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Level 1

10 points

Just another ANNOYING problem with internet

Hello everybody !

So here we go, I am another user that has problems viewing web pages. To make a long story short I would like to add that though I am not a system administrator by any means, I am an experienced user. So if I say for example "I did nothing but the program stoped working correctly" DOES realy mean that I did nothing at all (therefore it doesnt mean that I occasionaly pushed few buttons while viewing complex settings and then forgot about it).

PROBLEM : Sometimes (randomly) I am not able to view web pages. The problem may disappear suddenly, but otherwise I have to reboot computer to solve the problem (untill it happens again. And it WILL happen withing ~30min...4 hours, so several times a day)

I USE : Macbook air 2012 (i7 8gb if it does matter). MacOS 10.8.2. Everything is up to date, I frequently check the system for updates.

WHAT HAVE I TRIED TO DO TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM :

1) I have changed the wireless channel so that nobody around uses the same one

2) I have changed router and internet provider (well I did not change them, I just use my mba at office, at home and somewhere else. Each place has its own router (d-link at work and apple airport express at home) and its own provider)

3) I have changed mtu (maximum transmission unit) to 1453 from 1500 by default (System preferences -> network -> advanced )

4) I have tried different public DNS servers

5) I did try to request DHCP once again when the problem appears

6) The last but not least - I have tried different browsers (safari, opera, firefox)

The only thing that works yet - reboot.

MY STUPID THOUGHTS ON THAT :

- This is not a router problem, because I have already tried about 4-5 different models, including D-link, Airport and Asus

- This is not an internet connection problem generaly (I am able to use skype, teamviewer etc. while the problem occurs)

- This is not a macbook problem, because if I boot Windows (via bootcamp), it seems like I do not face that problem at all

As a result : this is a MacOS problem, and I have to look for fix inside it.

SOME ADDITIONAL INFO :

It realy happens suddenly: I am browsing webpages, everything is ok. Then bum - and the next page starts to load SLOWLY. Few more pages load SLOWLY (if there are pictures, I find "?" instead of them). And then pages stop loading at some moment. If I try to refresh the page, it might help sometimes. But then, finaly, I just lose opportunity to load web pages by any means.

The problem may go away for some time, but it will return for sure. Rebooting every time is incomfortable for me, since I have a lot of stuff opened and rearranged between different spaces (desktops).

Thank you for your time in advance guys ! Hope some of you have already faced the problem and have found the solution.

Thank you for your time guys.

MacBook Air, Mac OS X (10.7.1)

Posted on Dec 12, 2012 10:53 PM

Best reply

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Posted on Dec 13, 2012 1:25 PM

Safari 5.0.1 or later: Slow or partial webpage loading, or webpage cannot be found

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18 replies

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Dec 17, 2012 7:54 AM in response to Moloy

This comment applies to malicious software ("malware") that's installed unwittingly by the victim of a network attack. It does not apply to software, such as keystroke loggers, that may be installed deliberately by an intruder who has hands-on access to the victim's computer. That threat is in a different category, and there's no easy way to defend against it. If you have reason to suspect that you're the target of such an attack, you need expert help.

All versions of OS X since 10.6.7 have been able to detect known Mac malware in downloaded files. The recognition database is automatically updated once a day; however, you shouldn't rely on it, because the attackers are always at least a day ahead of the defenders. In most cases, there’s no benefit from any other automated protection against malware.

Starting with OS X 10.7.5, there has been another layer of built-in malware protection, designated "Gatekeeper" by Apple. By default, applications and Installer packages downloaded from the network will only run if they're digitally signed by a developer with a certificate issued by Apple. Software certified in this way hasn't actually been tested by Apple (unless it comes from the Mac App Store), but you can be sure that it hasn't been modified by anyone other than the developer. His identity is known, so he could be held legally responsible if he distributed malware. For most practical purposes, applications recognized by Gatekeeper as signed can be considered safe.

Note, however, that there are some caveats concerning Gatekeeper:

It can be disabled or overridden by the user.
It can be bypassed by some third-party networking software, such as BitTorrent clients and Java applets (see below.)
It only applies to software downloaded from the network. Software installed from a CD or other media is not checked.
A malware attacker could get control of a code-signing certificate under false pretenses. The certificate would eventually be revoked, but probably not before some damage was done.

For more information about Gatekeeper, see this Apple Support article.

That being said, the best defense against malware is your own intelligence. All known malware on the Internet that affects a fully-updated installation of OS X 10.6 or later takes the form of so-called "trojan horses," which can only have an effect if the victim is duped into running them. If you're smarter than the malware attacker thinks you are, you won't be duped. That means, primarily, that you never install software from an untrustworthy source. How do you know a source is untrustworthy?

