my wifi network setup via my airport time capsule for over a year and all of a sudden my macbook will no longer allow Time capsule to run back-ups, it can't seem to find the TC, even though it is using the wifi network to access the internet no problem through the TC. Also on my macbook airport utility can't find the base station, probably why the back up won;t work, but my iPhone and iPad airport utility apps find it no problem and also allow internet access. Its really bugging me and annoying that the TC has suddenly stopped

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.2)

Posted on Feb 7, 2016 8:39 AM

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13 replies

Feb 7, 2016 9:15 AM in response to jonfrombuxton

OK, thanks.


Nothing is going to happen until we can figure out how to get the TC to appear again in AirPort Utility. Normally, it will appear after a restart of the TC and/or the Mac, so give that one more try please.


If still no luck, then check the following settings 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, then click Apply


Now, you should back in the main Network window

Click on Ethernet on the left panel to highlight it, then perform exactly the same sequence as above for Ethernet


Click OK, then click Apply


Restart both the Mac and TC again and check to see if the TC will appear in AirPort Utility

Feb 8, 2016 10:29 AM in response to jonfrombuxton

More bugs, provided to you courtesy of El Capitan (10.11.x)


Are you able to turn off the WiFi on the Mac and connect your Mac using an Ethernet cable to one of the three LAN <--> ports on the Time Capsule? If you have a newer Mac, Apple removed the most important port in networking......the Ethernet port....from the newer laptops, so you will need to obtain a Thunderbolt to Ethernet adapter from and Apple Store or Apple retailer.


Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter - Apple


If you cannot use Ethernet to get things working again, we can try to use wireless to get things working, but that will take on average, about 3-5 times longer than an Ethernet connection.

How do you want to proceed?

Feb 8, 2016 12:22 PM in response to jonfrombuxton

When you are ready to try again......and there are no guarantees here, since El Cap has some weird things going on with Time Machine......


Click anywhere on the Mac open desktop so that the Finder menus are displayed at the top of the screen

Click the Go menu

Click Go to Folder

Enter the following in the search box


/Library


Open the Preferences folder

Locate the following file.......com.Apple.TimeMachine.plist

Click to highlight the file

Click the Delete key on the Mac


Restart the Mac


Open System Preferences (gear icon on the dock)

Open Time Machine.......You will have to set up everything again

Make sure Time Machine is "ON"

Click Select Disk

Choose the Time Capsule....named "Data" unless you have changed the name......as the destination for backups

Click Use Disk


Wait a few minutes, then click the Time Machine "clock" icon at the top of the screen

Click Backup Now


"Preparing" will take a long time....probably hours, even with an Ethernet connection. Let it run until the backup starts and completes or you receive an error message. If you try this using wireless, locate the laptop close to the Time Capsule, start the backup late at night and let it run overnight.....and it might be finished by the next morning.


It may appear as if Time Machine is making a complete new backup of your Mac......but after awhile, Time Machine should recognize the old backups and perform an incremental backup. However, it is also possible that Time Machine might make a new complete back up of your Mac, so let it complete if that is the case.

Feb 15, 2016 11:40 PM in response to jonfrombuxton

It's simple to use, just plug the adapter into one of the Thunderbolt ports on your Mac and connect the Ethernet cable from the adapter to one of the three LAN <--> ports on the Time Capsule.


Be sure to turn off the WiFi on the Mac to force the connection to Ethernet.


Once the backup has completed, disconnect the cable and adapter and turn the WiFi back on at the Mac.

MacBook can't find TC for backup even while using TC to connect to internet

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