
Apple's AirPort Time Capsule is a wireless router that was released in 2009. It was designed to make it easy to set up or extend a wireless network anywhere, with the second-generation model offering simultaneous 802.11n dual-band operation. The AirPort Time Capsule also included a hard drive for automatic wireless backup of up to 3TB of data. The fifth-generation model, released in 2013, featured a redesign with faster download speeds, beamforming improvements, and wireless or desktop network control with iCloud integration. However, in 2016, Apple disbanded the wireless router team and formally discontinued the AirPort Time Capsule in 2018, exiting the router market.
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What You'll Learn

Airport Time Capsule's hard drive
The Airport Time Capsule is a wireless router developed by Apple, which was discontinued in 2018. It allows for the automatic wireless backup of up to 3TB of data. The hard drive typically found in a Time Capsule is the Hitachi Deskstar, which is sold by Hitachi as a consumer-grade product. Apple labelled the drive as a server-grade drive in promotional material for the Time Capsule. The Hitachi Deskstar meets or exceeds the 1 million hours mean time between failures (MTBF) recommendation for server-grade hard drives.
The 500 GB, first-generation Time Capsule shipped with a Seagate Barracuda ES-series drive or other hard drives such as the Western Digital Caviar Green series. The second-generation Time Capsule, released in early 2009, offered simultaneous 802.11n dual-band operation, which allows older devices to use slower wireless speeds without affecting the overall performance of devices that can use higher 802.11n speeds. The hard disk storage space of each model was doubled, with capacities of 1 TB and 2 TB.
The third-generation Time Capsule was released in October 2009, with a reconfiguration of the internal wireless antenna, resulting in a reported 50% increase in wireless performance and a 25% increase in wireless range compared to previous models. The fourth-generation Time Capsule, released in June 2011, increased the range of Wi-Fi signals. The 2013 models feature the same I/O ports on the back as previous generations and come in the same capacities as the fourth generation of 2 TB and 3 TB.
The Airport Time Capsule A1470 model has a 2TB Seagate drive, but it is possible to swap this out for a 6TB WD Green drive. To do this, you must first unplug the Time Capsule and disconnect the power cable and all other cables. You will need tools such as metal and plastic spudgers, a Torx T8 screwdriver, and tweezers. The base is held in place by eleven plastic retention lugs, and a rubber pad must be trimmed to accommodate the 6TB replacement drive. The two cable connectors are then reconnected to the PCB, and the power cable and socket are reattached. Finally, the metal plate and black plastic base are clipped back on, and the disk is tested.
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Airport Time Capsule's dimensions
The Airport Time Capsule is a wireless router sold by Apple Inc. It features network-attached storage (NAS) and a residential gateway router. It was first introduced on January 15, 2008, and released on February 29, 2008. The device has been upgraded several times, with the latest model introduced in 2013. This model features 802.11ac and a 3 TB hard drive.
The Airport Time Capsule has dimensions of 3.85 inches (9.8 cm or 98 mm) square and 6.6 inches (17 cm or 168 mm) high. These dimensions are similar to the latest Airport Express and Apple TVs (second generation onwards), but with a greater height. The 2013 model features the same I/O ports as previous generations and comes in 2 TB and 3 TB capacities.
The Airport Time Capsule is designed to work with the Time Machine backup software utility, which was introduced in Mac OS X 10.5. It provides automatic wireless backup for Mac users, with earlier versions supporting 802.11n wireless and offering 500 GB of storage in the base model. The second-generation model, released in 2009, offered dual-band operation, allowing older devices to use slower wireless speeds without affecting the performance of devices using higher 802.11n speeds.
The Airport Time Capsule was discontinued in 2018, along with the entire AirPort line of products. Despite this, customers continue to appreciate the security and ease of installation that the device provides.
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Airport Time Capsule's wireless network capabilities
The AirPort Time Capsule is a wireless router developed by Apple, which offers wireless network capabilities. The AirPort Time Capsule can be used to set up or extend a wireless network anywhere. The 2013 models introduced the newest Wi-Fi standard 802.11ac, and are compatible with devices using the 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, and 802.11ac specifications.
