MacMost Q&A Forum • View All Forum QuestionsAsk a Question

Using Two Time Capsules for Two MacBooks

Gary, I have decided I will buy a second MacBook for use at home (MacBook Pro with MacBook Air). I presently use a Time Capsule for backup (for the MBP). My intentions are to set the MBA to use the same Time Capsule. I understand that with Mountain Lion, I can have each laptop set up to use two devices for Time Machine. TypiCally for someone who uses a MBP/MBA at work and home. I wondered what you thought of using a second Time Capsule at home? I thought this would be a simple way of having redundancy of backups, wirelessly.
—–
mike Wheless

Comments: 2 Responses to “Using Two Time Capsules for Two MacBooks”

    12 years ago

    That wouldn't work. A Time Capsule is a wireless network hub plus a backup drive. Your Macs would connect to ONE wireless network. You'd need to manually and purposely switch to the other network to connect it to the second TC. And that TC wouldn't be connected to the Internet, assuming you have only one Internet connection at home.
    At least I think that's the way it might work.
    However, I suppose you could use one TC as an extension to the other, and perhaps both drives would then be available on the same network. I've never heard of anyone doing that, though.
    Seems to be a strange way of doing redundancy. Usually, you would want the second backup to be something/somewhere different. Like I use CrashPlan for a second backup because it places that backup outside of my office in a different location from my TM backup. So if a meteor hits my house, and I lose both computer and TM drive, then I still have everything when I climb out of the crater.

    Michael Wheless
    12 years ago

    Thanks Gary, I appreciate the simple (and rather graphic) explanation why something like Crash Plan is better. In my case, I think I'll just consider the obvious choice of using a separate USB attached hard drive. A little inconvenient, but doable. May seem strange, but my choices are influenced by where I live. My internet connection is poor, and requires a wireless connection to the ISP (uses an antenna). Thus, Crash Plan could become a less reliable way to backup. Also, we experience power failures pretty regularly (using an Uninterruptible Power Supply, of course, but with a limited time for backup). This is tolerable with a TC and so far I have had reliable backups with the TC for the MBP. No meteor showers this week but last week did have a 7.6 earthquake!

Comments Closed.