Roberta Aguirre
Apple's Time Capsule and Airport Extreme Base Station are two different products that look similar. The Airport Extreme acts as a wireless router and repeater, while the Time Capsule acts as both a wireless router/repeater and a backup disk, as it has a built-in HDD. If you want to use an Airport Extreme as a Time Machine backup disk, you can connect an external HDD or SSD to the USB port at the back. However, it is not recommended. There are other options for Time Machine-compatible network storage, such as Drobo, which allows you to swap out drives when one fails or when you need more storage.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Physical Appearance | Airport Extreme and Time Capsule look the same |
| Airport Extreme | Acts as a wireless router and repeater |
| Time Capsule | Acts as a wireless router/repeater and a backup disk |
| Airport Extreme | Does not have a built-in HDD |
| Time Capsule | Has a built-in HDD |
| Airport Extreme | Can connect to an external HDD or SSD |
| Time Capsule | Easy solution |
| Time Machine | Built-in utility from Apple that backs up data on Mac |
| Time Capsule | Can be used as a storage solution without wireless connectivity |
| Time Capsule | More expensive than Airport Extreme with an external hard drive |
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What You'll Learn
Time Capsule vs Airport Extreme with an external hard drive
Apple's AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule are two different products that look physically similar. The AirPort Extreme is a wireless router with other wireless features such as a repeater. On the other hand, the Time Capsule acts as both a wireless router and repeater and a backup disk, thanks to its built-in HDD.
If you already have the AirPort Extreme and want to use it for backup, you can connect an external hard drive to the USB port at the back. This will enable you to back up content to the drive, essentially turning your AirPort Extreme into a Time Capsule. However, it is noted that this setup can be unreliable, with Time Machine sometimes declaring backups corrupted and restarting them from scratch.
The Time Capsule is the easy solution if you want a wireless router with a built-in backup drive. It is a set-it-and-forget-it type of setup, with backups happening automatically. Several versions of the Time Capsule are available, including flat square ones and tall rectangular brick-like versions with more capacity.
If you are considering alternative solutions to a Time Capsule due to concerns about hard drive failure and future expandability, you might want to look at other companies that offer Time Machine-compatible network storage. For example, LaCie and Drobo offer storage systems that spread your data over multiple drives, allowing you to swap them out when one fails or when you need more storage. However, these solutions do not provide wireless network connectivity, and the Drobo option is far from cheap.
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Differences between Time Capsule and Airport Extreme
Apple's AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule are two different products that physically look the same. The AirPort Extreme is a wireless router with other wireless features such as a repeater. On the other hand, the Time Capsule is a wireless router and repeater with a built-in HDD, allowing it to be used as a backup disk. The Time Capsule is essentially a version of the AirPort Extreme with an internal hard drive.
The AirPort Extreme can be used with an external hard drive for backups, but it is not recommended. The Time Capsule, on the other hand, has a built-in hard drive, making it a convenient and easy solution for backups. The earliest versions of the Time Capsule supported 802.11n wireless and came with a 500 GB hard drive, while the latest model, introduced in 2013, features 802.11ac and a 3 TB hard drive.
In terms of connectivity, the AirPort Extreme has more LAN ports, allowing more computers to be connected directly to the network using LAN cables. It also has a WAN port, which is commonly used to connect the router to the internet or an external private network. The Time Capsule, on the other hand, has four Gigabit Ethernet ports (3 LAN ports and 1 WAN port) and a single USB port.
Another difference between the two devices is their CPU speed. CPU speed indicates how many processing cycles per second can be executed by a CPU, and having a higher speed can result in better performance. However, the specific CPU speeds of each device are not publicly available.
Finally, there is a difference in the after-sales support provided by Apple for these two devices. Some users have reported that the first-generation Time Capsules failed after 18 months due to a design flaw in the power supplies. Apple offered free repairs or replacements for affected units. Additionally, Apple disbanded its wireless router development team in 2016 and discontinued the entire AirPort line of products in 2018 without introducing replacements. As a result, AirPort Time Capsule backups will no longer be supported starting with macOS 27 in 2026.
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Pros and cons of Time Capsule
The Time Capsule is Apple's wireless router with built-in hard disk drives, enabling Time Machine support over a LAN connection. It is an ideal backup target for Time Machine and can be used for backing up multiple Macs. It is easy to set up and has excellent reliability, with one user reporting only one failure in ten years across 20+ devices. It also has a stable connection, with a six-element beamforming antenna array that ensures connectivity even through multiple walls.
