Hi Daniel, Many thanks for that. A few more things to think about.
Cheers Neil -- Neil R. Houghton Albany, Western Australia Tel: +61 8 9841 6063 Email: n...@possumology.com on 15/5/12 8:47 PM, Daniel Kerr at dan...@macwizardry.com.au wrote: > Just adding on to Ronni's post,. (Sorry if I cover anything you already had) > ;o) > > Personally I like the TC to be in Bridge mode and let the modem handle the > DHCP settings. That way it's easy to still get to the modem/router if trying > to troubleshoot, as you're then working in the IP range that the modem is > using. And all devices in the network have the same IP range as the modem. > (e.g. in the same of the Netgear it's generally 192.168.0.2-255, the modem > being 192.168.0.1). > > A good use for the TC if you find a part use of it, is a "software storage" > for all the machines. e.g. new software updates come out, download them once > from Apple's support page (support.apple.com) then chuck them on the data > drive on the TC and everyone can install them from there manually. Easy, > efficient and saves re-downloading all the files. Though in this day and age > of large downloads, it's not a big issue. I suppose I use that part more for > machines I work on as then all the downloads are readily accessible easily. > > The Dual band's do seem to have a better range I've found with the wireless, > so hopefully that will run better for you. If you find it's in one corner of > the house and sometimes "struggles" to get to the other end, you can try > making a "cheap reflector". If you bend a piece of cardboard wrapped in basic > home tinfoil into a half curve and then put it behind the TC, it can help > "push" the wireless signal back downwards. Seeing as it like to transmit in > both directions, if it's not being used in one direction then reflecting it > all back the other way can sometimes help push it that little bit further for > you. Height also helps. So if it's on the floor or lower down, look at > increasing the height slightly. Also, ensuring it's not running on the same > wireless range as neighbouring wireless can also help. (Something like > iStumbler. <http://www.istumbler.net/>) Useful to see if your wireless is on > the same channel as neighbours. If so, then sometimes changing this can help > with a better range as well. Then you're not competing with the same channel. > (I find that 4 of my neighbours all "share" channel 10,..lol). > > Just a few more thoughts I had in passing, there was more I'm sure but tired > eyes and brain haven't bought them to the forefront for me to remember,lol. > :o) > > Kind regards > Daniel > > Sent from my iPhone 4s > > --- > Daniel Kerr > MacWizardry > > Phone: 0414 795 960 > Email: <daniel AT macwizardry.com.au> > Web: <http://www.macwizardry.com.au> > > > **For everything Macintosh** > > On 15/05/2012, at 8:11 PM, Neil Houghton wrote: > >> Thanks very much for the lightning response Ronni! >> >> >> On the network set-up, you have confirmed what I thought about setting up >> the TC as the primary wireless network. It will be nice if the Airport >> Express is not needed to extend the network - I can put it back to use as a >> music feed to my stereo (once I get my stereo fixed). >> >> However the walls of our house are double brick (no cavity) on the upper >> floor and solid granite on the lower floor - so wireless performance is >> affected a lot by proximity to windows/doors!! With the Airport express, >> neither iMac could connect to it when it was next to the modem/router - I >> had to run a long ethernet cable further into the house to move the Express >> nearer to the connecting computers (well, probably more importantly, cutting >> down the walls it had to transmit through!). The multiple antennae on the TC >> should help here - but I guess time will tell ;o) >> >> Whilst I think I have a reasonable handle on the set-up, I am sure your >> tutorial would be very useful reference so, yes, I would appreciate the >> download link. >> >> With regard to the disk usage, I think I need to re-evaluate all the various >> disks I am using and make sure I am using the best units for the best >> purposes. I have been doing further reading since my first post and have >> discovered that you cannot set different permissions for different >> disks/folders - there are different password/authentification options but, >> whichever you choose applies to any and all TC internal & connected drives. >> >> I realise I could use a number of encrypted disk images for different users >> - but I think a simpler strategy will be better. >> >> >> Thanks again for the comprehensive response. >> >> >> Cheers >> >> >> >> Neil >> -- >> Neil R. Houghton >> Albany, Western Australia >> Tel: +61 8 9841 6063 >> Email: n...@possumology.com >> >> >> >> on 15/5/12 4:52 PM, Ronda Brown at ro...