Time Capsule died, replace with Airport Express or Airport Extreme?

Josey Wales

Hi,

So my Apple Time Machine died today thanks to constant power outages. The disk is clicking, no wireless connection and I can't connect via ethernet either. My question is how to replace it.

I'm reluctant to spend the money on another Time Capsule. I have a WD My Book Live for Mac that I think should work with Time Machine. Am I right?

Should I go with Airport Express or Airport Extreme?

Thanks.

Type 17

Extreme will give you the same functions as the Time Capsule, with an external disc (or you can connect the disc to your Mac, if it's not a laptop).

Express may be limited for your needs - check the specs in the Apple Store - it only has one LAN/WAN port, the Extreme has one WAN and three LAN ones, and there may be other things, but it really depends on your needs.

Josey Wales

Just got some advice.

I'm going to disconnect the HDD from the Time Capsule. Hopefully the wi-fi and ethernet should come back and I can continue to use it as a router.

Type 17

If it does, you can connect an external disc to the Time Capsule (I run one with an additional external disc), or you might even try replacing the internal drive (which has presumably died).

Josey Wales

Type 17 wrote: »

If it does, you can connect an external disc to the Time Capsule (I run one with an additional external disc), or you might even try replacing the internal drive (which has presumably died).

Yeah I have a WD 2TB drive that I'm currently backing up to. But over a G network it is slow going. No ethernet connection on the Macbook Air.

Type 17

Any chance of using USB?

Josey Wales

Type 17 wrote: »

Any chance of using USB?

I didn't think you could backup via USB. It says about 19 hours left. I can just leave it on and get this initial backup done. I'd feel better having one viable backup.

I just looked up USB to Ethernet devices. Might be useful future.

Type 17

My iMac backs up to a WD USB drive all the time - works fine, as I found out when the iMac's HD failed a few years ago.

mathepac

Josey Wales wrote: »

... I just looked up USB to Ethernet devices..

or Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet. In the interim you could use TimeMachine via USB to your WD 2GB drive.

Doodah7

Josey Wales wrote: »

Hi,

I'm reluctant to spend the money on another Time Capsule. I have a WD My Book Live for Mac that I think should work with Time Machine. Am I right?

I use Time Machine to a WD MyBook Live which works reasonably well. I have had a couple of verification issues which seem to be well documented but curiously only after a large app install...

Josey Wales

Turns out I might be in luck. My Apple Care for Mac also covers accessories that you use with the Mac such as a Time Capsule. The woman in CompuB seemed confident that Apple will replace it as part of my Apple Care plan.

Fingers crossed.

Liameter

If all else fails, you could get it repaired for a lot less than the cost of a new one. Google is your friend.