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Problem with Internet connection

S

Splitbolt

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 18, 2015
129
10
Over the past few weeks I have been having a problem with my internet connection while surfing the web. This problem came out of the blue, not changes were made to anything.

I have FIOS and the Actiontec MI424WR-GEN3I modem/router. I only use it wirelessly, but the wireless signal is always strong and the signal never goes out.

An important thing to mention is that I stream a LOT and I NEVER have an issue while stream HD to my Roku or my PS3, the stream is always flawless.

The problem is websurfing on either my MacBook Air or my iPad mini, both have the same issue. What happens is pages simply take forever to load, or only half of the images on pages load.

For example, right now I am going to YouTube, but it is just hanging. I stop it and refresh and it still hangs, then I stop and refresh again and YouTube comes up and I am able to surf all around YouTube with no problem.

But then I go to another site and again it hangs up, or maybe this time some of the page loads but the rest hangs up.

I go to Break.com to watch so video,s but I have to refresh the video pages 3- 4 times to get them to play.

Just to reiterate, it's exactly the same on my MacBook as it is on my iPad which is making me think it's the internet connection. But since streaming is flawless, I don't know what it could be.

I have rebooted the router many times.
 
How do they perform when connected to other networks? Have you cleared browser history? Have you tried other browsers?

iOS 8.x > Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data
OS X 10.10.3 > Safari menu > Clear History and Website Data

Yes, both devices show the problem, so it could well be related to your internet connection. Just don't fall into the trap of assuming it's the only possible cause.
 
ApfelKuchen said:
How do they perform when connected to other networks? Have you cleared browser history? Have you tried other browsers?

iOS 8.x > Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data
OS X 10.10.3 > Safari menu > Clear History and Website Data

Yes, both devices show the problem, so it could well be related to your internet connection. Just don't fall into the trap of assuming it's the only possible cause.
Click to expand...

When I am out of the house and using a cellular connection on the iPad Mini, it is back to normal. I have not tried taking the MBA out of the house though.

I will clear the cache on both. I forgot to mention, I use Chrome on both.
 
So I cleared the cache for Chrome on both the iPad and MBA. Still the same. I took the iPad out this morning and when using a public WiFi the issue was gone.

Also, when using Safari on my MBA (which I have never used before, so nothing was in the cache) the same problem exists.

So it seems like my internet connection is making the request for webpages (and sometimes all of the images) come up very slowly. After a few refreshes it usually goes back to normal until I go to a different domain. But no problem streaming HD video.

Any ideas? Like I said, it's been a few weeks so something is wrong and it's not fixing itself.
 
Have you run a speed test such as speedtest.net? Do that on each of your devices to establish a baseline for comparison (and connect the MBA to the router using ethernet and run a test there, too). While I doubt it will be less than FIOS's promised speed, if it is, you have a reason to call FIOS.

Try a Reset Network Settings on the iPad and see if it makes a difference.
 
Speedtest.net is showing 9/8 when it is usually 15/5.

I don't have any computer or device with an ethernet port to test that.

I guess a call to Verizon is in order? I wonder if they could actually do anything other than tell me to reboot the router.
 
Splitbolt said:
Speedtest.net is showing 9/8 when it is usually 15/5.

I don't have any computer or device with an ethernet port to test that.

I guess a call to Verizon is in order? I wonder if they could actually do anything other than tell me to reboot the router.
Click to expand...
Yes, a call is called-for. There is more they can do - they have remote diagnostics, they can remotely reinstall/upgrade the router firmware... Visit the FIOS support site.

Bear in mind that you're measuring the speed of your connection via wifi, not the speed coming into the house. I have FIOS and the same model router - my Late 2013 iMac just delivered 24/14 over wifi, an older iMac delivered the same over ethernet, and my iPhone 6 delivered 14/11 (router is on another floor of the house).
 
I'll call them, thanks!

FWIW, I used to have the 50/25 package and with this newer red router I was able to get 53/30 on speedtest.net on the MBA.
 
sportsdoc said:
I have developed the exact same issue. Began about a month ago. I'm baffled. No one knows what's up.
Click to expand...
You have FIOS as well? Did you try calling?


I called yesterday, it was pretty worthless.

