iMac and Time Capsule?

[pound4pound30]

Just to clear it up in my understanding. The time capsule is obviously used as an external hard drive. But also you use it as a wireless router too correct? You need to hook it up to the modem to use it as the wireless router just like every other router correct?

Also can you use it just as an external hard drive hooked up to your mac or does it need to be hooked to the modem to use at all?

Any other details would be nice to know. Thanks

 

[OllyW]

Just to clear it up in my understanding. The time capsule is obviously used as an external hard drive. But also you use it as a wireless router too correct? You need to hook it up to the modem to use it as the wireless router just like every other router correct?

Yes it's a wireless router which you connect to your modem.

Also can you use it just as an external hard drive hooked up to your mac or does it need to be hooked to the modem to use at all?

You connect to the hard drive through your network. You can't make a direct connection as you would with a USB or FireWire drive.

 

[pound4pound30]

Ok so you need to set it up as a router to use it as an external hard drive?

Thanks for the help

 

[SiMBa37]

I just replied to your other thread in the Mac Peripherals section, but I might as well repost some information you may want to know prior to purchasing.

Many have reported that the TC has a shelf life of 14 to 18 months then just dies. People suspect poor ventilation and overheating as the problem for frying the device. If you have Apple Care, you can have it replaced at no cost. But Apple will not retrieve your data for you off the device. If you try and open it yourself to extract the hard drive and recover the data on your own, you void your warranty.

That being said, I don't own one, although I've been contemplating getting one. Anyone else who owns the device can offer some experiences?

 

[wessew]

I passed on the time capsule for the following reasons: 1) greater expected reliability likely in external hard drives (I have yet to have an OWC Elite drive fail me in over five years) and 2) serious concern about ability of the unit to properly dissipate heat. Even external hard drives without cooling fans use perforated aluminum, etc. Instead I simply attach a drive of my choosing to Airport Extreme which itself generates a fair amount of heat. Just my take...