My MAC loses internet connection

My Mac is constantly losing my internet connection. I have Ethernet, hard wired connection. I try to go on the internet and get an connection error. I go to System Preferences and find that under Network that the Ethernet shows it is not connected. I pull the plug and replug and it connects. I also have tried pulling the plug from the wall and replugging and my MAC re-connects. I don't think there is anything wrong with the Ethernet or the wiring. I hate to say this but my PC never lost connection.

This happens day in and day out, but has just started this about two weeks ago. The system is only three months old and worked perfect until a couple of weeks ago.

I have locked the preference but it still loses connection and won't reconnect by itself. I am getting frustrated, having to go through this unplug/plug sequence every time I want to get on the internet. I have tried re-booting and get the same old problem.

Since I am relatively new with a MAC (three months) can anyone give me a clue? Thanks

Aside from it being an Ethernet, hard wired connection (that is the medium), can you tell us a bit more about the service? Are you hard-wired to a router, a modem? Cable, DSL, school network? Have you swapped the patch cable?

I have a direct line. No modem. I have not swapped the cable. I will try that. One other thing is I am using Firefox and sometimes Firefox seems to automatically change to Work Offline. Maybe that is because of no internet connection. I have called my ISP and they worked me through their boilerplate checklist. That did not help. What I can figure is why did things change after working fine for three months. Thanks for your help. I am totally clueless.

ralphmorgan said:

I have a direct line. No modem. I have not swapped the cable. I will try that. One other thing is I am using Firefox and sometimes Firefox seems to automatically change to Work Offline. Maybe that is because of no internet connection. I have called my ISP and they worked me through their boilerplate checklist. That did not help. What I can figure is why did things change after working fine for three months. Thanks for your help. I am totally clueless.

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I think I'm missing something when you say "I have a direct line". ISPs don't work that way - there has to be a point of demarcation for your home. It might not be a modem, but there is certainly some network gear between you and the Internet

Sometimes apartment complexes provide Internet connectivity through Ethernet (i.e. they have an internal network in a building), but it's important to understand how that jack terminates. It could very well be a patch cable or a bad cable pull to your jack, or even a bad port on the switch. It could also be a cable run that exceeds 328' (maximum length for an Ethernet run).

Can you tell me a bit more about your ISP? Like the name, for example?

Additionally, Firefox will show offline if the machine doesn't have a valid Internet connection. It doesn't just do it on its own, it's based on the status of the primary network connection.

Try to verify the settings of the internet connection to make sure its picking up the direct line

The Air Port was turned on and there must have been a conflict causing the Ethernet to lose connection. After I turned the Air Port off I have not had the problem again, at least not for two days now. Could this have been the problem?