Internet Cutouts

[Mikethebook]

I run Mavericks up to date and whatever browser I use, the Internet cuts out to it despite the fact that Network Preferences show WiFi and Ethernet (via HomePlugs) connected. If I reboot the computer it is working again for a while. Cutouts can be several times a day and completely random. If the Internet is connected why are my browsers disconnecting from it?

 

[chas_m]

Are you saying you connect by both Ethernet and Wi-Fi? If so, I think we found the problem. Pick one.

 

[Mikethebook]

I didn't think there would be a problem connecting via both methods but in fact until recently I could only connect via Ethernet and I had the problem then. I thought by connecting to both I would get a better stream but it hasn't made a difference. So that's not the answer at least I don't think so.

 

[MacInWin]

No, trying to use both leads to problems. The two interfaces end up with different connections and they don't "swap." Pick one or the other. It sounds like your ISP needs to be called to check their router/connections.

 

[Mikethebook]

Okay, well I've switched off the WiFi since the house I'm in has a lot of stone walls. I'll just use the Ethernet and Homeplugs. Maybe I should call the ISP but the green light against Ethernet is always on which suggest there's nothing wrong there. The Homeplugs don't share wall sockets with anything else but can there be problems there with the signal travelling through the mains system?

I never had these problems until I upgraded to Mavericks.

 

[MacInWin]

The green light just shows that the modem sees SOME signal on the inbound side, not that the signal is valid or that the speeds are fast. Trying to use home wiring for networking is dodgy at best. Any static on the power line will interfere with the signal trying to get through. Remember, those interfaces are designed to use the line ONLY when the voltage on the line from the alternating current is close to zero, which occurs either 100 or 120 times a second, depending on the frequency of your power system. But that time interval is VERY short, because as the voltage rises on the other side of that null, the interface stops trying to communicate. If there is a bit of static on the line, or if there are competing signals from other devices trying to use that tiny time slice, even in a neighbors house, your signal ma be interfered with and you see that as slowdowns and eventually disconnects.

Is there any way to connect to the ISP modem without the Homeplugs? Have you tested that to eliminate the Homeplugs as the culprit(s)?

 

[Mikethebook]

Thanks for that Jake. There's no easy way to connect to the modem without the Homeplugs. Next time it disconnects though I will unplug my Homeplug and try using the WiFi to see if I get better results. What's so frustrating is that, despite what you've said, I've had several years of trouble free use of the Homeplugs with WiFi also connected both here and in our previous house. My wife also currently uses her laptop with a Homeplug without problem. My problems appeared to begin when I upgraded from Snow Leopard to Mavericks and increased the RAM in my Mac Mini.

 

[MacInWin]

Well, if your wife's computer uses the Homeplugs just fine, then your's should, too. Mavericks and RAM upgrades should not be part of the problem, but if the upgrade did break anything, perhaps a fresh install will fix it. If you are NOT at 9.4, moving to that version may also reinstall anything that is broken.

How did you upgrade to Mavericks? Full install or just an upgrade overwrite of what was there?

 

[ron4mac]

Have you tried swapping Homeplug devices with your wife? Or can you temporarily plug your machine into yours wife's location? Doing those things will help eliminate whether it is an issue with your machine.

 

[Mikethebook]

Apparently my wife HAS had problems with the connection dropping. Maybe it's the Homeplugs. The problem happened this morning in the midst of a Skype call so I went into Network Preferences and re-ordered the connection choices putting WiFi at the top and Ethernet below. Both have green lights. Now can you advise me whether having both on actually uses both at the same time - causing potential problems - or whether the computer chooses the first on the list and only the second when the first drops out. In other words do I need to disconnect my Ethernet cable to test WiFi on its own.

 

[gsahli]

Now can you advise me whether having both on actually uses both at the same time - causing potential problems - or whether the computer chooses the first on the list and only the second when the first drops out. In other words do I need to disconnect my Ethernet cable to test WiFi on its own.

Computer uses only one at a time.
Yes, it would appropriate to test by disconnecting ethernet. Or turn off in Network prefs.

 

[ron4mac]

Any green-lighted connection will be active. The ordering serves mostly to provide the order that the interfaces will be brought up. Connections in the same family (yours are both in the en(x) family), will be used for requests based on reachability of IP address. Since your connections' reachability should be the same, I think any request will be made to whichever interface does not have a transaction in progress, paying attention to your ordering of the interfaces if neither of them are busy.

I think, if the underlying code is written well enough, the system could handle this situation. But it is definitely not the norm and could be open to instability. Usually, two ethernet connections will have different reachability profiles (different networks).

My recommendation is that you try to stick to one connection to your network. Perhaps adding a device to extend your wifi would be helpful.

 

[MacInWin]

I just tested it and when both WiFi and Ethernet are active, they have two different IP numbers. So, to the router, they are two different "machines" and any application that uses one will probably struggle shifting to the other. Consider: An app on the iMac opens a communication over WiFi to some remote location, sending IP#! as the return address (Yes, purists, I KNOW I've simplified it). Now imagine in mid-stream the WiFi connection is interrupted and the Ethernet is the only active connection. BUT it has IP#2, not IP#1. So the return communication comes to the wrong address. Communication is broken. Not good.

As for the Homeplugs, as I said earlier, they face significant technological challenges. It may be less expensive for you to use bridging to extend your WiFi past your stone walls. I use a device from TP-Link, this one, which extends my WiFi. It does have to be where it can see a good signal, but it does extend the range of my WiFi past where it used to be pretty sketchy. They have more models that that one, but I can say that that particular model has worked well for me for just over a year now. Of course, YMMV!

 

[Mikethebook]

I've disconnected Ethernet, since I had these issues when I only had Ethernet alone (having unfortunately disconnected the WiFi wires when upgrading RAM) so I will see how things go with WiFi now that it's reconnected. The signal seems to be okay. In any case I can't use an intermediate device. There are no wall sockets anywhere remotely convenient. I'll give it a few days and report back.

 

[Mikethebook]

Good news. Having disconnected the Ethernet I appear to be having fewer problems now with WiFi alone. Many thanks for the help.

 

[MacInWin]

Glad you got it sorted!