Internet running slowly on Mac Mini

Question

Level 1

9 points

Internet running slowly on Mac Mini

The internet on my Mac Mini (2.3ghz late 2012) has completely slowed down in the last couple of weeks and I can't work out the cause and the solution. Hoping someone can give me some ideas to try.

Our internet connection via other devices on the network is running at around 20-30mbps. No issues with the network itself. Connection is stable and all other devices accessing the net as usual. Speed test via the Mac Mini shows speeds of 0.30mbps. We have had the same network configuration and the same Mac Mini for well over a year with no issues. We access the network via a TPLink powerline setup, however we have also tried the Mac Mini over wifi and we have the same issue, so the problem isn't likely to be the connection. To be safe though I've updated the drivers on the powerlines (didn't have any impact). Streaming music across the network is completely fine-- it's JUST the internet.

There are no conflicts on the network with the Mac Mini's IP address (I've tried changing it anyway and no luck). I have the Mac software completely up to date (IOS10.11.4). There's been no other new software installed on the machine in recent times. I have rebooted the modem, the powerlines and everything else I could think of a million times.

Suggestions greatly appreciated!

Mac mini, OS X El Capitan (10.11.4), Late 2012

Posted on Mar 24, 2016 4:07 AM

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Answer 1

a brody

Level 10

85,366 points

Mar 24, 2016 7:19 AM in response to musicbiz9

Note: iOS refers to operating systems on iPads, iPod Touch, and iPhones. On Macs it is called Mac OS X.

Run http://www.etrecheck.com/ to get a readout on all your software installed. That would at least let us know if you have anything that might be trying to share your network connection or software you don't need.

Is the Mac Mini the only Mac with 10.11.4?

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Answer 2

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Mar 24, 2016 7:50 AM in response to musicbiz9

Please test the speed of your connection on this site.

Then start up in Recovery mode. In the OS X Utilities screen, select Get Help Online. A clean copy of Safari will launch. No plugins, such as Flash, will be available. Test again.

Restart as usual and post the results of both tests.

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Answer 3

musicbiz9 Author

Level 1

9 points

Mar 24, 2016 8:25 AM in response to Linc Davis

Thanks Linc.

First test was 380kbps download, 2.31mbps upload (so uploads are normal, it's just downloads the issue).

The test undertaken in recovery mode was 370kbps and 1.77mbps, so essentially no change.

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Answer 4

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Mar 24, 2016 8:33 AM in response to musicbiz9

I think you're connecting to the router via Ethernet. Please switch the mini to the Ethernet cable used by another device and test.

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Answer 5

musicbiz9 Author

Level 1

9 points

Mar 24, 2016 8:34 AM in response to a brody

Yes, sorry a brody. OSX of course.

There are no other desktops on the network at present, just an iPad, two iphones and a Tivo. We do have a Mac and a Windows laptop but neither are in use.

Here's the Etrecheck report:

EtreCheck version: 2.9.10 (261)

Report generated 2016-03-25 01:30:38

Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.com

Runtime 3:45

Performance: Good

Hardware Information: ⓘ

Mac mini (Late 2012)

[Technical Specifications] - [User Guide] - [Warranty & Service]

Mac mini - model: Macmini6,2

1 2.3 GHz Intel Core i7 CPU: 4-core

4 GB RAM Upgradeable - [Instructions]

BANK 0/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Good - Handoff/Airdrop2 supported

Wireless: Unknown

Video Information: ⓘ

Intel HD Graphics 4000

BenQGL2040 1600 x 900 @ 60 Hz

System Software: ⓘ

OS X El Capitan 10.11.4 (15E65) - Time since boot: less than an hour

Disk Information: ⓘ

APPLE HDD HTS541010A9E662 disk0 : (1 TB) (Rotational)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / : 999.35 GB (827.67 GB free)

Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB

USB Information: ⓘ

Western Digital External HDD 1 TB

EFI (disk2s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Untitled (disk2s2) /Volumes/Untitled : 999.86 GB (937.22 GB free)

EPSON USB2.0 MFP(Hi-Speed)

Apple, Inc. IR Receiver

Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Seagate Expansion Desk 2 TB

EFI (disk1s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Storage (disk1s2) /Volumes/Storage : 2.00 TB (201.21 GB free)

