iMac often can't connect to internect-requires resetting WIFI & Cable modem
New to WIFI and cable modems.
My iMac, and at the same time, my laptop and desktop PC, fail to connect to the internet 30%-50% of the time we try to use them. All say the are connected to the WIFI with strong signals. Using diagnostic on iMac tells me to reset both the WIFI and cable modems and try again. This usually cures the problem but sometimes it requires repeated resets. The problem mostly occurs at what I would call peak customer usage time, mornings and evenings, although it can happen anytime, it appears. I suspect I'm on a cable interenet service with a narrow bandwith, and that either causes my cable modem to loose communication or not to communicate at all. Or am I wrong about how all this works? I think I know that if the volume of folks on the cable go up, the speed can go way down--down enough to limit those who can connect, or those connected to get kicked off? Am I unreasonable to think that I should be able to connect whenever I want to, with the occasional (one a week) inability to connect?
Cable folks have been out here to run a new line to the house, and to get a good cable TV signal (with 5 TVs), we have to have a amp at the box outside the house (broadband cable is not on the amp). TV signal without the amp is terrible, if that's some indication of the quality of the trunk line in the neighbor for cable TV. If someone could link me to a discussion of these issues that would be wonderful. I'm trying to figure out what my problems are and where my efforts and possible complaints should be directed. Are purchased cable modems better than those provided by the cable company, and should I buy one? I'd just like to connect 8 out of 10 times I want to use the internet. Cable is way faster but dial-up was far more dependable in my current situation.
Thanks!
Dale
My iMac, and at the same time, my laptop and desktop PC, fail to connect to the internet 30%-50% of the time we try to use them. All say the are connected to the WIFI with strong signals. Using diagnostic on iMac tells me to reset both the WIFI and cable modems and try again. This usually cures the problem but sometimes it requires repeated resets. The problem mostly occurs at what I would call peak customer usage time, mornings and evenings, although it can happen anytime, it appears. I suspect I'm on a cable interenet service with a narrow bandwith, and that either causes my cable modem to loose communication or not to communicate at all. Or am I wrong about how all this works? I think I know that if the volume of folks on the cable go up, the speed can go way down--down enough to limit those who can connect, or those connected to get kicked off? Am I unreasonable to think that I should be able to connect whenever I want to, with the occasional (one a week) inability to connect?
Cable folks have been out here to run a new line to the house, and to get a good cable TV signal (with 5 TVs), we have to have a amp at the box outside the house (broadband cable is not on the amp). TV signal without the amp is terrible, if that's some indication of the quality of the trunk line in the neighbor for cable TV. If someone could link me to a discussion of these issues that would be wonderful. I'm trying to figure out what my problems are and where my efforts and possible complaints should be directed. Are purchased cable modems better than those provided by the cable company, and should I buy one? I'd just like to connect 8 out of 10 times I want to use the internet. Cable is way faster but dial-up was far more dependable in my current situation.
Thanks!
Dale
imac, Mac OS X (10.4)