Thanatos XT
Level 1 (8 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Internet, wired and wireless dropping randomly

I'm using Yosemite 10.10.5 and Safari 9.9.1 if this helps.

 

We recently were having issues with slow internet so we contacted out ISP to help solve the problem. They changed a few things, one of which was our modem. While our internet speed improved, our internet connectivity suffered.

 

Basically our internet will now randomly cut out throughout the day. Sometimes 2 or 3 times, sometimes none. It can last for a few hours to a few minutes. The problem can sometimes be corrected by switching ethernet ports on the modem, or power reseting the new modem or our router. The modem our ISP gave us is one of those hybrid modem/router set to just be a modem.

 

The weird thing about this problem is when the internet freezes, everything goes down with it. Not just Safari. Any devices that were connected to our wireless network get disconnected too. And all come back up at the same time too. I have tried multiple ways to see what the issue is. I've had it connected with our router (would disconnect fairly often and for long periods of time), and now I have it just connected directly to the new modem (no router).

 

If anyone knows a solution or fix to get the internet to be more stable and reliable that would be greatly appreciated! I know it sounds silly, but I'm thinking it's the new modem, as this problem never happened until it was installed. From the moment it was replaced for our old modem the problem instantly began. We also kept records of when it worked and when it went down. It goes down much less frequently connected to the modem, but we can't use our wifi (we only have the one computer, and now smartphones in our home).

 

Thanks again for your time!

iMac (21.5-inch Mid 2011)

Posted on Jun 9, 2016 9:15 AM

by Eric Root,Apple recommended
Eric Root Eric Root
Level 9 (70,141 points)
iTunes
A:

Try a restart.

 

Do a backup, using either Time Machine or a cloning program, to ensure files/data can be recovered. Two backups are better than one.

 

Try setting up another admin user account to see if the same problem continues. If Back-to-My Mac is selected in System Preferences, the Guest account will not work. The intent is to see if it is specific to one account or a system wide problem. This account can be deleted later.

 

Isolating an issue by using another user account

 

If the problem is still there, try booting into the Safe Mode using your normal account.  Disconnect all peripherals except those needed for the test. Shut down the computer and then power it back up after waiting 10 seconds. Immediately after hearing the startup chime, hold down the shift key and continue to hold it until the gray Apple icon and a progress bar appear. The boot up is significantly slower than normal. This will reset some caches, forces a directory check, and disables all startup and login items, among other things. When you reboot normally, the initial reboot may be slower than normal. If the system operates normally, there may be 3rd party applications which are causing a problem. Try deleting/disabling the third party applications after a restart by using the application un-installer. For each disable/delete, you will need to restart if you don't do them all at once.

 

 

Safe Mode - About

 

Safe Mode - Yosemite

 

 

 

 

Posted on Jun 11, 2016 9:25 AM

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Thanatos XT

Q: Internet, wired and wireless dropping randomly

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Jun 9, 2016 9:28 AM in response to Thanatos XT
    Level 9 (70,141 points)
    iTunes
    Jun 9, 2016 9:28 AM in response to Thanatos XT

    Based on what you posted, try restarting the modem. If that doesn't fix the problem, I would suggest you contact the ISP and try to get a replacement modem.

  • by Thanatos XT,

    Thanatos XT Thanatos XT Jun 9, 2016 7:41 PM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 9, 2016 7:41 PM in response to Eric Root

    Thanks for the response! We tried restarting the modem but that didn't fix the issue. I will note that it seems to go down less frequently and for a shorter down time when connected directly to the modem. But basically it just seems random when it goes down. We will be browsing then the webpage will freeze up. We will close and re-open Safari. Most of the time Safari is just infinitely loading. The blue loading bar will get about 1/5 of the way and we are stuck with a white page. After a little while it fixes itself.

     

    Could it be a setting on the iMac itself in network thats causing the issue?

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Jun 10, 2016 8:02 AM in response to Thanatos XT
    Level 9 (70,141 points)
    iTunes
    Jun 10, 2016 8:02 AM in response to Thanatos XT

    Since the same thing is happening with the smartphones, I'd still contact the ISP.

  • by Thanatos XT,

    Thanatos XT Thanatos XT Jun 10, 2016 8:42 AM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 10, 2016 8:42 AM in response to Eric Root

    Thanks again for the response! I greatly appreciate it! Some other pieces of info. When then internet quits out, it still says we are connected via ethernet (or wifi when the router is hooked up) in Network settings (i.e. shows the green circle and says we are connected). All of the lights on the modem are still on too (though sometimes the ethernet light will become solid instead of blinking like normal), none of them turn off or change colour when this happens. If we leave it on Safari long enough after the "white screen", it will say "you are not connected to the internet", or "the page cannot be displayed because your computer is currently offline". But as mentioned, it says we are connected under Network.

