It took about two hours to back up a relatively sparse 21GB of data on a Macbook laptop over a wired Gigabit connection to the Time Capsule. Time Machine lets you set automated backups from the Macs on your network directly to the Time Capsule. Mac users can use the Time Capsule's hard drive for basic storage as well, but they also get more benefit from Time Capsule than the Windows crowd, due to its interface with Leopard's Time Machine feature. The HP Server provides you remote access for free, although it's not a router. You can also access the Time Capsule's drive remotely through a. You can set up a password to connect to the drive, although you get no user management interface like that of the HP MediaSmart Server. With your network established, Windows users should be able to see the hard drive in their network folder, and read and write files to it as with any networked storage device. Windows drivers are also included on the disc. You initiate the installation by inserting the Time Capsule CD, and from there (on a Mac) it will update your AirPort Utility, and then prompt you to select various options. If you don't know whether you have a static IP address or you're unfamiliar with abbreviations like PPP and DHCP, you can still probably navigate Time Capsule's handful of setup screens, thanks to mostly clear English descriptions that accompany each option. Be sure to store it in a well-ventilated area.Īpple made the claim that setting up the Time Capsule to manage your network is easy, and if you're comfortable with basic networking concepts, it is. We should note that while the Time Capsule is basically silent, the top gets hot, especially when the hard drive is moving a lot of data. The power cable (and it's just a cable, not a brick) plugs directly into the back. There's no power button, but you do get a reset button to restore the factory default settings. The backside provides you with a single Gigabit Ethernet port for a connection to your cable or DSL or LAN connection, three Gigabit ports for hard-wired network devices, and a single USB 2.0 input. Many routers offer an array of blinking status LEDs, but the Time Capsule gives you only a static green light to let you know that it's working. You still get one indicator light up front and a row of ports on the back. The design of the Time Capsule is clean and visually appealing, and almost identical to the Airport Extreme Base Station. Each system was also able to read and write to the Time Capsule's hard drive. We are happy to report that we were able to connect an Intel-powered Mac Pro, an iMac G5, a Windows Vista-based HP Pavilion tx2000z laptop, and the Windows XP-based Lenovo X300 laptop to the Time Capsule wirelessly with little trouble. Both products provide you with a 2.4GHz or 5.0GHz 802.11n wireless network. Most of what we said in our review of the original, standalone Airport Extreme Base Station applies to the Time Capsule as far as its networking capabilities. Time Capsule is essentially an Airport Extreme Base Station with a built-in hard drive and an easy-to-use, Mac-only automated backup program. Support: One-year warranty 24-7 toll-free phone support e-mail support form FAQs knowledge base driver and software downloads.Notable design features: Antenna-less design.Features: 3 Gigabit LAN ports 1 Gigabit WAN port 1 USB 2.0 port DHCP support DDNS.Security options: WEP WPA/WPA2 NAT firewalls, MAC address filtering.Operating systems supported: Linux Mac OS X 10.4 or later (for setup) Windows XP (SP2) or Vista.Windows PC owners should look elsewhere for more advanced storage capabilities, as should anyone that demands fast wireless performance. Mac owners and the space or design conscious should consider the Time Capsule if they're in need of a router upgrade. Its price is also fair compared with a separate router and network-attached hard drive. In its niche, then, the Time Capsule is the most advanced product on the market. The other, a year-and-a-half-old router from Asus, offers neither the same high-speed wireless bandwidth nor as much storage capacity as the Time Capsule, which comes in 500GB (for $299) and 1TB (for $499) varieties. Windows users and anyone who demands speed from their 802.11n network will be disappointed.Īpple's new Time Capsule is one of only two devices we know of that incorporates both a wireless router and a hard drive into the same product. Apple's hybrid 802.11n wireless router/networked hard drive offers some powerful data backup features for Mac owners, as well as Apple's typical pleasing design.
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