Apple AirPort Time Capsule 802.11n User Manual

4 (1)

Time Capsule

Setup Guide

Contents

5 Chapter 1: Getting Started

7 About Your Time Capsule

8 About the AirPort Software

9 What You Need to Get Started

11 The Time Capsule Status Light

13Chapter 2: Setting Up Your Time Capsule

14Using Your Time Capsule to Create Your Wireless Network

17 Using AirPort Utility

19 Creating a New Wireless Network

19 Configuring and Sharing Internet Access

21Setting Advanced Options

22Allowing Wireless Clients to Access Your Network Without Entering a Password

23Using Time Machine with Your Time Capsule

25 Chapter 3: Tips and Troubleshooting

25 If You Can’t Connect to the Internet

25If You Forgot Your Network Password or Time Capsule Password

26If Your Time Capsule Isn’t Responding

27If Your Time Capsule Status Light Flashes Amber

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28If Your Printer Isn’t Responding

29Updating AirPort Software

29Time Capsule Placement Considerations

30Items That Can Cause Interference with AirPort

31Chapter 4: Learning More, Service, and Support

33 Appendix: Time Capsule Specifications and Safety Guidelines

36 Regulatory Compliance Information

4Contents

Getting Started

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Congratulations on purchasing your Time Capsule. Read this guide to get started.

The new Time Capsule offers you the simplicity of fully automated backup for your Wi-Fi network. Using the Time Machine application in Mac OS X v10.5.2 Leopard or later, it’s easy and automatic to back up all the computers on your network to a single Time Capsule.

The Time Capsule is also a fully featured AirPort Extreme Base Station that provides simultaneous dual-band wireless networking. When you set up your Time Capsule, it creates two high-speed Wi-Fi networks:

ÂA 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) network for 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n devices, such as iPhone, iPod touch, and older computers

ÂA 5 GHz network for 802.11n and 802.11a devices, such as newer computers and Apple TV

Wireless devices join the network that provides them the best performance and compatibility, and the Time Capsule shares your broadband Internet connection with computers and devices on your network.

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With your Time Capsule, you can:

ÂUse the Time Machine application in Mac OS X v10.5.2 (or later) to back up all the computers on your wireless network, as well as computers connected to your Time

Capsule using Ethernet.

Note: Your first backup with Time Capsule and Time Machine could take overnight or longer, depending on how much data you’re backing up. To speed up the initial backup, use an Ethernet cable to connect your computer to the LAN port on your Time Capsule. For more information about using Time Machine, see “Using Time Machine with Your Time Capsule” on page 23.

ÂCreate a password-protected wireless home network, and then connect to the Internet and share the connection with other computers and Wi-Fi devices, such as iPhone, iPod touch, and Apple TV. You can also share files among computers connected to the network.

ÂCreate a guest network with or without password protection, to provide Internetonly access to wireless devices, such as computers, iPhone, iPod touch, and Apple TV.

ÂConnect your Time Capsule to your Ethernet network. Wireless-equipped Macintosh, Windows XP, or Windows Vista computers can then have access to an entire network without being connected by a cable.

ÂConnect a supported USB printer to your Time Capsule. Compatible computers on the AirPort network, both wireless and wired, can print to it.

ÂConnect an additional USB hard drive to your Time Capsule. Compatible computers on the AirPort network, both wireless and wired, can access information on the hard disk.

6Chapter 1 Getting Started

ÂConnect a USB hub to your Time Capsule, and then connect multiple USB devices, such as printers or hard disks. All computers on the network have access to those devices.

Important: Install AirPort Utility 5.4 from the CD that came with your Time Capsule,

or download it using Software Update. Previous versions of AirPort Setup Assistant and AirPort Admin Utility are not compatible with this Time Capsule.

About Your Time Capsule

Your Time Capsule has five ports on the back:

ÂOne 10/100/1000Base-T Gigabit Ethernet Wide Area Network (WAN) port for connecting a DSL or cable modem, or for connecting to an existing Ethernet network

ÂThree 10/100/1000Base-T Gigabit Ethernet Local Area Network (LAN) ports for connecting Ethernet devices, such as printers or computers, or for connecting to an existing Ethernet network

Chapter 1 Getting Started

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Apple AirPort Time Capsule  802.11n User Manual

ÂOne USB port for connecting a compatible USB printer, hard drive, or hub for connecting several devices

Ethernet

activity light

Status light

Internet WAN port

Ethernet ports

Power port USB port Reset button Security slot

Power cord

The reset button next to the ports is used for troubleshooting your Time Capsule. The status light on the front shows the current status.

About the AirPort Software

Your Time Capsule works with AirPort Utility, included on the Time Capsule CD.