@mac.com wrote: >> >>> Hi Neil, >>> >>> My goodness Neil, that is a lot of questions to answer in one go ... I'll >>> give >>> a start ;-) >>> I find the best setup is as follows: >>> >>> 1. Modem/Router (wireless or not) > connected to > Time capsule via ethernet >>> 2. Existing wireless AP/SSID disabled on ADSL Modem/Router >>> 3. Create new Dual-Band Wireless Network using Time Capsule (9/10 it >>> provides >>> a better range than your Billion wireless/router) >>> 4. Connect via wireless to your Macs >>> ================== >>> You will probably find you may not require the Airport Express to extend the >>> range of this W-Fi Network. >>> When I setup my original 1TB TC, I found I did not need to the Airport >>> Express >>> to extend my Network as I previously had done. >>> >>> If you want to have the TC replace the AE, then you will need to Connect the >>> TC to your modem/router, launch Airport Utility, and re-configure your >>> network >>> on the TC. >>> You can configure it so that it is virtually identical to your existing >>> network. >>> You might find it helpful to copy down on paper some of the settings for the >>> AE before you disconnect it, then use those settings for the TC when you >>> configure it. >>> >>> Use Airport Utility to setup the Dual-Band model Time Capsule, which will >>> allow you to configure your network for BOTH your newer Macs (n) and your >>> older hardware and iPhones (b/g). >>> >>> I created a tutorial in April 2010 titled "Airport Extreme N Dual-Band Base >>> Station Network" which explains how to setup a Simultaneous Dual-Band >>> 802.11n >>> Wi-Fi Base Station, so all devices automatically connect to the band they >>> require. >>> eg. newer Macs & iPad to the 5GHz band, iPhone to 2.5GHz band. >>> >>> If you wish to download the tutorial from my website, post back and I'll >>> give >>> the link. >>> >>> >>> On 15/05/2012, at 2:56 PM, Neil Houghton wrote: >>> >>>> Hi all, >>>> >>>> I was wandering through Officeworks (Albany) this weekend when I saw they >>>> had a 1TB time capsule on clearance, marked down to $160. I realised that >>>> this was not the current model but it seemed like a good deal - which got >>>> even better when they scanned it and it came up as $100! >>>> >>>> So now I am just weighing up options as to how best to use it: >>>> >>>> Network set-up >>>> >>>> My current network comprises: >>>> Billion BiPAC 7402VGP ADSL modem with wired/wireless router and VOIP This >>>> handles VOIP phones and an ethernet connected iMac. It also is the DHCP >>>> server. However, I do not use it for wireless networking. >>>> An Airport Express, connected by ethernet to the Billion and set-up in >>>> bridge mode to provide a wireless network to which 2 other iMacs and a >>>> Macbook Pro connect (though very rarely at the same time). This is an older >>>> model, purchased November 2007, Model # M9470X/A so it only has single >>>> band wireless. >>>> >>>> My new Time capsule is Model A1355 - which I gather is the 4th generation >>>> 2010 model Since it allows simultaneous dual band networks and better >>>> wifi >>>> performance/range to the earlier Airport, I¹m presuming my best option will >>>> be to set this up to create the wireless network and then re-configure the >>>> Airport Express to just extend the wireless network? >>> >>> Yes, as above. And probably won't require the Airport Express to extend the >>> network. >>>> >>>> The other thing I need to decide is how to set-up the DHCP server I >>>> originally had the Airport Express setup in bridge mode because I was using >>>> the ethernet networking on the Billion for an adjacent iMac and I wanted >>>> all the machines to see each other on the same network. If I wished to >>>> continue like this then I would, presumably, also set-up the time capsule >>>> in >>>> bridge mode. >>> >>> Yes, as explained above >>> >>>> However it is probable that I will have the time capsule in >>>> close proximity to both the Billion modem and the ethernet wired iMac So, >>>> I guess, my other option would be to just have the Time capsule connected >>>> to >>>> the Billion, use the Time capsule to handle DHCP and plug the iMac into one >>>> of the TC ethernet ports. >>> >>> Yes, Time Capsule will handle DHCP >>> Connect the iMac via Ethernet to one of the ethernet ports on the TC. >>> >>>> >>>> My gut feeling tells me that this might be better but what would be the >>>> pros/cons of these two approaches? >>>> >>>> >>>> Best use of the TC hard drive >>>> >>>> I realise that Apple market this to act as the Time machine drive for one >>>> or >>>> more computers However, at present, I already have 2 separate 1tb USB >>>> desktop drives for TM backup of mine & Georgie¹s iMacs and a 1TB portable >>>> drive for TM backup of the laptop. The third (ethernet connected) iMac is >>>> an >>>> old 