The AirPort Time Capsule offers simultaneous dual-band operation, allowing older devices to use slower wireless speeds without affecting the performance of devices that can utilise higher 802.11n speeds. It also supports the Sleep Proxy Service.
The AirPort Time Capsule can be configured in Bridge mode to extend a wireless network. This can be done by connecting the Time Capsule to a router with an Ethernet cable, and setting it up in Bridge mode through the Airport Utility. It is important to note that the "Extend a wireless network" feature only works with Apple devices.
The second-generation Time Capsule introduced Guest Networking, allowing the creation of a separate wireless network for guests with different authentication credentials, ensuring the security of the primary network.
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Airport Time Capsule's iCloud integration
The Airport Time Capsule is a wireless router sold by Apple Inc., featuring network-attached storage (NAS) and a residential gateway router. It was designed to work with the Time Machine backup software utility in Mac OS X 10.5 and later. The device was first introduced in 2008 and has since been upgraded several times, with the latest model released in 2013 featuring 802.11ac Wi-Fi and a 3 TB hard drive.
In 2016, Apple disbanded its wireless router development team, and in 2018, the entire Airport line was discontinued without a replacement. However, the 2013 models of the Airport Time Capsule introduced iCloud integration, allowing for wireless or desktop network control.
While the Airport Time Capsule itself is no longer available, users can still utilise iCloud for backup purposes. One way to do this is by setting up automatic backups via Wi-Fi to iCloud for iOS devices. However, it is important to note that iOS backups to a Mac will always be a manual process.
Additionally, some users have expressed interest in using their Airport Time Capsule as a cloud drive. While this is not a standard feature, it can be achieved by plugging the Time Capsule into a new router setup that includes OpenVPN or IPSEC server. However, it is important to ensure proper backups as the Time Capsule was not designed for this purpose.
Overall, the iCloud integration with the Airport Time Capsule allowed for improved network control and provided users with additional backup options. While the Time Capsule has been discontinued, iCloud continues to offer backup solutions for Apple devices.
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Airport Time Capsule's discontinuation
The Airport Time Capsule is a consumer-grade external hard drive sold by Apple. The first-generation Time Capsule was released in 2009, with a second-generation model released later the same year. The second-generation model offered simultaneous 802.11n dual-band operation, allowing older devices to use slower wireless speeds without affecting the performance of devices that could use higher 802.11n speeds. This model also introduced Guest Networking, which allowed users to create a separate wireless network for guests with different authentication credentials.
In 2013, Apple released the fifth generation of the Time Capsule, which featured a name change to Airport Time Capsule and a redesign. This model featured the same I/O ports as previous generations and came in 2 TB and 3 TB capacities. It also introduced the newest Wi-Fi standard, 802.11ac.
In 2016, Apple disbanded its wireless router development team, and in 2018, the entire Airport line of products was discontinued without replacement. This decision was noted by Bloomberg News as unusual for Apple, and a boon for other wireless router makers.
Despite the discontinuation, users can still use Time Machine for backup and recovery purposes. Apple and authorized resellers continued to sell Airport products while supplies lasted, and the company committed to providing service and parts for current-generation Airport Base Stations for five years following the discontinuation.
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Frequently asked questions
The Airport Time Capsule is a wireless router that was developed by Apple. It allows for the automatic wireless backup of up to 3TB of data.
The Airport Time Capsule includes a fully-featured 802.11ac Wi-Fi access point, including simultaneous dual-band operation. The hard drive typically found in a Time Capsule is the Hitachi Deskstar, which is sold by Hitachi as a consumer-grade product.
In 2016, Apple disbanded the wireless router team that developed the Airport Time Capsule. In 2018, Apple formally discontinued the product, exiting the router market.









































