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 - Easy Installation, Fast and ReliableThe Installation of the time capsule was just very easy steps without any trouble, and once it was up and running the network is Very fast and realiable and the time machine backup runs flawlessly. Rating:  - Not Ready for Prime TimeThe concept is great and, given Apple's history, I'm sure that eventually this product will perform as promised but right now it does not live up to expectations. The wireless network works great. The printer server works well, but not perfectly. The real problem is the backup hard drive combined with Time Machine which is a disaster. If you buy this product you should expect to have your computer taken over frequently by buggy software (it will freeze). You should expect to have to use the hard shut-down to reclaim your computer on a regular basis. It does work sometimes. You can get backups made if you are persistent. You can retrieve files that were erased by mistake. But, the hassle factor is very very high. Buying an external hard drive and using some third-party software like Super Duper is really a better option for backup. I have two friends who also purchased a Time Capsule and both have given up on using the built-in hard drive. Rating: - Overall great router/NAS, needs more portsAfter hours of debate between the 500gb and the 1tb I decided on the 500 because of the server-grade Seagate Barricuda drive installed. Both offer additional storage options via the USB 2.0 port on the back, hooked up my 250gb portable and it worked like a charm. I would have gone with the standard four external ports on the back instead of three, I like to go wired when possible and this causes me to use an external switch but a small price to pay for a great product. Rating:  - Stop searching. 100% satisfaction guarantedI don't know why some people says this router is difficult to install, or config, or use. I bought it, unpack it, powered it and voila, it works!! Of course, my network isn't a "standard" one so I had to personalize the default config to match my needs. (the supposedly hard part) Personalization couldn't be more easy: open Airport utility and choose one of two flavors: Automatic (via an easy wizard) or manual. I think most of you will choose Automatic for easy, but Manual configuration is not hard at all neither. All it's self explanatory except 1 or 2 new concepts introduced, like expand the wireless network by 3 different ways... The only maybe annoy someone is this router works very, very hot. But that is advertised in user manual and I personally read it in many websites. To avoid any damage to the surface this hot may cause and wireless antenna insulation (I think) all the bottom is rubberized so don't worry about the hot, in the time you put the router in a good high, forgotten but centralized spot. I own a D-Link wireless router too (I luv this one) and I have to admit coverage with TC is a lot better and consistent. I was afraid coverage would be bad because TC has no external antenna, but "uncle Steve" had managed for this don't occur. Nevertheless I expanded my wifi area even more connecting the 2 routers via wire (the D-Link have not the "expand wireless" option or WDS) and works great, now I have FULL coverage in all spots of my house (so many thick walls). The "Time Machine" part of TC works flawlessly with my MacBook Pro and with my G5 PPC 1.8 too. Time Machine is really nice indeed but I think it need let people tweak more things "manually" like other apps does (i.e. maximum backup size, hourly, daily, both, restore (or move) a Time Machine backup from your old TM disk to TC so you can still use it). In Windows Vista works great the wireless disk part. The backup part does not with standard windows backup procedures. Sadly this is Microsoft related and you have to buy another backup solution if you want to use TC full options. For Windows XP it works as advertised as I read in many forums (I cannot say it for sure because I own Vista, not XP) Obviously, you have first to install the AirPort utility (from the companion CD supplied with TC) to configure all stuff in Windows. This part maybe annoy (too) some people because is not the "normal" web config procedure of many routers out there, but trust me, it is a lot easier and "secure" because if you don't have this utility you can't mess with the router (wifi steal). This software adds support for Bonjour so you can "mount" automatically the wifi disk as a remote disk and for use any printer you plugged in TC (or another disk?) One word of caution: my experience with TC was and still is wonderful because I used to stay up to date with my OSes. What I mean is that I own Leopard with last update, TC with the last firmware update and Windows Vista with the last-non-SP1 update. I have to make you aware of this information because I read so many threads in a lot of forums regarding TC don't work and that happens because people are not up to date with their OSes or with TC firmware. Remember Apple works in hot, they are innovating all the time, and this, unfortunately, leads to some mistakes. Gladly they correct those errors as fast they provoke them... Please, forgive my bad english... I wish this may help you... Rating: - Works Greatbeen using for 45 days, setup was a snap (Macbook pro with Leopard) - did the initial backup with an ethernet connection to the time capsule and configured the wireless to only use N mode bridged to an existing access point. So far does exactly what it's supposed to do.
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