The guy had me reboot the router, no change. He had me reset the router by pressing the little button on the back, he was surprised that after I reset the router it still kept my wireless password, but he said that was alright (so did it really reset??). He ran diagnostics and said that everything showed being good.

His whole thing was that I need to connect with an ethernet cable, but I can't because I don't have a device with an ethernet port. But why should that matter? I was able to get 50mbps+ download thru wifi when I had that package and I was able to get 15mbps when I lowered my package. So the fact that I am getting 7mbps now and websites aren't loading isn't a problem with my wifi- especially when I am streaming HD flawlessly thru wifi.
 
Have you tried telling your devices to forget the network and then try rejoining it?
 
Had called before, but no help there. Said it appeared to be something on my end, not there's, I was hoping you had heard something.

I have noted that if I run the Network diagnostics in Network Preferences that it will say, "you network configuration has changed." Then when I tell it to modify the configuration, everything works well for a few minutes, but then the same problem returns.

I've been searching through Apples forums, but not much there either. Not sure if there is something that I have set wrong or some incompatible program. What else could be changing my network configuration?
 
sportsdoc said:
Had called before, but no help there. Said it appeared to be something on my end, not there's, I was hoping you had heard something.

I have noted that if I run the Network diagnostics in Network Preferences that it will say, "you network configuration has changed." Then when I tell it to modify the configuration, everything works well for a few minutes, but then the same problem returns.

I've been searching through Apples forums, but not much there either. Not sure if there is something that I have set wrong or some incompatible program. What else could be changing my network configuration?
Click to expand...

So I called again and complained, no help at all. They sent me a brand new router, but the same problem still exists.

Most webpages won't fully open. They will appear to be opened, but there is always something that hasn't loaded so it still shows it as loaded in Chrome's tab.

Hell, this problem even exists on my Roku. When going thru Amazon Streaming some of the movie icons won't show up. HBO GO app won't load most of the time. Netflix is usually OK, but many of the movie icons won't load either.

My download speed is around 5mbps which is way low, it should be 15. It always was 15. Before I lowered to the 15 plan, I had the 50 plan and always got 50.

The problem is that I don't have any computer with an ethernet port, so FIOS support isn't willing to help me. They want me to connect with an ethernet cable. They don't seem to understand that I had no problem getting 50mbps thru my WiFi so I should be able to get 15 now like I always did before.

I don't know what to do other than to switch back to Comcast.
 
Let me ask this question: what DNS server addresses do you use for your Internet connection? Try changing the DNS server address in either your FIOS high-speed modem or in your operating system settings to the following:

Google Public DNS:

Primary: 8.8.8.8
Secondary: 8.8.4.4

OpenDNS:

Primary: 208.67.222.222
Secondary: 208.67.220.220

Neustar DNS Advantage:

Primary: 156.154.70.1
Secondary: 156.154.71.1

I've had connectivity issues in the past with my ISP when I used their own DNS server addresses, so switching to these third-party DNS servers has solved a lot of my connectivity problems. :)
 
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Thanks for the suggestion.

Quick question, you mention to change it in either the modem or the OS. Does it matter? If there are different addresses in each, which one will be used?


ETA: I changed the DNS servers in the modem to Google's servers and the problem is still the same.
 
Last edited:
Ok, so I was able to get a computer with an ethernet port and it did the same exact thing. Pages just aren't loading, and now when streaming I often have buffering.

I called again and the woman reset the ONT. Afterwards it seemed to be OK, but then within 15 minutes the lagging started again. It's on and off like it has been from the beginning.

The woman said that the only option was to send out a tech, but they are just going to plug their laptop into the ethernet port and run a speed test, if they get the proper speed, they are going to deem it fine.

That won't help me, my problem is loading. Even on my Roku, the HBO Go app won't load. There is something seriously wrong, and it seems like it's not going to get fixed and the only option is to switch to Comcast.
 
When FiOS sends out the tech (had a similar issue before). They do a reset on FiOS box (it's mounted on the outside of my house).

I had a similar issue. New router, various testing by Verizon. The reset did the trick (I think I did it myself once). And all this started because of a black/brown out.
 
That box on the outside of your house is called the ONT. The woman I spoke to yesterday reset it remotely, but unfortunately it did not help.
 
I think there is something else, like some type of physical re-seating..

I'll check it out when I get home.
 
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