  • by Thanatos XT,

    Thanatos XT Thanatos XT Jun 11, 2016 8:03 AM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 11, 2016 8:03 AM in response to Eric Root

    So this wouldn't likely be an issue with the iMac then? Since this only began happening after the new modem was introduced? Would the fact that its a hybrid modem be causing some conflict with the computer? (Sorry I'm not very tech savvy)

     

    P.S. I actually saw a misprint in my first post. I meant *no smartphones, instead of *now. Sorry about that haha.

  • by Eric Root,Apple recommended

    Eric Root Eric Root Jun 11, 2016 9:25 AM in response to Thanatos XT
    Level 9 (70,141 points)
    iTunes
    Jun 11, 2016 9:25 AM in response to Thanatos XT

    Try a restart.

     

    Do a backup, using either Time Machine or a cloning program, to ensure files/data can be recovered. Two backups are better than one.

     

    Try setting up another admin user account to see if the same problem continues. If Back-to-My Mac is selected in System Preferences, the Guest account will not work. The intent is to see if it is specific to one account or a system wide problem. This account can be deleted later.

     

    Isolating an issue by using another user account

     

    If the problem is still there, try booting into the Safe Mode using your normal account.  Disconnect all peripherals except those needed for the test. Shut down the computer and then power it back up after waiting 10 seconds. Immediately after hearing the startup chime, hold down the shift key and continue to hold it until the gray Apple icon and a progress bar appear. The boot up is significantly slower than normal. This will reset some caches, forces a directory check, and disables all startup and login items, among other things. When you reboot normally, the initial reboot may be slower than normal. If the system operates normally, there may be 3rd party applications which are causing a problem. Try deleting/disabling the third party applications after a restart by using the application un-installer. For each disable/delete, you will need to restart if you don't do them all at once.

     

     

    Safe Mode - About

     

    Safe Mode - Yosemite

     

     

     

     

  • by LilyLC,

    LilyLC LilyLC Jun 11, 2016 3:18 PM in response to Thanatos XT
    Level 4 (2,743 points)
    Jun 11, 2016 3:18 PM in response to Thanatos XT

    ... now I have it just connected directly to the new modem (no router).

     

    ...I know it sounds silly, but I'm thinking it's the new modem, as this problem never happened until it was installed. From the moment it was replaced for our old modem the problem instantly began.

    Nope, not silly at all. The "new modem" is new to you but it could be refurbished or a return from another customer. If you still have your old modem, try re-installing it. (Unless you manually reset the old modem, the original settings are still there and re-installing it might be as easy as shutting down all your equipment, unplugging the new modem, plugging in your old modem, connecting your equipment to the old modem and powering everything on. If the Internet is stable, then your original problem might have been your router and timeout issues in which the latter can be difficult to troubleshoot.

     

    Bkgd info: Late-July 2015 I change my ISP provider but they forced me to use and pay a monthly fee for their modem. I added my wireless router to it and although the speed was slower that promised the connection was fine, i.e., no drop outs until late-February 2016 when I started experiencing issues similar to your descriptions. My ISP said dropouts were to be expected because of my distance BUT I didn't have any drop outs for the prior 6+ months. Power the cycling computer, router, and modem worked until the next timeout. A week of my own troubleshooting led me to conclude that it was either the ISP's modem or my router. One ISP tech support person helped me trouble shoot the two and ultimately their modem was the culprit. On a whim, we tried re-installing my old modem and it worked and is still working without a hitch.

     

    Another suggestion is to try public DNS servers such as OpenDNS or Google Public DNS.

     

    HTH. Good luck.

  • by Thanatos XT,

    Thanatos XT Thanatos XT Jun 21, 2016 12:01 PM in response to LilyLC
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 21, 2016 12:01 PM in response to LilyLC

    Thanks for the response!

     

    I tired plugging the modem directly into the computer to see if it was the the modem or the router. It still went down with just the new modem being plugged in confirming it was likely the modem. After your comment on the modem possibly being used, I inspected it and notice multiple scratches and discolouring around the corners, suggesting it was definitely not new. Our ISP came back and replaced the modem with a different one (it's the same model as the old one, though this one seems newer, atlas visually). Internet has been stable for 5 days since they changed it. So *knock on wood* hopefully everything is alright now.

     

    Thanks again for the response! I greatly appreciate it.

  • by LilyLC,

    LilyLC LilyLC Jun 21, 2016 2:24 PM in response to Thanatos XT
    Level 4 (2,743 points)
    Jun 21, 2016 2:24 PM in response to Thanatos XT

    You're welcome. Thanks for posting back as it might help others.