Mitsumi Electric Hub in Apple Extended USB Keyboard

Mitsumi Electric Apple Extended USB Keyboard

Thunderbolt Information: ⓘ

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus

Gatekeeper: ⓘ

Mac App Store and identified developers

Adware: ⓘ

/Library/LaunchDaemons/Jack.plist

/Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/Jack

2 adware files found. [Remove]

Unknown Files: ⓘ

~/Library/LaunchAgents/Back/com.crashplan.javacheck.plist

/Applications/CrashPlan.app/Contents/MacOS/JavaCheck

One unknown file found. [Check files]

Kernel Extensions: ⓘ

/Applications/SoundTap.app

[not loaded] com.NCHSoftware.driver.SoundTapVirtualAudioDevice (1.0.0d1 - 2012-08-01) [Support]

/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.leapfrog.driver.LfConnectDriver (1.12.0 - SDK 10.10 - 2016-03-24) [Support]

/System/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.Cycling74.driver.Soundflower (1.6.6 - SDK 10.6 - 2016-03-24) [Support]

[not loaded] com.leapfrog.codeless.kext (2 - 2016-03-24) [Support]

System Launch Agents: ⓘ

[not loaded] 6 Apple tasks

[loaded] 159 Apple tasks

[running] 73 Apple tasks

System Launch Daemons: ⓘ

[not loaded] 46 Apple tasks

[loaded] 161 Apple tasks

[running] 82 Apple tasks

Launch Agents: ⓘ

[failed] com.adobe.ARMDCHelper.cc24aef4a1b90ed56a...plist (2016-01-28) [Support]

[loaded] com.epson.esua.launcher.plist (2015-06-30) [Support]

Launch Daemons: ⓘ

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist (2013-09-27) [Support]

[running] com.crashplan.engine.plist (2013-07-20) [Support]

[not loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist (2010-08-25) [Support]

[running] Jack.plist (2013-10-27) [Support]

[loaded] com.adobe.ARMDC.Communicator.plist (2016-01-28) [Support]

[loaded] com.adobe.ARMDC.SMJobBlessHelper.plist (2016-01-28) [Support]

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist (2016-03-19) [Support]

[running] com.crashplan.engine.plist (2016-03-24) [Support]

[loaded] com.leapfrog.connect.authdaemon.plist (2015-12-20) [Support]

User Launch Agents: ⓘ

[not loaded] com.crashplan.javacheck.plist (2013-07-20) [Support]

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist (2013-07-20) [Support]

[failed] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist (2014-11-07) [Support]

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist (2016-03-03) [Support]

[running] com.leapfrog.connect.monitor.plist (2015-12-20) [Support]

[running] com.spotify.webhelper.plist (2015-07-03) [Support]

User Login Items: ⓘ

iTunesHelper Application (/Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunesHelper.app)

Google Drive Application (/Applications/Google Drive.app)

CrashPlan menu bar UNKNOWN (missing value)

CrossOver CD Helper UNKNOWN (missing value)

CrashPlan menu bar Application (/Applications/CrashPlan.app/Contents/Helpers/CrashPlan menu bar.app)

iTunes Application (/Applications/iTunes.app)

AdobeResourceSynchronizer UNKNOWN Hidden (missing value)

Other Apps: ⓘ

[running] com.code42.b42menuextra.98592

[running] com.google.Chrome.75232

[running] com.google.GoogleDrive.49632

[loaded] 400 Apple tasks

[running] 183 Apple tasks

Internet Plug-ins: ⓘ

FlashPlayer-10.6: 21.0.0.197 - SDK 10.6 (2016-03-24) [Support]

QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (2016-03-24)

AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: 15.010.20060 - SDK 10.8 (2016-03-11) [Support]

AdobePDFViewer: 15.010.20060 - SDK 10.8 (2016-03-11) [Support]

Flash Player: 21.0.0.197 - SDK 10.6 (2016-03-24) [Support]

Default Browser: 601 - SDK 10.11 (2016-03-24)

SharePointBrowserPlugin: 14.6.1 - SDK 10.6 (2016-03-01) [Support]

GarminGpsControl: 4.1.0.0 Release - SDK 10.7 (2013-10-10) [Support]

