Q: Why can't I connect to time capsule ac at night?

When I open up Airport Utility, at times I see a Green dot on the cable modem but exclamation point in a yellow triangle on the TC.

This is an indication that something may be misconfigured on your TC.

To find out what it may be:

• Open AirPort Utility
• Click on the TC
• Look for a Status setting in the small window that appears. Note: Status only appears if there is an issue or notification.
• Click on the small amber dot there and another window will open to explain what the "issue" might be.

Please post back your results.

Please read Use Wireless Diagnostics to help you resolve Wi-Fi issues on your Mac - Apple Support. It may provide some helpful suggestions.

I have three networks on the TC active -- a 5, a 2.4, and a guest network.

There are valid reasons for not specifying different names for your 2.4 and 5 GHz networks. Try de-selecting that option in Wireless > Wireless Options...

Yes, it is a fairly common issue. Apple still have DNS issues.

Factory reset universal

Power off the TC.. ie pull the power cord or power off at the wall.. wait 10sec.. hold in the reset button.. be gentle.. power on again still holding in reset.. and keep holding it in for another 10sec. You may need some help as it is hard to both hold in reset and apply power. It will show success by rapidly blinking the front led. Release the reset.. and wait a couple of min for the TC to reset and come back with factory settings. If the front LED doesn’t blink rapidly you missed it and simply try again. The reset is fairly fragile in these.. press it so you feel it just click and no more.. I have seen people bend the lever or even break it. I use a toothpick as tool.

N.B. None of your files on the hard disk of the TC are deleted.. this simply clears out the router settings of the TC.

 

Setup the TC again.

 

Then redo the setup from the computer you want to use for TM using Airport Utility.

1. Use very short names.. NOT APPLE RECOMMENDED names. No spaces and pure alphanumerics.

eg TCgen5 for basestation and TCwifi wireless name.

 

If the wireless is still a problem set wireless names like TC24ghz and set the 5ghz to different name.. eg.TC5ghz. I use this because Apple clients do not connect to the fastest signal.. which is almost always 5ghz.. it always uses the best signal which is 2.4ghz and is slow.. especially since apple continues to use 150Mbit limit.

 

2. Use all passwords that also comply with 1. but can be a bit longer. ie 8-20 characters mixed case and numbers.. no non-alphanumerics.

 

**3. If the TC is main router you can skip this point. This is only an issue when the TC is bridged.

Ensure the TC always takes the same IP address.. you will need to do this on the main router using dhcp reservation.. or a bit more complex setup using static IP in the TC.

Ignore this point if you don't understand it .. post back if you have drop out issues.

 

4. Make sure IPv6 is set correctly in the computer. ie link-local only for ethernet and/or wireless depending on which you use. Auto is not good enough.

dcunia wrote:

 

Not sure why it can't find the TC even though it must be working since I am getting web pages. Anyone seen this before?

I have seen it before. Of course it should not occur, but reconfiguring your TC is not necessary and will not prevent it from occurring again.

It's a problem with AirPort Utility that only Apple will be able to fix, perhaps in a future OS X update.

There is a workaround. Disable Back to Your Mac in the TM and restart the device.

Disable Back to You Mac work for me.

As I wrote, there are valid reasons for not specifying different names for your 2.4 and 5 GHz networks. Try de-selecting that option in Wireless > Wireless Options...

All else being equal, 5 GHz throughput will be greater than 2.4 GHz, but the 5 GHz wireless signal is much more easily attenuated by intervening obstructions. One intervening wall or floor is usually OK. Two probably won't be. On the other hand there are many more sources of wireless interference on the 2.4 GHz network than there are on 5 GHz. Please read the two passages "Wireless barriers" and "Reduce effects of interference from other wireless devices" in Potential sources of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth interference - Apple Support.

Not sure why it can't find the TC even though it must be working since I am getting web pages. Anyone seen this before?

Apple appears to have fixed that problem a couple of days ago, so it should not longer be an issue for you. If you are still encountering it, write back.

5 GHz signals are much weaker than 2.4 GHz signals, so 5 GHz is pretty much of a "same room" or "line-of-sight" deal with the wireless router. Not much of the 5 GHz signal is going to make it through a ceiling.

A ceiling is, on average, about 3-4 times more dense than a normal wall, so if you want to extend the 5 GHz signal to another floor, you are almost forced to locate another AirPort router on the floor where you want 5 GHz to work, and then connect the remote router back to your main router using a wired Ethernet cable connection.

Some of the 2.4 GHz signal may make it through a ceiling, but the signal will slow considerably, as you have learned.