Apple TV can't connect to the internet

Question

Apple TV can't connect to the internet

Much appreciate any help on this - I'm at my wits end.

My first generation Apple TV was working just fine for 2+ years. All of a sudden (perhaps after a child changing Apple TV settings although I can't for the life of me see which) I can get my Apple TV on my home network but can't get out to the Internet.

More details:

- I'm on Tiscali/TalkTalk broadband with the Tiscali provided Gigaset SE587 wireless router - all standard stuff

- I can get PC's, Blackberries, iPads, Android phones to connect to the internet over wireless and ethernet where they take cables - no problem

- my Apple TV can see my home wireless network but when I select it, takes about 5 minutes to connect - when it eventually does, I get a message that I can't connect to the internet

- it's definitely on my network - the Apple TV reports an IP address and I can see it on my router admin

- I don't get an error message

- I've tried everything I can think of:

1. Restoring factory settings on my Apple TV

2. Restoring factory setttings on my router

3. Both ethernet and wireless to the Apple TV

4. Both secure and unsecure wireless on my router

5. Upgrading the firmware on my router

6. Singing God Save the Queen whilst I try to connect.....

.... all with no joy.

I took my Apple TV into the Apple store yesterday and like magic, it connected to the internet straight away. I've just taken it home, been through the above story again but still can't get on the internet or to iTunes with it.

I'd be hugely grateful to anyone that can work their magic on this.

Thanks

Jonathan

Apple TV

Posted on May 18, 2011 2:13 AM

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Answer 1

Alley_Cat

Level 7

20,560 points

May 18, 2011 3:30 AM in response to Jonathan Brad

What's the IP address it has? It may be self-assigning an IP if it can't gt one from teh router and that could cause issues.

Check Apple support pages and ensure router has all appropriate ports open for AppleTv to work.

Have you changed firewall/security setting in router?

Could Tiscali/Talk Talk be doing this?

Have you hacked/modified AppleTV ?

Have you done an AppleTV factory restore from diagnostics menu (Menu and down arrow for 6 secs to reboot).

- NOTE this will delet all content and restore to shipping software version which will require updating later.

AC

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Answer 2

May 18, 2011 4:11 AM in response to Alley_Cat

Thanks for the reply.

In response to the questions;

- Apple TV appears to be getting IP from the router DHCP. It appears on the TV and router with a valid ip in valid range. I've also tried assigning manually with no jou

- I've not changed any ports on the router. I use the firewall that comes as default in the router - also restored factory settings. As I say, I was workng ok for 2 yesrs.

- Not sure how I would check if Tiscali/Talk Talk are blocking my Apple TV - I can't see any mention of such action on their discussion forums. That would be very bad form if they were doing such a thing I guess.

- No Apple TV hacking here.

- I've done the Apple TV restore (and lost my content ;-( ) - still no joy.

Much appreciate any more help. I'm still singing God Save the Queen (as all British people do).

Regards,

Jonathan

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Answer 3

Alley_Cat

Level 7

20,560 points

May 18, 2011 1:10 PM in response to Jonathan Brad

This is very strange. You seem to have a good grasp of where to troubleshoot potential network problems, unfortunately these things can sometimes be elusive.

Check you are using your ISPs DNS servers in the router setup - some have reported slowness via OpenDNS (also check they are not using openDNS though probably unlikely).

Can you take it to a friend's house and try it in another environment with another router?

Anything new that could be causing interference over wi-fi?...even then it should work via ethernet.

You could try running Diagnostics but I can't recall it ever reporting anything useful.

As for Tiscali/Talk Talk limiting access/traffic shaping, it would more likely show as a performance issue at certain times or after certain bandwidth usage had been reached - only if they are blocking crucial ports at their end might this be an issue but I'd expect there to be many other users in the same boat.

You could try singing a different tune ;-)

It may prefer Hen Wlad fy Nhadau, Flower of Scotland or dare I suggest the Soldier's Song now that ERII has visited the emerald Isle.

AC

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Answer 4

May 18, 2011 2:50 PM in response to Alley_Cat

Thanks --

Just spent an hour changing whatever settings I could on my router (firmware time, interface for internet access type, turning in build router firewall off etc) - same story each time; all my other devices could conect to the internet but not the Apple TV. Alas.

I'll give it a try with someone else's firewall as my next move.

And now my knees are sore with all that getting up to stand for national anthem.

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Answer 5

Alley_Cat

Level 7

20,560 points

May 18, 2011 3:13 PM in response to Jonathan Brad

Good luck.

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Answer 6

May 18, 2011 3:48 PM in response to Jonathan Brad

I think the 4.2.2 upgrade has broken something. My wifi has been working fine. Stopped working after the upgrade.

My wap is a time capsule

I've got good signal strength and a valid ip address. Still no connectivity to the internet or to my itunes library

-Tim

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Answer 7

Alley_Cat

Level 7

20,560 points

May 18, 2011 6:07 PM in response to Tclement11

You're sensibly looking at related posts for answers, but this user has an AppleTv1 which has not had a software update for a year or more.

AC

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Answer 8

May 19, 2011 1:17 PM in response to Alley_Cat

Progress - but things seem weird. The problem doesn't necessarily appear to be with the Apple TV.

I dug out an old Wirelss ADSL Netgear router (new one is a Siemens) and tried that. Like magic I could get my Apple TV to work on that through Ethernet but NOT wireless. All my other devices could work over wireless or Ethernet if they took it.

But I checked again on my newer router and the Apple TV works over NEITHER Wireless nor Ethernet but all other devices work over Wireless and Ethernet if they took it.

So at least I can use my Apple TV if I really want to with the Ethernet on the old router - I'd rather not use that one going forward if I had a choice given it's ugly in my living room next to the TV.

So all very very weird. I can't see anything wrong with the IP routing and I've not got an hard coded restrictions on certain MAC address that I can see.

Any wisdom welcome but I can't see what the problem is getting my Apple TV to work over wireless with my old and new router and over Ethernet with my new router.

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Answer 9

sword86

Level 1

4 points

May 19, 2011 5:48 PM in response to Jonathan Brad

I'm in exactly the same place as the OP, one day later. Signal strength fine, sees network; when I enter password it tells me "There was a problem connecting to the network" The Wi-Fi password you entered is not correct. Try again or reset your password. (-100)

I know my password...it is correct, DUH. I am currently logged onto to my (same) network on my Mac.

I have no idea where to go to reset the password. I have only been at this about 4 hours, and I'm close to telling Apple where they can stuff Apple TV. Not impressed.

86

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