slow internet Macbook air

Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
28
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Hi,

I am new here with an internet connection problem. I use a macbook with OSX 10.7.4 and a Macbook Air with OSX 10.7.5 on the same wireless network. All was fine for over a year until 2 days ago. The internet of the air was suddenly extremely slow. I checked this with a speed meter and upload was normal yet download did not exceed 0.30 MB/s. The problem seems to have started after watching some internet TV yet I do this all the time without problems. When I ran diagnostics in system preferences it states my internet seems to be working fine. all internet applications are slow, not just the browser (safari BTW). I have tried the following:
I reset my modem, contacted my ISP, tried both macs on another network (and the problem remained), updated all software (except for the operating system), chucked out the silverlight pluging, restarted the computer, programs etc.
I am at a loss here and could not find anything like this on the forums.

HELP! :Angry-Tongue:

Thanks and regards,

Tom.
 
Joined
Mar 28, 2012
Messages
263
Reaction score
13
Points
18
Location
Atlanta, GA
Your Mac's Specs
27" iMac (Mid 2011), 3.4GHz Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, 2GB Video Card, 2TB HDD
It's probably because the router is broadcasting a mixed signal. That can cause very slow download speeds while leaving your upload speeds fine.

Open your router prefrences by opening your browser and typing 192.168.1.1 in the url (if it's a linksys router) and enter your username and password when the popup window appears (note: different router brands use different IP addresses for the router prefrences so please consult your owners manual or do a quick google search).

In wireless settings next to broadcast mode, select "wireless G only" then click "save settings" at the bottom. Now try a speedtest again.

I had a relative with the exact same problem as you and that's what I did to fix it and fix it it did.
 
OP
T
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
28
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Hello,

Thank you very much for your answer. It seemst o have worked, I called my ISP and they pretty much told me the same thing. In this case it seems to be a problem with the modem firmware which needs to be updated yet they do not have the new version yet.

Thanks!
 
OP
T
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
28
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Hello,

Sorry but I'm back again. The solution mentioned worked, but only for half an hour or so. Then it became all slow again. The weird thing is that the speed of the air is at all times about 3 mb slower than that of the macbook, so if the macbook gets 5, the air gets 2, yet if our connection goes a bit slower (under 4 which is normal here), then the air does not function well online any more. As I said, this also happens on a totally different network. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Tom.
 
Joined
Mar 28, 2012
Messages
263
Reaction score
13
Points
18
Location
Atlanta, GA
Your Mac's Specs
27" iMac (Mid 2011), 3.4GHz Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, 2GB Video Card, 2TB HDD
Odd. I don't know why it'd be doing that. Sometimes, other computers can chew up your bandwidth but that doesn't seem to be issue here because it's consistent at 3mb always.

Maybe another member can chime in here with any ideas?
 
OP
T
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
28
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Hi Sorry for my slow reply I was off for a few days. Thank you for your answers. I have been doing a bit more tests and been on the phone with my ISP. I also tried the Air again on another network (totally different one I have ADSL and that was a cable network) and I put another router in my own network yet nothing seems to work. This does lead me to think that the problem has to be with the Macbook Air. Any ideas how I can figure out what the problem is?

Regards, Tom.
 

chscag

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
65,248
Reaction score
1,833
Points
113
Location
Keller, Texas
Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
This does lead me to think that the problem has to be with the Macbook Air. Any ideas how I can figure out what the problem is?

If your MBA connection speeds are slow on other networks not just your home network, then the problem is with the machine itself. Check your settings in System Preferences, Network. Click on WiFi, then click Advanced.

Now click on TCP/IP tab. You should be using DHCP. Click on the DNS tab and post what's there.

As a test, you can try attaching an ethernet cable from your router to the MBA and take a speed measurement. Compare that with the WiFi measurements.
 
OP
T
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
28
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Hello and thank you for your reply. The TCP/IP tab states Configure ip4: 'via DHCP'.

The DNS tab has two lines in the left field that both say 192.168.1.1 which is actually the address of my modern. I did think of the ethernet thing yet this macbook air version does not seem to have an ethernet socket. regards,

Tom.
 

chscag

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
65,248
Reaction score
1,833
Points
113
Location
Keller, Texas
Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
The IP address of 192.168.1.1 is the address of your router. That's normal and besides, if the speeds are slow on other networks that wouldn't matter anyway. And yes, I forgot the MBA does not have an ethernet connector.

Have you tried moving the machine closer to the router to see if that made a difference? And also tried using it WiFi without any other devices on the network to see if that also made a difference?

And one last question: Have you or any other user in your household dropped or banged the MBA against something at one time or another? The reason I ask is that the antenna orientation within Mac notebook computers is critical and if they're banged or bumped the antenna can move which degrades the signal.
 
OP
T
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
28
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Hi,

Using the wifi without any other devices on the network does not make a lot of difference. The speed does go up a bit when closer to the router yet it does not become as fast as it should be. The machine was not dropped or anything, yet about two weeks before the problems started occurring a new keyboard was placed by the macstore (under warranty which is now over I'm afraid).

Bye, Thomas.
 

chscag

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
65,248
Reaction score
1,833
Points
113
Location
Keller, Texas
Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
The machine was not dropped or anything, yet about two weeks before the problems started occurring a new keyboard was placed by the macstore (under warranty which is now over I'm afraid).

That's our first clue. Like I said above, the orientation of the antenna is critical and could have been dislodged or moved when the keyboard was changed.

All warranty work done by Apple is good for 90 days so if the repair falls within that criteria, take it back and make them aware of the problem. Actually, I would take it back anyway and relate the problem to them. Also, what was wrong with the keyboard that they swapped it out under warranty?
 
OP
T
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
28
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Hello and thanks very much. I'll take it in next week. Actually, the whole unibody (is that the correct word? I mean the top) was replaced because the z key came loose.

Bye, Tom.
 
OP
T
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
28
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Chscag,

I would like to thank you very much for your tip, I went by the mac store, and at first they thought it a strange story yet then the guy said 'well maybe the antenna came loose during the repair,' they go and open it up and that was the case. 15 minutes later all problems were over.

Thanks!

Tom.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top