However, it is more expensive than buying an AEBS and an external drive separately, and there is an increased risk of component failure with the two elements combined in one unit. If one component fails, you may have to replace the entire thing. Additionally, networked drives are often slower than directly connected USB backup drives. The Time Capsule also has only one USB 2.0 connection, which is quite slow. It is also important to note that offsite backup is important, as your Time Capsule may be lost or damaged in an accident or burglary.
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Pros and cons of Airport Extreme
The AirPort Extreme is a wireless router with a sleek, minimalistic design that blends easily with your home decor. It is easy to access and configure from any OSX or iOS device, allowing users to adjust settings from a PC, Mac, or mobile application. It has a theoretical throughput of 450 Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 1300 Mbps on the 5GHz band. The device comes with a one-year warranty and is backed by Apple's extensive support resources.
Pros
- The AirPort Extreme is easy to set up and use, especially within the Apple ecosystem, as the required setup application, AirPort Utility, is built into all Macs and available for iDevices.
- It has a beautiful and unique design, with a small footprint and no protruding antennas or legs, making it aesthetically pleasing and discrete.
- The device supports simultaneous dual-band broadcasting and can handle up to 50 simultaneous connections.
- It offers robust wireless security, including WPA2 Enterprise, and features guest networks to control guest access to your network.
- The AirPort Extreme is highly reliable, with some users reporting that their old AirPort Extremes have lasted for years without issues.
Cons
- The AirPort Extreme has only three Gigabit LAN ports, while its competitors typically offer four, which may be a limitation for some users.
- It does not have parental controls, Wi-Fi Multimedia (WMM), or Quality of Service (QoS), which means it cannot prioritize different types of network traffic or guarantee performance for specific applications.
- Some competing routers, such as the Asus RT-N66U, offer higher performance, more features, and better range at a lower price point.
- Apple has discontinued its router products, so users might prefer alternative options for future-proofing their setups.
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Using Airport Extreme as a Time Machine backup
The AirPort Extreme acts as a wireless router and repeater, whereas the AirPort Time Capsule combines these features with a built-in HDD, allowing it to act as a backup disk. However, you can use an AirPort Extreme as a Time Machine backup by connecting an external HDD or SSD to its USB port.
To set up an old AirPort Extreme Time Capsule as a Time Machine hard drive, you must first disable its Wi-Fi functionality and put it in "Bridge Mode". This is because you don't want the AirPort Extreme to create a new Wi-Fi network that conflicts with your existing one.
Next, connect your AirPort Extreme to your computer using an ethernet cable. If your computer doesn't have an ethernet port, you may need an adapter. Once your AirPort Extreme is plugged in, open the Airport Utility app and follow the setup instructions.
If you're using a Mac, you can back up to an external storage device connected to the USB port of an AirPort Extreme Base Station (802.11ac model). To do this, reformat your storage device to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format if it isn't already. Then, connect it to your Mac, open AirPort Utility, and select your base station. Click "Edit" to view its settings, then click the "Disks" tab and select your backup disk from the list of partitions. Finally, select "Enable file sharing".
If you're using macOS Catalina or an earlier version, this solution is no longer recommended as Time Machine backup over the network uses Apple Filing Protocol (AFP), which won't be supported in future macOS versions. Instead, on the Mac that will be used as a Time Machine backup destination, go to Apple menu > System Settings. Click "General" in the sidebar, then click "Sharing" on the right. Turn on "File Sharing" and enter your administrator password if prompted. Click "More info" next to File Sharing, then click "Add" under the Shared Folders list. Choose a folder or external storage device to use for Time Machine backups. Control-click the folder or storage device you added, then choose "Advanced Options" from the menu. Finally, select "Share as a Time Machine backup destination" and click "OK".
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Frequently asked questions
The Time Capsule is both a modem and a hard drive, whereas the Airport Extreme acts as a wireless router and repeater. The Time Capsule has a built-in HDD, allowing it to be used as a backup disk, whereas the Airport Extreme does not have an internal hard drive.
Yes, it is possible to set up an Airport Extreme for use with Time Machine. However, it is not recommended. You can connect an external HDD or SSD to the USB port on the Airport Extreme to use it as a backup drive.
First, disable the wireless and routing functions on your Airport device or eeros. Then, connect your laptop to your Time Capsule or Airport Extreme using an Ethernet cable. Launch the Airport Utility app and select your device before pressing edit. Finally, press 'Update', disconnect your laptop, and reconnect to your Wi-Fi network.
