iMac wifi cuts out after wire change

[walidshrf]

Hi everyone

I have a really frustrating problem and I hope you can help me.

I recently purchased a new RJ11 cable because I needed to move my router and therefore needed a longer cable.

Anyway, since doing so, the wifi on my iMac keeps cutting out! And it's really really frustrating, as you can imagine.

My questions to you guys is:

1. Does changing the wire affect my wifi connection?

2. I turned my router off when switching the wires, could the wireless settings have changed somehow? If so, what settings do I need to have?

3. How do I go about diagnosing the problem and fixing it?

I have other devices, including numerous iPhones and a Macbook which is connected to the same wifi connection and they do not have any problems. It's just my iMac unfortunately.

Any advice would be great. Thanks!

 

[lclev]

The only times a longer cable will be a problem is if it is over 300 feet long or if it is pinched or if an end has wires crossed. If this is a manufactured cable under 300 feet long that should eliminate those and only you can determine if it is pinched. I am assuming the cable is attached to the iMac or is it using wireless?

It could be a a bad cable. Change it if you can and see.

Lisa

 

[RadDave]

Well, let me ask a simple question, the RJ11 cable is for a telephone, and I'm assuming that you need a RJ45 cable which is used for ethernet connections? - I'll stop there if that is the issue - good luck! Dave

 

[walidshrf]

The only times a longer cable will be a problem is if it is over 300 feet long or if it is pinched or if an end has wires crossed. If this is a manufactured cable under 300 feet long that should eliminate those and only you can determine if it is pinched. I am assuming the cable is attached to the iMac or is it using wireless?

It could be a a bad cable. Change it if you can and see.

Lisa

Yeah, it's only 3m long, lol. I'm using the internet wireless, I changed the cable for the router.

Well, let me ask a simple question, the RJ11 cable is for a telephone, and I'm assuming that you need a RJ45 cable which is used for ethernet connections? - I'll stop there if that is the issue - good luck! Dave

Hi Dave. Sorry, I should have been more clear. The RJ11 is connected to my router, and I am using the wifi connection. There is no ethernet/RJ45 cable being used.

 

[RadDave]

Hi Dave. Sorry, I should have been more clear. The RJ11 is connected to my router, and I am using the wifi connection. There is no ethernet/RJ45 cable being used.

No problem at all (but would have been a simple solution - ) - in the early days of the internet when 'dial-up' was often the only option when traveling w/ my wife, my laptop computer bag (pre-iPad days) would have RJ11 & RJ45 cables galore! The smaller one always fitted into the ethernet receptacle and would drive me nuts saying 'why the h*^l isn't this working' - good luck. Dave

 

[harryb2448]

How old is the router. Living in a sub-tropical area with frequent thunderstorms, two years seems to be an outstanding result at times.

 

[lclev]

I have got to quit using my iPhone to read posts. RJ11 ..... RJ45. Big difference. Anyway the OP says all kinds of other wireless devices are connecting with no problems. So why just the iMac? And only after a cable change on the router? Did you move the wireless router farther away from the iMac? The router signal could be getting weak.

Lisa

 

[MacInWin]

And to follow up on lclev, closer may not be better. Wifi is subject to bounce and reflections and interference from other devices. So moving the router a few feet may have created a weaker signal spot where your iMac is sitting, or even a near null. You didn't say why you moved the router, but if you can move it again, even a few inches, you may find a different result. Or move the iMac a few inches. At WiFi frequencies, even a few inches can make a difference.

 

[TattooedMac]

Has the OP got the latest update for his OS ?? There was a WiFi issue with Yosemite 10.10 and the 10.10.1 update was meant to of fixed the issue.

 

[walidshrf]

Hi everyone. I really appreciate you taking the time out to respond.

I did in fact move the router, but only a meter to the left. My room is directly underneath where the router is in the hallway, so it hasn't really changed in location.

I'll move it back to it's original spot and see if that changes anything. Worst comes to worst, I'll have to buy a 30m ethernet cable and use my internet wired.

Thanks again!

 

[ManoaHi]

I think the RJ11 threw most people off. I think what you mean is that the RJ11 between the modem/router and the wall jack (or dangling cable). Do you have a separate modem and router or do you have a modem/router, where both are in the same box?

