Wired internet connection on iMac keeps dropping out

Kriskris · Jan 25, 2012

Basically the problem is that i have my IMac 2011 connected via an ethernet cable to my router but the internet connection keeps dropping off. To make this easier to read I'll list the facts;

All other devices connected wirelessly to the router and access point work fine without dropping out.

My windows PC works fine with the same ethernet cable and port.

The iMac still streams media with no problems whilst the internet is down.

Restarting Safari sometimes makes it work again across all applications.

Imac connected via wireless has the same problem.

I have tried restoring the router and disabling misc. apps on the iMac but i cannot figure out why this is happening.

Many thanks in advance,

- Kris

Makosuke · Jan 25, 2012

Based on your description, I can say the following:

Your actual network connection is fine. If it wasn't, the iMac wouldn't be able to continue streaming media to other devices on the network, and the fact that restarting Safari can fix it is also indicative--that wouldn't have any effect on a lower-level networking problem.

The problem could just be Safari itself; have you tried installing Firefox or Chrome on the iMac and testing with that? If you haven't, do, and see if the alternate browser works okay.

If the problem happens with browsers other than Safari, it's probably either DNS-related or (more likely) some kind of HTTP (maybe proxy?) issue.

First try another browser, though, or post if you already have.

Kriskris · Jan 26, 2012

Hello many thanks for the help.

I have installed firefox and in the past couple of hours internet on firefox has not cut out BUT my mail.app still keeps cutting out even though firefox is working?

Very sorry but i am not to familiar with proxy's but i do not think i am running through one.

Thanks in advance,

- Kris

Kriskris · Jan 26, 2012

Hello,

The problem is still there in full whilst using firefox

- Kris

Makosuke · Jan 26, 2012

Kriskris said:
The problem is still there in full whilst using firefox

So Firefox also stops working after some period of time? What exact error are it and Safari giving you when it stops working? (And/or what is the exact behavior you're seeing when it's not working; that could help pin it down.)

One other thing to try: In your Applications folder, open the Utilities folder and launch the application called Network Utility. Select the "Ping" tab at the top, then enter "google.com" as the address to ping, select the option for "send only [] pings", and enter 25 in the box.

Click the "Ping" button when the internet is working normally, then after it's finished (takes about a minute) copy and save the statistics under the line that says "--- google.com ping statistics ---". Later, when it's not working, do the same thing. Post the two statistics chunks here. Depending on what's wrong, this might also help diagnose.

mrskullfreak · Jan 27, 2012

I have had this issue for quite some time.
I will leave my computer for a bit and when I come back and go to a site it says your not connected to the internet so I have to refresh it gets to be a pain.
Apple care could not fix it either.
Both my macbook and mac do this.
I just downloaded Firefox going to see if it help for me.

Any other tips would be great.

Don't all mac users use safari?

Makosuke · Jan 27, 2012

mrskullfreak said:
Don't all mac users use safari?

I have no statistics, but at least based on work there's a pretty substantial proportion who use either Firefox or Chrome for various reasons--Google syncronization, tab behavior, familiarity (for people who switched from Windows and are used to Firefox), etc.

This only applies to mrskullfreak: If you are saying that the computer gives that message after coming back and waking it from sleep, that's just a side effect of it taking a bit for the wireless network (or even wired one in the case of one that's performing very poorly) to resume its connection after the hardware gets turned back on. Usually it only takes a few seconds, and will happen to any computer that's put to sleep.

If it happens even when the computer has not been asleep, and you're seeing the same problem on two different computers, it's not the OS, it's either your router or your modem. My guess in that case would be that you have a DSL modem that drops its connection after X minutes of inactivity, and it's timing out, then taking a while to reconnect after the first access. The only solution in that case would be to either reconfigure the modem to not drop the connection, to configure it with a longer timeout so it's not as annoying, or to buy a new modem/switch ISPs.

You could also try the previous suggestion about Network Utility, assuming that it also happens with Firefox.

mrskullfreak · Jan 27, 2012

Makosuke said:
I have no statistics, but at least based on work there's a pretty substantial proportion who use either Firefox or Chrome for various reasons--Google syncronization, tab behavior, familiarity (for people who switched from Windows and are used to Firefox), etc.

This only applies to mrskullfreak: If you are saying that the computer gives that message after coming back and waking it from sleep, that's just a side effect of it taking a bit for the wireless network (or even wired one in the case of one that's performing very poorly) to resume its connection after the hardware gets turned back on. Usually it only takes a few seconds, and will happen to any computer that's put to sleep.

If it happens even when the computer has not been asleep, and you're seeing the same problem on two different computers, it's not the OS, it's either your router or your modem. My guess in that case would be that you have a DSL modem that drops its connection after X minutes of inactivity, and it's timing out, then taking a while to reconnect after the first access. The only solution in that case would be to either reconfigure the modem to not drop the connection, to configure it with a longer timeout so it's not as annoying, or to buy a new modem/switch ISPs.

You could also try the previous suggestion about Network Utility, assuming that it also happens with Firefox.

Thx for the help.
I have a time capsule and using a comcast modem and I also tried a new comcast modem does the same thing.
I have never bought a modem maybe nows the time.
I could use a referral on buying a new modem?

satcomer · Jan 27, 2012

mrskullfreak said:
Thx for the help.
I have a time capsule and using a comcast modem and I also tried a new comcast modem does the same thing.
I have never bought a modem maybe nows the time.
I could use a referral on buying a new modem?

Depends on your ISP. Just put in a Google search saying: YouriSPName+compatible modem . Then find the link for your ISP support page and click on it. Your ISP has a support page with supported modems listed on it.

Just remember when getting the new modem also consider replacing your router too if it is over 3 years old. Lastly replace your CAT 5 cables with some newer Ethernet cables that are CAT 5E or CAT 6 (like someplace like Monoprice.com).

Kriskris · Jan 29, 2012

Hello thanks again for the help the i tried a quick fix by changing my network location in network preferences and for the past two days i haven't dropped out once so cannot give the statistics!

Hopefully problem will not come back.

Many thanks,

- Kris

Makosuke · Jan 29, 2012

Kriskris said:
Hello thanks again for the help the i tried a quick fix by changing my network location in network preferences and for the past two days i haven't dropped out once so cannot give the statistics!

Glad to hear that, though it's a surprising fix if it does prove to be permanent.

I'm curious, for future reference if I run into a similar problem: What did you change it from and to?

Kriskris · Jan 30, 2012

Literally just changed it from Automatic to a custom name "Quickfix" all basic settings. Still working well atm!

- Kris

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