Silverlight: 5.1.30514.0 - SDK 10.6 (2014-10-12) [Support]

JavaAppletPlugin: 15.0.1 - SDK 10.11 (2013-10-27) Check version

3rd Party Preference Panes: ⓘ

Flash Player (2016-03-19) [Support]

Perian (2011-07-24) [Support]

Time Machine: ⓘ

Skip System Files: NO

Mobile backups: OFF

Auto backup: YES

Volumes being backed up:

Storage: Disk size: 2.00 TB Disk used: 1.80 TB

Macintosh HD: Disk size: 999.35 GB Disk used: 171.68 GB

Destinations:

Time Machine Backups [Local]

Total size: 2.00 TB

Total number of backups: 42

Oldest backup: 4/03/2016, 12:19 AM

Last backup: 25/03/2016, 12:27 AM

Size of backup disk: Too small

Backup size 2.00 TB < (Disk used 1.97 TB X 3)

Top Processes by CPU: ⓘ

98% AddressBookSourceSync

23% mds

13% mdworker(11)

11% Google Chrome

10% WindowServer

Top Processes by Memory: ⓘ

560 MB kernel_task

471 MB iTunes

385 MB Google Chrome Helper(5)

270 MB com.apple.MediaLibraryService

188 MB Google Drive

Virtual Memory Information: ⓘ

97 MB Free RAM

3.90 GB Used RAM (811 MB Cached)

768 KB Swap Used

Diagnostics Information: ⓘ

Mar 25, 2016, 01:18:32 AM Self test - passed

Mar 24, 2016, 11:03:13 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/CrashPlanService_2016-03-24-230313_[redacted].c pu_resource.diag [Details]

/Applications/CrashPlan.app/Contents/MacOS/CrashPlanService

Mar 24, 2016, 05:05:18 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Google Drive_2016-03-24-170518_[redacted].crash

/Applications/Google Drive.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Drive

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Answer 6

musicbiz9 Author

Level 1

9 points

Mar 24, 2016 8:40 AM in response to Linc Davis

I don't have another device that's using ethernet. Everything else is on wifi.

I just did the Speedof.me test on Wifi and I got the same result.

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Answer 7

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Mar 24, 2016 8:40 AM in response to musicbiz9

If possible, connect the mini directly to the broadband adapter, bypassing the rest of the network. You'll have to restart the adapter in order for the mini to be recognized.

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Answer 8

musicbiz9 Author

Level 1

9 points

Mar 24, 2016 8:47 AM in response to Linc Davis

Sorry, I don't quite understand. We have a cable modem/router so there's not a separate router that it's going through if that's what you're asking? It is currently as direct as I can get it (I think).

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Answer 9

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Mar 24, 2016 8:57 AM in response to musicbiz9

Are you connecting through a power-line network? That's what you need to bypass.

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Answer 10

musicbiz9 Author

Level 1

9 points

Mar 24, 2016 9:10 AM in response to Linc Davis

Ok yes that's done.

(same result at the speed test)

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Answer 11

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Mar 24, 2016 9:37 AM in response to musicbiz9

So when you tested, nothing else was connected to the network?

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Answer 12

musicbiz9 Author

Level 1

9 points

Mar 24, 2016 9:50 AM in response to Linc Davis

Ok sorry, I just realised I still had the old cable attached with the powerline connection which is why there was no change.

I have done a number of things and here's what's going on:

- When I connect it directly I get a very good sync rate

- When I shift the powerline plug to a different power point, the sync rate goes up to about 10mbps (which is about 1/2 as much as when it's connected directly).

- Curiously when I unplug the powerline network completely and go back to wifi, I'm still getting around 10mbps.

Anyway, whatever the answer is, it's obviously something to do with the powerline network. We had some renovations done on the house recently with a lot of wiring redone, so potentially the new power outlets may be noisier than the old ones (particularly the one it was initially plugged into). Still not sure why I'm getting the same results on the wifi as I am on the powerline.... that's what was really confusing me, but unless you think otherwise I think it's pretty clear where the issue is at this point.... and worse case scenario 10mbps is at least useable.

Thanks for your help!

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Answer 13

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Mar 24, 2016 10:16 AM in response to musicbiz9

it's obviously something to do with the powerline network

I agree with that.

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