Accessing external HD through AirPort Extreme

Back when I originally setup my AirPort Extreme I also hooked up my printer and external HD to access both wirelessly. I also setup the HD as my backup to use through Time Capsule. It was all working fine in terms of wireless access and wireless backup. Then, out of nowhere, my external HD stopped working with Time Capsule. After going through tech support, Apple told me that it was just a "glitch" in my favor that my HD worked wirelessly with Time Capsule, that it was not designed to work like that and there was nothing they could do to help me. I can still access my external HD wirelessly just fine, just no longer able to use it as the disk for backup through Time Capsule.
Any insight on this issue? Is anyone else running a non-Time Capsule HD/router setup through Time Capsule? Thanks.

Am I really the only person who has tried this?!

Time Machine (backup software) is designed to be used with Time Capsule (Airport Extreme with a HD for backup) only. It MAY work in other configurations, but its pretty much up to you to make it happen.

I just don't get as to why it was working fine for me for several weeks and then, out of nowhere, it just stopped and I am unable to get it back working that way. Boooooo...

There is some controversy around this very subject. The software was never intended to work with a basic router/disk setup.

read this

http://arstechnica.com/journals/app...-airport-extreme-usb-disk-time-machine-backup

and the associated links. Something here may help you. I assume you have updated Leopard since 10.5.0?

Zoolook said:

There is some controversy around this very subject. The software was never intended to work with a basic router/disk setup.

read this

http://arstechnica.com/journals/app...-airport-extreme-usb-disk-time-machine-backup

and the associated links. Something here may help you. I assume you have updated Leopard since 10.5.0?

Click to expand...

Thanks for the link, I will check it out. And yes, I have the most current version of Leopard.

I am using Airport Extreme Base Station with a Seagate HDD and am having no problems with using Time Capsual this way. The disc is partitioned into 3 discs (NTFS, FAT32 and Mac format (sorry new to mac and still learning names, etc...)). I set the time capsual up when the disc was connected through the airport which meant the first back up took ages but, after that it has all worked fine. Last backed up 2 days ago.

Maybe try repointing Time Capsual to your HDD.

I'm not using Time Capsule. I have the AirPort Extreme and am trying to run Time Machine through the external Seagate HD I have hooked up to the AirPort. It only works when I unplug the HD from the AirPort and reconnect it via USB. I can access the HD wirelessly when going through the AirPort, just unable to backup via Time Machine wirelessly.

Sorry I meant that I am using Time Machine. I only have a AEBS with a Seagate Harddrive attached via USB (no printer). Have just checked that my software is up to date which it is a ran a back up which worked fine.

The partition I am backing up to is Mac OS extended

I just got a time capsule and cannot get an external hd to work. The hd powers up, but wont show up on my computer or in the airport utility. Can someone help me out. Thanks

-It says there is an error with the disk/ it needs to be repaired. The light is blinking amber.

When I connect the HD to my comp its perfectly fine.