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Time Capsule losing connection

I have a Time Capsule (it's a 2TB Time Capsule) and an Arris TM1602 modem from Optimum. The problem I'm having is that the Time Capsule will intermittently lose internet connection even though I can see that the modem is still online (all lights on the modem are blue, my fax machine connected to the modem has a dial tone AND I can plug a computer directly into the modem and get online). What's even more strange is that when this happens, my iphone x and ipad cannot connect to the time capsule even though they both see the wifi networks that the time capsule is putting out (both the iphone and ipad will display "No Internet Connection" in orange in the wifi settings of each device). I also have problems getting my MBP and MB to connect to the time capsule when this happens and the time capsule's light displays solid green the entire time.

I should also mention that I have already tried swapping out both the modem AND the time capsule (both for the same exact models, only new) and the problems intermittently persists. Is this an issue where this particular modem just doesn't play well with the Time Capsule? I've done some reading here and I saw some posts mention some compatibility issues with certain modems, but I'm not sure if this modem is one of the problematic ones. It is a modem only if that makes a difference.

Posted on Nov 15, 2017 2:57 PM

51 replies

Nov 26, 2017 4:23 PM in response to LaPastenague

My apologies- I guess I wasn’t fully understanding what you were saying. I was trying to keep the TC out of it because I was considering just giving it to my sister so that she could use it as her router AND back up her MBP to it; however, I guess I can keep it and use it just for backups for now until something better comes along (like the ability to connect an external HDD to the USB port on the Orbi router)

I understand that I will have to use the TC in bridge mode, and I’m sure I will have some problems getting it configured properly but I do have one question off the top of my head. I believe I’ll have to connect the TC to my router via Ethernet (not sure which Ethernet port I’ll have to use on the TC but I will figure it out). Once I do that, I will be out of open Ethernet ports on my router because I have other devices taking up the other two ports. Will I be able to use any of the open Ethernet ports on the TC for other devices that need to be connected to the router?

Nov 26, 2017 4:37 PM in response to deanfromocean

I would not recommend the mycloud.. it is extremely underpowered and slow.. but Synology NAS is my preferred brand. And I do also run one. (sort of DIY version at least). You can buy the cheaper single or dual disk shell.. they do get expensive as you get to 4 disk or more.. but are far superior speed and firmware to the WD product.

I believe I’ll have to connect the TC to my router via Ethernet (not sure which Ethernet port I’ll have to use on the TC but I will figure it out).

You start with the WAN port.. once in bridge the TC will allocate WAN to LAN. So it then makes no difference which port you use.

Will I be able to use any of the open Ethernet ports on the TC for other devices that need to be connected to the router?

Yes, indeed so .. you lose one port on the Orbi but gain 3 more.. all gigabit.

Nov 27, 2017 6:07 AM in response to LaPastenague

Thank you. I set up the TC on bridge mode and was able to successfully do TM backups of both of my Macs. I know you said to use CCC because it’s more reliable but if TM continues to work for me there’s really no reason for me to switch, right?

Nov 27, 2017 6:56 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Yes, I’ve seen that message several times myself. I guess it never really concerned me all that much though because TM is not my only backup solution. I used to use CrashPlan and now I use Backblaze, although I’m thinking about switching to Dolly Drive.

Nov 27, 2017 7:01 AM in response to deanfromocean

Then, you already know that Time Machine with a Time Capsule is not a reliable way to store your backups.

As long as you have another reliable plan in place, and you don't mind seeing the Time Machine error message appear at random times, you can try your luck with Time Machine.

Good luck!

Nov 27, 2017 1:23 PM in response to deanfromocean

Reliability is the biggest factor.. a backup that proves to be broken the day you need it.. is worse than useless. It lulled you into a false sense that your data was secure.. and it wasn't.

CCC is faster.. much faster in some cases.

CCC does bootable clones to local drives.. that gives you a instant check of the viability of the backup. TM must be restored to the boot drive before it will work.

CCC stores files in a way that is immediately accessible.. copy and paste.. (permissions issues might make that harder)

TM stores files completely differently and it can be very difficult to recover a file if your computer dies. TM now has a lot more security to prevent you opening a sparsebundle not owned by your computer.

CCC backup can be used directly by migration assistant. So it is equal to TM in that respect.

TM big advantage is restoring your work from intermediate backups. Say your thesis took a nasty turn for the worse and you need an older copy.. TM is excellent at keeping history.. it is not perfect and is not an archive software.. but it is relatively simple to recover files. CCC can store multiple copies of files but is less easy to recover.