Install AirPort Utility and follow the instructions on the following pages to set up your Time Capsule and your AirPort wireless network.

8Chapter 1 Getting Started

Note: You must use AirPort Utility v5.4 to set up your Time Capsule. This Time Capsule is not compatible with previous versions of AirPort software.

AirPort Utility

Use AirPort Utility to set up your Time Capsule to create a wireless network, connect to the Internet, and share compatible USB printers and hard disks. You can also connect your Time Capsule to an existing AirPort Extreme wireless network.

AirPort Utility is also an advanced tool for setting up and managing the Time Capsule, AirPort Extreme, and AirPort Express Base Stations. Use it to manually adjust network, routing, and security settings and other advanced options.

ZAirPort status menu

Use the AirPort status menu in the menu bar to switch quickly between AirPort networks, monitor the signal quality of the current network, create a computer-to- computer network, and turn AirPort on or off. The status menu is available on computers using Mac OS X.

What You Need to Get Started

To use your Time Capsule, you need a wireless-enabled computer that’s compliant with IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, or 802.11g standards, or with an IEEE 802.11n draft specification. To set up your Time Capsule, your computer must meet the requirements listed below.

Note: To use your Time Capsule with Time Machine in Mac OS X Leopard, you need to use Mac OS X v10.5.2 or later.

To set up your Time Capsule using a Macintosh, you need the following:

ÂA Macintosh computer with an AirPort or AirPort Extreme Card installed to set it up wirelessly, or a Macintosh computer connected to your Time Capsule with an Ethernet cable to set it up using Ethernet

Chapter 1 Getting Started

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ÂMac OS X v10.4 or later

ÂAirPort Utility v5.4 or later

To set up your Time Capsule using a Windows PC, you need the following:

ÂA Windows PC with 300 MHz or higher processor speed and a compatible 802.11a, 802.11b, or 802.11g wireless card, or a wireless card that complies with an IEEE 802.11n draft specification

ÂWindows XP Home or Professional (with Service Pack 2 installed) or Windows Vista

ÂAirPort Utility v5.4 or later

Plugging In Your Time Capsule

Before you plug in your Time Capsule, first connect the appropriate cables to the ports you want to use:

ÂConnect the Ethernet cable that’s connected to your DSL or cable modem (if you will connect to the Internet) to the Ethernet WAN (<) port.

ÂConnect a USB cable connected from the USB (d) port on your Time Capsule to a compatible USB printer (if you will print to a USB printer), a hard disk, or a hub.

ÂConnect an Ethernet cable from any Ethernet device to the Ethernet LAN (G) ports.

After you’ve connected the cables for all the devices you plan to use, connect the power cord to the power port and plug your Time Capsule into a power outlet. There is no power switch.

Important: Use only the power cord that came with your Time Capsule.

10 Chapter 1 Getting Started

When you plug your Time Capsule into a power outlet, the status light flashes green for one second and then glows amber while your Time Capsule starts up. After your Time Capsule has started up completely, the status light flashes amber until your Time

Capsule has been updated with the correct settings. The status light glows solid green after your Time Capsule is properly set up and connected to the Internet or a network.

When you connect Ethernet cables to the Ethernet ports, the lights above them glow solid green.

The Time Capsule Status Light

The following table explains the Time Capsule light sequences and what they indicate.

Light

Status/description

Off

Your Time Capsule is unplugged.

 

 

Solid amber

Your Time Capsule is completing its startup sequence.

 

 

Flashing amber

Your Time Capsule can’t establish a connection to the network

 

or the Internet, or is encountering a problem. Make sure you

 

have installed AirPort Utility and use it to get information about

 

what might cause the status light to flash amber. See “If Your

 

Time Capsule Status Light Flashes Amber” on page 27.

 

 

Solid green

Your Time Capsule is on and working properly. If you choose

 

Flash On Activity from the Status Light pop-up menu (in the

 

Base Station pane of AirPort settings in AirPort Utility), the status

 

light may flash green to indicate normal activity.

 

 

Flashing amber and green

There may be a problem starting up. Your Time Capsule will

 

restart and try again.

 

 

Chapter 1 Getting Started

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Light

Status/description

Solid blue

Your Time Capsule is ready to allow a wireless client access to

 

the network. See “Allowing Wireless Clients to Access Your

 

Network Without Entering a Password” on page 22.

 

 

What’s Next

After you plug in your Time Capsule, use AirPort Utility to set it up to work with your Internet connection, USB printer or hard disk, or an existing network. AirPort Utility is located in the Utilities folder in the Applications folder on a computer using Mac OS X, and in Start > All Programs > AirPort on a computer using Windows XP or Windows Vista.

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