Where do i start? (network issues)

So I'm having an issue that is 3-fold, and I'm not sure whether to start with verizon, xbox, or apple.

First let me give the particulars.

I have a 20" 2.16ghz c2d imac, an xbox 360, and verizon fios, with their supplied router.

1. When I go to a webpage on the imac it seems to take forever to load, however if I hit refresh, sometimes it reloads instantly. Although sometimes it does not. Usually at this time the signal shows to be full strength.

2. When I try to connect to my imac through connect360, it cannot connect to the imac. When I do the "Test PC Connection" it goes through and finds the imac, but won't actually connect to it. Sometimes however, it does work, but never easily. (always after lots of resetting the modem, etc.)

3. When I first turn on the xbox, most of the time it won't connect to the network. I almost always have to reset the router for it to connect.

Being that I'm using connect 360, I'm almost certain that microsoft won't be any help, since it's not supported.

I truly do not know where to start, any help would be VERY appreciated.

There have been many threads regarding Verizon FIOS and slow access to the net. Do a Google search, you'll find them in this forum and others.

Briefly, most FIOS problems (slow access) are due to DNS troubles and the way Verizon automatically generates the DNS address. Switching to OpenDNS can resolve it but not in all cases. Try that first.

OpenDNS

Regards.

I'm assuming you have the Verizon supplied Actiontec router? Like the one pictured below? I have this one and it gave me tons of issues.

Do you have another wireless router? If so, I can help you set it up as your main router.

Need to know some info about your setup.
Do you also have FIOS TV and set top boxes?
How is your Actiontec connected to your fiber terminal? Coax or ethernet cable.

Like chscag said, sounds like a DNS issue. Hard set your DNS on your MAC to the openDNS addresses and the pages will load much faster.

I'll try the DNS suggestion.

As for the router, yes, that's the one I have, and unfortunately, I sold my linksys when i realized I wouldn't need it. <kicks self>

*edit* - another thing i realized, the OpenDNS site gave me the choice of switching to openDNS on my computer, or my router, i was doing it on the router, is that right??

Ok, so I've got like 8 different hosts in my DNS settings list, I presume that all the "IP" hosts are cable boxes.

I know the "home" one is my windows pc.

Which leaves new-host, and new host-2 for my xbox 360 and my imac.

Only question is, do I change the settings for all 3? (obviously not the cable boxes i'd imagine)

And if i do change all 3, what server addresses do i use? OpenDNS site only gave me 2 to use.

I've never used Open DNS before, so I can't comment on how to set it up. But based on that picture, I know where you are in the Actiontec configuration. My problems were in that area as well, but not the same as yours.

What I can conclude from the picture is that you have your 2 computers, Xbox, and 5 set top boxes (STB). Is that accurate? Or do you have less STBs? Your STBs use the coax connection of the Actiontec to pull the TV guide, Video On Demand (VOD) and widgets. The coax connector is in two-way bridge mode if you have your FIOS internet coming in over coax as well. If you have Cat-5 coming into the router, it's in ethernet-to-coax bridge mode. That's why you have to use this router. For the STBs.

My problems with the Actiontec were mainly in not being able to reserve local IPs for a specific MAC address. If I wanted my desktop PC to have 192.168.1.3 and the AirPort on my MBP to have .4, it wouldn't do it. Firmware issue. Also there were times when I would get duplicate dynamically assigned IPs for devices. I need certain devices on my network to have certain IPs so I can set up port forwarding for incoming connections.

Good luck with OpenDNS. If you get as frustrated with the Actiontec as I did and decide you want to purchase another router to control your network, I'll be happy to help you set up the Actiontec in bridge mode to also get your STBs properly connecting over coax to pull the guide, VOD, and widgets.

To JBethell:

Set the OpenDNS Primary and Secondary both in the router menu and your network preference settings on the Mac. Do it for wireless (airport) and ethernet. See if that helps.

Unfortunately, I do not have an ActionTec router. Here in the Fort Worth area of Texas the Verizon FIOS folks issue the D-Link models instead. If the customer also has FIOS TV (as I have) they issue an additional broadband coupler - router which displays the TV Guide and Pay Per View. A rather complicated setup.

Regards.

chscag said:

To JBethell:

Set the OpenDNS Primary and Secondary both in the router menu and your network preference settings on the Mac. Do it for wireless (airport) and ethernet. See if that helps.

Unfortunately, I do not have an ActionTec router. Here in the Fort Worth area of Texas the Verizon FIOS folks issue the D-Link models instead. If the customer also has FIOS TV (as I have) they issue an additional broadband coupler - router which displays the TV Guide and Pay Per View. A rather complicated setup.

Regards.

Click to expand...

Well I set my mac to the opendns server, however, i feel that I'm missing something, because I cannot find where to change the DNS server on my router. The only thing it'll allow me to change is my "host name"

If you hard set your dns on your mac, then it doesn't matter what you have your router set to. The only point of setting it on your router is that it will then push the settings down to the clients that connect to the network via DHCP without changing them manually on your mac, xbox, etc. Hope that makes sense. If you have your MAC set already then surfing should be much quicker.

Euphoria227 said:

I'm assuming you have the Verizon supplied Actiontec router? Like the one pictured below? I have this one and it gave me tons of issues.

Do you have another wireless router? If so, I can help you set it up as your main router.

Need to know some info about your setup.
Do you also have FIOS TV and set top boxes?
How is your Actiontec connected to your fiber terminal? Coax or ethernet cable.

Click to expand...

There are hundreds of us having issues with Macs and Verizon FIOS. After reading numerous threads on Verizon, Mac, etc. it all seems to point back to the ActionTec router. I would LOVE to know how to "piggyback" the router so I can get to work! The pc is wired directly to the actiontec and we have no issues. The MacBook and the iMac receive internet wirelessly without issue, however the one admin site that I use for my photography shopping cart (mostly .php pages that need updates) completely timeout and the browser must be closed and I have to log back in. Not an issue at all when I take my MacBook to the public library and work off of their wi-fi. After much process of elimination - it's the Actiontec.

Thanks.

as far as set up:

2 FISO set top boxes
1 iMac (wireless connection)
1 MacBook (wireless connection)
1 pc - direct connection to ActionTec
1 Xbox 360 - (wireless connection)
May be irrelevant - but phone is 5.8 Ghz (not an interfering 2.4ghz)

On hand extra wireless router is Linksys WRT54G (which may not be ideal?)