Nov 27, 2017 1:55 PM in response to LaPastenague

Hmmmm - those are some pretty big positives you mentioned there. I am less concerned with being able to restore work from intermediate backups than I am with having backups of my entire system in the event of a hard drive failure. Sounds like CCC would work well for me; however, my MacBook is old and running 10.7.5. Looks like I would have to use an older, unsupported version of CCC (3.5.7) for that one vs. my MBP, which is running the latest version of High Sierra. I can use CCC 5 for that I guess and just use the old version for my old MB.

Ideally I'd like to get down to just one computer anyway but my MBP's HDD is much smaller than the one on my old MB, so I can't bring everything over to the MBP. Can't upgrade the HDD either so I'm kind of stuck maintaining both computers for now.

Nov 27, 2017 4:45 PM in response to deanfromocean

I really really dislike the newer Macbooks with their super expensive SSD.. the idea of course is you are running server client to cloud.. so effectively you need a boot drive on the Mac and nothing more.. but that is so not reality.

I have a 2011 MBP 15" i7 with a standard 2.5" SSD (replaced the spinning drive) that I can upgrade to whatever size.. (I can afford) any time I like. Apple using propriety SSD cards makes it super miserable. You can buy replacements from OWC .. but they are not cheap.. best is a thunderbolt external SSD.. and then scrap the old Macbook.

I started CCC way back when.. Lion it could be .. Mountain Lion most likely but before v4 came out.. CCC never gave me any hassles.. so when the say unsupported that is unlikely to be a problem. But TM backup before Yosemite was pretty OK.. on Mountain Lion I never had hassles.. and NONE on Snow Leopard at all.. ever. That was the most solid OS ever made.

One CCC license will cover all clients in the house and there is a 20% cyber discount.. Buy it NOW.

Even at normal price it is not expensive..

BTW I have zero official connection to Bombich.. I paid for license and recently paid for update. Just user who likes it.

Nov 28, 2017 11:32 AM in response to LaPastenague

So I bought CCC and as I expected I'm having some trouble setting it up. I'm trying to back up my old MacBook first and I have CCC installed; however, I can't see my Time Capsule in Disk Utility so I can't format the disk properly (although I did erase the disk via Airport Utility). What should I do? I really have no idea what I'm doing here and I can't contact Bombich for tech support because I'm forced to use an unsupported version of CCC on my MB.

Nov 28, 2017 11:54 AM in response to deanfromocean

Remember the disk in the TC is network disk.. and is not now nor ever will be visible in Disk Utility..

Simply mount the TC disk in Finder. Once it is available to your system.. CCC can then use it as a target.. there is no need to format it again.

so I can't format the disk properly (although I did erase the disk via Airport Utility).

Erase in Airport Utility is actually a Format of the disk.. it is all correct now.

CCC is mainly designed for local clients.. to produce a bootable clone.. so the setup for network drive is a bit more complicated.. but is no different to later versions. CCC recommends using a sparsebundle. You can follow this tutorial.

I want to back up my whole Mac to a Time Capsule, NAS, or other network volume | Carbon Copy Cloner | Bombich Software

Nov 28, 2017 12:57 PM in response to deanfromocean

Can I assume I should follow the same procedure for my MBP as well? I see that there’s an updated tutorial available for the newer version of CCC, so I’ll just follow that.

Yes,

be happy.. 🙂😁

CCC has not changed that much between versions.. it might take a bit more setting up than TM.. but the tutorials on bombich site are excellent. Once you twig to the layout it is pretty straight forward.

Unless you really need continuous backup set to backup once a day. The TM hourly backup is simply unnecessary for most people.

Nov 29, 2017 6:27 AM in response to LaPastenague

Fantastic - thank you! Both initial backups (clonings?) have completed so that makes me happy. So now I should schedule the same task to occur once a a day and it will essentially just write new information to the correct sparse bundle file for each computer as needed?

Nov 29, 2017 10:14 AM in response to Bob Timmons

That’s awesome - thank you. Hopefully I’ll never need the backups, but it’s good to know that I have them if I need them. Sounds like this will be much more reliable that Time Machine too, and I feel good knowing that both computers are already fully backed up.

Now I just need to find out if there’s a way to back up my Time Capsule to Backblaze (yes, a backup of my backups!)

Nov 29, 2017 10:22 AM in response to deanfromocean

According to Backblaze, you won't be able to do this......since the Time Capsule is a network drive......and Backblaze cannot back up network drives.

https://help.backblaze.com/hc/en-us/articles/217665398-Backing-up-External-Hard- Drives

Nov 29, 2017 10:29 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Ah - that’s too bad. I understand their reasoning for not allowing it though. I am considering Dolly Drive as well, but their customer support has been less than responsive. Doesn’t make me feel very good about possibly using their service.

Time Capsule losing connection