Any website that prompts you to install a “codec,” “plug-in,” or “certificate” that comes from that same site, or an unknown one, is untrustworthy.
A web operator who tells you that you have a “virus,” or that anything else is wrong with your computer, or that you have won a prize in a contest you never entered, is trying to commit a crime with you as the victim. (Some reputable websites did legitimately warn users who were infected with the "DNSChanger" malware. That exception to this rule no longer applies.)
“Cracked” copies of commercial software downloaded from a bittorrent are likely to be infected.
Software with a corporate brand, such as Adobe Flash Player, must be downloaded directly from the developer’s website. No intermediary is acceptable.

Java on the network (not to be confused with JavaScript, to which it's not related) is a weak point in the security of any operating system. If a Java web plugin is not installed, don't install it unless you really need it. If it is installed, you should disable it (not JavaScript) in your web browsers. Few websites have Java content nowadays, so you won’t be missing much. This setting is mandatory in OS X 10.5.8 or earlier, because Java in those obsolete versions has known security flaws that make it unsafe to use on the Internet. The flaws will never be fixed. Regardless of version, experience has shown that Java can never be fully trusted, even if no vulnerabilities are publicly known at the moment.

Follow these guidelines, and you’ll be as safe from malware as you can reasonably be.

Never install any commercial "anti-virus" or "Internet security" products for the Mac, as they all do more harm than good. If you need to be able to detect Windows malware in your files, use the free software ClamXav — nothing else.

Why shouldn't you use commercial "anti-virus" products?

Their design is predicated on the nonexistent threat that malware may be injected at any time, anywhere in the file system. Malware is downloaded from the network; it doesn't materialize from nowhere.
In order to meet that nonexistent threat, the software duplicates low-level functions of the operating system, which is a waste of resources and a common cause of instability and poor performance.
By modifying the system, the software itself may create weaknesses that could be exploited by malware attackers.

ClamXav doesn't have these drawbacks. That doesn't mean it's entirely safe. Using it to delete or move email messages can corrupt the Mail database. Such messages must be deleted from within the Mail application. ClamXav is not needed for protection against OS X malware. It's useful only for detecting Windows malware. If you don't need to do that, avoid it. Windows malware can't harm you directly. Just don't pass it on to anyone else.

The greatest danger posed by anti-virus software, in my opinion, is its effect on human behavior. If you install such software, which does little or nothing to protect you from emerging threats, and you get a false sense of security from it, you may be less alert to the threats and therefore more exposed to them. Nothing can lessen the need for safe computing practices.

It seems to be a common belief that the built-in Application Firewall acts as a barrier to infection, or prevents malware from functioning. It does neither. It blocks inbound connections to certain network services you're running, such as file sharing. It's disabled by default and you should leave it that way if you're behind a router on a private home or office network. Activate it only when you're on an untrusted network, like a public Wi-Fi hotspot, where you don't want to provide services. Disable any services you don't use.

MadMacs0

Level 5

5,221 points

Dec 17, 2012 1:38 PM in response to Moloy

Moloy wrote:

...if Kaspersky one influences OS in a bad way ?

If you search through this forum you will find several users having issues that appear to be Kaspersky related. Some Mountain Lion users were experiencing frequent Kernal Panics, etc. I know they have a great reputation in the Windows world, but they have not demonstrated that they understand OS X sufficiently to recommend them at this time. Back in the Spring, their Flashback removal tool permanently locked quite few users out of their accounts for a couple of days until they fixed it. It would appear that they just aren't devoting enough resources to that product line to make it safe. Thomas Reed tested it here and you will find a comment that he found "It did horribly", so it would appear that it isn't very effective, either.

Moloy Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 18, 2012 10:21 PM in response to Linc Davis

Good afternoon!

I am happy to report that I have not faced this issue yet, although I did my best to provoke it. I would like to thank you very much for fast, detailed and professional help!

It would take me forever to guess that my favourit Windows Antivirus was the only problem on mac.

I am also glad to realise that eventually it was my fault (the instal of 3-d party commercial software), although I was pretty sure that it might have been an MacOS issue, since there are so many topics connected with bad wi-fi connection.

MadMacs0 Thank you for information! As I have just mentioned, I am surprised and frustrated with Mac version of KIS. After 15 years of intense use of Windows it is just psychologically difficult to understand that you dont realy need antivirus program for safe work, that is why I bought it without any doubt.

Just another ANNOYING problem with internet