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rockhard

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 11, 2011
35
0
OK, this will be a long post. I spend a lot of time typing this out before, but for some reason macrumors logged me out of my account when I went to hit the submit button and lost it all. I was too mad to type it out again, but I'm just relaxing here so I thought I'd type it out again. Sorry if its too long...

OK. So, I bought an AppleTV2 when it was first released in Canada. I've had an Airport Express since it was first released and loved the idea of streaming music wirelessly while still sounding great. I moved into a different house and ended up putting my "main" 7.1 surround system downstairs and then set up a 2.1 stereo with a 42" LCD in the main living area upstairs. We only use the downstairs system for blu ray movies or video games. Upstairs is used to all the TV watching and for playing music when we have friends over. Anyways, the idea of the AppleTV for $119 (in Canada) was an absolute steal of a deal when you get the same capability of streaming music wirelessly, Netflix, Youtube, iTunes movies...etc etc. Everything worked great! We even rented an HD movie from iTunes and it worked flawlessly. My girlfriend was hooked! At this point I had a cable internet connection with a 9mbps down using a DLink router that was probably 2 years old and starting to lose the connection daily.
My girlfriend and I regularly have people over so we usually have music playing either from iTunes or just straight off the AppleTV using the radio without an issue. Netflix or YouTube also worked without issues.

After Christmas my girlfriend and I tried renting a few movies from iTunes and suddenly we had a message saying the movie wouldn't be available for 6 hours. This was the first time, so I figured it was just a busy time so iTunes servers were busy. We tried again and again and again. Literally, every movie would tell me it was available in 6 hours! I just assumed it was the DLink router considering it was dropping its connection daily. I didn't really want to, but I decided to bundle my TV with my internet and switch to DSL. For the same price I got a 15mbps download DSL plan WITH a 2wire modem/router saving me from having to buy a new router. I know DSL typically isn't as good as cable for internet, but I thought with the faster speed it should help. Again, tried renting a couple movies and again, available in 6 hours. Turns out, the ping was horrendous and the speed wasn't as good. So, finally I call Apple and they tell me they are having problems with their servers since Christmas and refund me the money for trying to rent their movies.
So after all of this, its quite obvious I'm a bit of an Apple fan. I have a macbook, macbook pro, two iphones, airport express, appletv2, and then to try and solve these problems I switch back to cable and buy an Airport Extreme!!
So at this point I'm back at the more stable cable internet and dropped $200 on an Airport Extreme hoping it would communicate better with AppleTV2. Still, NO!!! Available in 6 hours!!!



There is my speedtest. Everything in my house is wireless. As mentioned above, macbook, macbook pro, 2 iphones, airport express, appletv2, but also, wii, xbox360 and ps3. Nothing is hard wired.

My parents have an AppleTV with the same ISP as me with the same plan but they are using a 7 year old DLink router and their movies work instantly. Also, my brother has one and he is using DSL with the same 2wire modem/router but he has the basic plan at 7mbps download and he can rent movies and have them work instantly too!

So finally, after renting multiple movies, switching ISPs twice, buying an Apple router I got mad and called back. I was on the phone for literally 2 hours troubleshooting and doing a FULL restore. Nothing worked. So they agreed to replace the AppleTV2.

So my question is...if Netflix, homesharing (ie airplay), and YouTube all work, how can a new AppleTV fix the SUPER slow download times with iTunes?

Has anybody else had the same problem?

Sorry for my long story...
 

Cuthbert

macrumors regular
Feb 4, 2008
135
0
It's your 2wire router! I had the same issue with that a year ago. Ditch that router/modem and you're good I'll bet.
 

rockhard

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 11, 2011
35
0
Thanks for the response. If you read the whole thing you would have seen I switched back to cable and bought an airport extreme! Same issues...
 

rockhard

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 11, 2011
35
0
I haven't tried hardwiring the AppleTV. It's not an option for me. They advertise that it works via WiFi and I've witnessed it working at two different people's places in my same city using the same ISP and a different one.

I read about the DNS servers, but it never made sense to me! I'm going to read that article right now.

Thanks!
 

Mr. Savage

macrumors regular
Jun 11, 2010
248
0
Toronto
OK, this will be a long post. I spend a lot of time typing this out before, but for some reason macrumors logged me out of my account when I went to hit the submit button and lost it all. I was too mad to type it out again, but I'm just relaxing here so I thought I'd type it out again.


