[drphoto]

This is a followup to my post re: slow internet connection. As I stated, I traced the problem to the router. After a few false starts I ended up w/ a refurbed last gen. Time Capsule. For those of you who don't know, this is a high speed wireless router w/ 3 ethernet outs + one USB out AND a one Terabyte drive built in! I got it for $200!

When I first plugged it in, my system recognized it immediately, and I was back online w/ no set up.

However to use the hard drive, I had to download a newer version of airport admin. utility. I'm still running Tiger, so the drive appears on the desktop just like any other. Copy times are sort of slow, as I'm used to firewire....but still...1 TB for $200? Blows my tiny little mind.

If you have Leopard or later, you can schedule auto backups.

Neat device. 

[Crimson]

dr,

Good luck with your TC. A word to the wise: don't rely on its HD as your sole backup drive. 

[drphoto]

Are you implying the thing's a bit flaky? Be good to know if so. I'd never even heard of this unit until this situation came up.

BTW: I back up important stuff on CD or DVD too. I used to have a mag/optical drive for archiving, as it was supposedly the most stable storage. Dog slow and really expensive media. Man how things have changed.

[Crimson]

dr,

There's an issue with the TC's power supply. I stopped using them after the second one died just after the warranty expired (as did the first one), and have two memorials here.

They don't give you a heads up, but just up and fizzle out.

[drphoto]

Well that Airport Extreme base station died after only a few years too. I've been a solid apple customer for what 20 years now? But they do seem to have some issues. My 9500 (if you are old enough to remember that generation from the early 90's) and Ti. Powerbook were junk for the most part.

I've largely been happy w/ my current G5 PPC setup. It can handle pretty much anything I throw at it. I'd like an Intel Powerbook, but I don't feel a need to upgrade the tower.

[chrisby]

dr,

There's an issue with the TC's power supply. I stopped using them after the second one died just after the warranty expired (as did the first one), and have two memorials here.

They don't give you a heads up, but just up and fizzle out.

gulp,  that's a bit disheartening - I guess another example of the slick industrial designs compromising performance / reliability

would you suggest replacing the HD as per

http://www.applefritter.com/node/23907


or of course you could always install the unit in modified wine fridge 

 

[drphoto]

Excellent post chrisby. I think I'll do this mod at some point.

[andrewbee]

Like Crimson says, the TC has "issues".
If you already own one then certainly try to repair it but I would not depend on it for archiving data.

[drphoto]

Call me crazy, but I'd be happy enough to pull the drive from the unit, install it in my tower and still have the high speed router. I'd look at it as a cheap TB hard drive shipped in a really fancy, really hard to open package! Make any sense to others?

[chrisby]

My wife recently fell in love big time with her new MBPro13, so now  3 members of our family have been indoctrinated into the "wonderful" world of Mac.   

It's more than a bit disheartening that a product that appeals to (or should that be creates?) the need for drop dead simple, wireless archiving of data from multiple users, can have its reliability compromised in the name of slick industrial design.  I for one would be more than happy if the box was 10 or 20% larger to ensure a thermal safety margin.  IINM, this wouldn't be the first time in Apple's history that "too smart" backfired big time - that's something you'd expect in the PC world.