15* G4 model just used for music playing and casual internet browsing >>>> when we are away from our main computers I don¹t heed to back it up I >>>> just love the lampshade look and I¹m happy it still plays tunes ;o) >>>> >>>> (By the way, Ronni, I also have my firewire bootable clones but that¹s not >>>> directly relevant to my deliberations here) >>> >>> Ah, I knew you would have bootable clones Neil; still good to hear though >>> ;-) >>>> >>>> >>>> I seems to me that to try and use the 1TB TC as TM backup for three >>>> machines >>>> would be very limiting and a backward step. I suppose I could use it as TM >>>> back-up for ONE of the machines and free-up a 1TG external drive for other >>>> uses, or I suppose I could attach a USB hub to the TC and attach all my >>>> existing TM USB drives to that but I¹m not sure if that would offer any >>>> advantages? Plus I would expect that might result in slower speeds that the >>>> current direct USB connection. >>> >>> I would use the Time Machine on Time Capsule to backup one of the machines. >>> I use Time Machine to backup my MacBook Pro (wirelessly) to the Time Capsule >>> disk. >>>> >>>> I am wondering if I might not be better keeping my existing TM regimes and >>>> using the TC disk just as general NAS storage for the house. What I would >>>> REALLY like is just to have it as a music/video storage directly feeding my >>>> ATV2 but I¹m pretty sure that can¹t be done, right? I need to have a >>>> computer running somewhere with iTunes running at all times? >>> >>> The Time Capsule / Airport with external drive can act as media STORAGE, but >>> neither will run as a media SERVER. >>> You will need at least one Mac running iTunes, with sharing turned on, >>> and/or >>> a media extender program like Null River's Media Link >>> <http://www.nullriver.com/products/medialink> which will create a standard >>> uPnP front-end that a PS3, Xbox or similar can poll. >>>> >>>> If I use it a general storage, can I set it up with different storage areas >>>> accessible to different users as well as some storage available to all >>>> users >>>> (I¹m not talking about the guest accounts here just different user >>>> accounts) >>>> if so, is it best to partition the TC disc or just keep one partition and >>>> work with different user folders? I guess if I wished to allocate a given >>>> space to different users I would need to create an appropriately sized >>>> partition? >>> >>>> Connecting additional USB drives to the TC >>>> >>>> So I know I can plug an additional USB drive into the TC or a USB hub and >>>> then more than one USB drive. Functionally is there any difference between >>>> the usage of an external TC drive to the internal TC drive is it much >>>> slower do they all look the same to a network attached mac? >>> >>> You can plug any USB hard drive into a Time Capsule and expand the available >>> disk space of the Time Capsule that way. This is then accessible as usual as >>> a >>> Network Attached Storage device for your Mac backups or whatever. >>> >>> <http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2421> >>> >>>> >>>> Also, how does shut/down sleep work I see that the TC doesn¹t have an >>>> on/off switch, so I assume that it just sleeps and wakes as required does >>>> that extend to any attached drives do the sleep/wake when the internal >>>> drive does, if so, does that work with any drive or just some models? >>> >>> USB drives attached to the TC tend to spin down after about 1 minute of >>> inactivity. >>> >>> The Time Capsule doesn't turn off automatically - it always broadcasts its >>> wireless signal, unless powered off. >>> >>> When none of your Mac's are backing up via Time Machine, it will put the >>> hard >>> drive to sleep, which means it isn't constantly spinning. >>> You'll be able to hear a difference when the drive is and isn't spinning. >>> >>> <http://www.apple.com/timecapsule/> >>> >>> Ok, that's enough for now, I have to finish some client work. >>> >>> Cheers, >>> Ronni >>> >>>> OK, I know that¹s lots of questions ;o) >>> >>> Whew you said it Neil ;-)) >>> >>>> >>>> I¹m happy enough following Apple instructions on set-up and finding info on >>>> how to address specific set-ups what I¹m hoping for is >>>> feedback/experience >>>> on the pros & cons of different approaches/ set-ups since I can see I can >>>> set this up in different ways that ALL work but some may not be the best >>>> solution for me. >>>> >>>> >>>> Hope that makes sense ;o) >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Cheers >>>> >>>> >>>> Neil >>>> -- >>>> Neil R. Houghton >>>> Albany, Western Australia >>>> Tel: +61 8 9841 6063 >>>> Email: n...@possumology.com >>> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> Settings & Unsubscribe - <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug>