Just check off the "remember me" box when you log on.
 

powerman

macrumors regular
Aug 19, 2010
107
0
I am trying to rent a movie right now and it has said it will start in 36 min for well over 36 min. Can't wait to see if you get anywhere with this.
 

Cuthbert

macrumors regular
Feb 4, 2008
135
0
LOL, dude! Read the original post!!

Brand new Airport Extreme. :D

I thought you had cable Internet now... Does your airport have a cable jack on it?

The Airport Extreme is a broadband router, but it is not a modem.

I've read your post and am trying to be polite. Please do the same if you want help.
 

rockhard

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 11, 2011
35
0
OH, I apologize. My fault. Its a Motorola modem.

I don't know why I read that as "router". :(

Sorry Cuthbert.
 

Cuthbert

macrumors regular
Feb 4, 2008
135
0
OH, I apologize. My fault. Its a Motorola modem.

I don't know why I read that as "router". :(

Sorry Cuthbert.

No problem. These things are very frustrating. I had the same issue on dsl. I had a 2wire modem hooked to my airport extreme. There are a few other threads that address that issue. Long story short, i changed out the 2wire and things worked perfectly again.

Can you give me the specific model of the motorola modem?
 

rockhard

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 11, 2011
35
0
Its an SB5101. Same as my parents using a 7 year old DLink without issues.

When I used the 2wire I didn't have a router at all...just the 2wire. I couldn't get the airport express to communicate with it at all, which was another reason why I switched back to cable and bought the Airport Extreme.
 

bozzykid

macrumors 68020
Aug 11, 2009
2,431
493
Its an SB5101. Same as my parents using a 7 year old DLink without issues.

When I used the 2wire I didn't have a router at all...just the 2wire. I couldn't get the airport express to communicate with it at all, which was another reason why I switched back to cable and bought the Airport Extreme.

The AE router wouldn't work with a dsl modem/router combo unless you disabled the router part of the 2wire combo unit.
 

rockhard

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 11, 2011
35
0
Sorry, when you say AE do you mean Airport Express or Airport Extreme?

I only had the Airport Express setup to play music wirelessly, not as a router. I tried everything for it to communicate with the 2wire modem/router but couldn't. When I switched back to cable using the Airport Extreme I had no issue at all setting it up.
 

karsten

macrumors 6502a
Sep 3, 2010
891
122
it probably depends on what server you get routed to does itunes all serve off the same one?
 

rockhard

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 11, 2011
35
0
They might in Canada.

I was told that they were overloaded and to try again in 2 weeks from the time I called. I gave it three weeks and had the same issue...
 

karsten

macrumors 6502a
Sep 3, 2010
891
122
if that's the case see if you can figure out the ip of the various servers and edit your hosts file to point to the right one:)
 

rockhard

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 11, 2011
35
0
That sounds like something I'd never be able to figure out :eek:

I received the new AppleTV2 on Friday and got it all set up. I tried renting an iTunes movie and...guess what...available in 12 HOURS!!!!



I just did that speedtest now while typing this during the movie download. What is going on?!?!?
 

FreeState

macrumors 68000
Jun 24, 2004
1,738
115
San Diego, CA
Hopefully Im reading this right. You have an Airport Express and and Airport Extreme?

How do you have the Express connected to your network from the Extreme? If you have it set up as "extend a network" change it to "join a wireless network." That fixed the problem for me.
 

Ingster

macrumors 6502
Apr 2, 2007
449
133
Leeds, UK
How's your streaming from itunes for movies to the apple tv2?
Can you rent from your mac - how long does it take to download?

Go into your settings on the apple TV2 and check wireless strength if it's 1 bar down or more it will take an age to do anything - had this issue myself, and put an airport express in extend wireless mode right behind my tv and now have a full 5 bar signal (think it's 5 anyway!) and it streams well - also tried it with an ethernet cable from the airport express to the apple tv2 and that worked better, had to transfer that cable to my Sky +HD box though so looking for a 5 port switch for both to be connected to the airport express.

My setup

Macbook Pro with Library on Time capsule.
Broadband - DSL (Sky D-Link Router) ruunning b/g network bridged to Time capsule, time capsule running wireless N only with airport express extending the range of the wireless.
I know there are a few steps for data to get to the apple tv via MBP/TC but I don't mind the little 1-2 min lag between selecting the movie and it playing, gives me time to make a brew etc ;)
 
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