I see one of two problems. You have a obstruction issue or faulty AirPort section of iMac. I think the former. Although you say hallway, are you familiar with the wiring of the house? I had looked at a similar problem with an acquaintance where he moved the router, not the modem, to a new location in a corner as it was the geographic center of the house. Turns out that the wiring from the second floor was all in the wall and no WiFi on the other side of the wood framed wall. The wires were headed to breaker box in basement. But to get to that point, I'm not clear why they did this but the lateral wiring was in the floor (can't figure why they didn't go through the walls), of the hallway to get to that down run. i.e. it is not always easy to tell how the house was wired.

I am also guessing that when you tested your iPhone and MacBook, they are in the same location of the iMac. What is the iMac showing as your signal strength? Do you recall what it was before?

 

[walidshrf]

I think the RJ11 threw most people off. I think what you mean is that the RJ11 between the modem/router and the wall jack (or dangling cable). Do you have a separate modem and router or do you have a modem/router, where both are in the same box?

I see one of two problems. You have a obstruction issue or faulty AirPort section of iMac. I think the former. Although you say hallway, are you familiar with the wiring of the house? I had looked at a similar problem with an acquaintance where he moved the router, not the modem, to a new location in a corner as it was the geographic center of the house. Turns out that the wiring from the second floor was all in the wall and no WiFi on the other side of the wood framed wall. The wires were headed to breaker box in basement. But to get to that point, I'm not clear why they did this but the lateral wiring was in the floor (can't figure why they didn't go through the walls), of the hallway to get to that down run. i.e. it is not always easy to tell how the house was wired.

I am also guessing that when you tested your iPhone and MacBook, they are in the same location of the iMac. What is the iMac showing as your signal strength? Do you recall what it was before?

Hey, thanks for the reply.

In answer to all your questions:

1. Modem/Router is the same box.
2. I'm not familiar with the wiring of the house unfortunately, however it was on the floor of my hallway and it has now moved a meter to the left, still on the floor. Maybe something is obstructing it there - not sure.
3. I use my iPhone in the same location as my iMac and it's perfectly fine.
4. The signal strength is showing full and it was full strength before the move as well.

Another thing I might add: it seems to cut off only when I'm streaming video. I find that really odd. If the signal was weak, would it only cut off whilst downloading large files or would it cut off always?

Thanks again

 

[MacInWin]

Another thing I might add: it seems to cut off only when I'm streaming video. I find that really odd. If the signal was weak, would it only cut off whilst downloading large files or would it cut off always?

That sounds more like a source URL problem. If you can download large files with no problems, but video streaming is interrupted, it's most likely a problem with the video stream source being overstressed.

 

[walidshrf]

That sounds more like a source URL problem. If you can download large files with no problems, but video streaming is interrupted, it's most likely a problem with the video stream source being overstressed.

No, downloading large files was a problem as well. It usually cuts out when streaming YouTube and it was cutting out when I was downloading Yosemite through the AppStore.

I just don't know anymore, lol. I'm guessing it's probably a signal issue.

 

[ManoaHi]

Please Check Speed of Connection

No, downloading large files was a problem as well. It usually cuts out when streaming YouTube and it was cutting out when I was downloading Yosemite through the AppStore.

I just don't know anymore, lol. I'm guessing it's probably a signal issue.

You say that WiFi cuts out but only during downloads. Does that mean that the menu bar item is changing from full bars to empty or empty with exclamation point? It is still full bars, as you claimed, but the video or file download (like Yosemite) fails but works fine on your MacBook and iPhone, then something is wrong with your iMac.

Please try SpeedTest (Speedtest.net by Ookla - The Global Broadband Speed Test) to see what kind of speed that you're getting. Do this on your MacBook and iPhone (there's a SpeedTest app). Are you able to stream well on the MacBook and iPhone from that same location? Attempting to isolate the iMac where it has problems but everything else is fine. Obviously goes without saying that the tests should not be run concurrently.

Is there anything else using up the bandwidth? Like do you have a gaming console (Wii, PS 4, Xbox)? If you've set them up for WiFi and their on, they will take up some. Have you tried different times of the day?

Keep in mind that 3Mbit might be ok but will not stream seamlessly as it would probably not be consistently 3Mbit. 6Mbit would be smooth and 10Mbit would be seamless. If you're not getting 6Mbit, then you need to contact your provider to get (and pay for) a fatter pipe.