Why is my apple internet connection so slow :-(

Pythagorous

Hey guys,

Can anyone please help. My apple is wirelessly connected to my O2 broadband, but is dog slow. Generally a new page take 6 or 7 seconds to load. Sometimes its a bit quicker, sometimes a lot slower. The actual router is located a floor up quite a distance away, but I don't think that is the problem as my wireless laptop (windows) seems to have no problems. The little triangle showing the connection strength is usually at full power (4 full bars) and I was told by O2 that the speed for my connection should be about 4 meg.

Any ideas guys?

Thanks

-TangleFoot-

Which browser are you using?

macman

Firstly you need to make a temporary ethernet connection to see if it is just a wireless problem or a general problem.
Test your line speed here:
https://www.speedtest.net.
What browser are you using-Safari? If so, try Firefox or Chrome to see if any better (Safari has just been updated today to 4.04, so make sure you run your Software Updates from the Apple menu).
Next thing I would do is to change the channel on the wireless router to see if that helps.
You didn't say if it has always been this slow on the Mac, or if it a recent problem?

Pythagorous

Thanks for the responses guys.

I generally use Safari although sometime use FFox, which is maybe a tad faster.

My speedtest results are
http://img.skitch.com/20091112-camb8ic6kp22hwhee8ud5ycbrx.jpg

I'll have to try the safari update, thanks. Wasn't even aware of the different channels on the router so thanks for that suggestion. In fact I just checked my router and it doesnt seem to have any other channels!?

I've had the Mac for about 6 months now. As far as I remember it was okay for the 1st month or so then got progressively worse. Will alos try the ethernet suggestion although as the lappy wireless is ok I dont think that is the issue. Cheers.

macman

You need to log into the router's web interface to change the channels-it's not like a dial on the back of it!
Your line speed is slower than 02's estimate, but nothing that should cause a web page to take 7 seconds to load.
Run all your software updates and retest.
The point of the ethernet test is to isolate the problem-I don't think it is the issue either.
Also try a straightforward reboot of the router and let it re-synch with the exchange.

Leopard

You give no indication of what type of Mac you are using.

You give no indication of how old it is.

You give no indication of what software it is running.

You give no indication of the make and model of the wireless router.

You give no indication of whether, nor, if so, by what means it is set to encrypt.

You give no indication of whether or not your Mac is slow on wireless networks other than your own.

You give no indication of whether it's slow when using an Ethernet lead.

Yet you expect people here to diagnose your problem?

How?

Pythagorous

Leopard wrote: »

You give no indication of what type of Mac you are using.

http://img.skitch.com/20091112-jyjafdwcnbm6icjhem6t3fhbn9.jpg

Leopard wrote: »

You give no indication of how old it is.

As mentioned earlier I bought it about 6 months ago:rolleyes:

Leopard wrote: »

You give no indication of what software it is running.

All the free software I received with it such as imovie, iphoto etc. I have also downloaded/installed and use itunes, numbers, pages, a wireless HP device manager, vuze and skitch.

Leopard wrote: »

You give no indication of the make and model of the wireless router.

A free one provided by O2. Just says O2 wireless box II on it.

Leopard wrote: »

You give no indication of whether, nor, if so, by what means it is set to encrypt.

Now I have no idea what you are talking about.

Leopard wrote: »

You give no indication of whether or not your Mac is slow on wireless networks other than your own.

I have never used it on another wireless network so don't know.

Leopard wrote: »

You give no indication of whether it's slow when using an Ethernet lead.

Will be testing this shortly

Leopard wrote: »

Yet you expect people here to diagnose your problem?

How?

By giving some general suggestions as Macman has done:rolleyes: or by nicely telling me what info is needed to help with the diagnosis. In fact after performing the updates as he suggested things seemed to have improved somewhat, although its still slower than I think it should be. Thank you MacMan btw.

I came to this board as I'd consider myself to be relatively IT illiterate especially when it comes to diagnosing internet connection speeds. I didn't realise you had to have considered every possible piece of essential information before posting.

This network info may also be of use in helping to diagnose the problem
http://img.skitch.com/20091112-d4xbgkdaua435mwk5ntpn2xcr5.jpg
http://img.skitch.com/20091112-egxeejub1ddx2pdhka83im2xwm.jpg

One other thing I just remembered is that I did have a remote desktop connection set up at some point and the problems seemed to start occurring around the time it was initialy set up (I no longer use it).

Apologies in advance if I have left any other essential info out.;)

-TangleFoot-

Pythagorous wrote: »

Now I have no idea what you are talking about.

Whilst the data travelling down a length of Ethernet cable is reasonably immune to casual interception, wireless communications can be listened to and interpreted quite easily if the data is not strongly encrypted.

Common options:

• WEP
• WPA

macman

If the OP is using a standard O2 Thomson router, then the encryption will be set to WEP by default.

kwikbreaks

Probably the most important question of all hasn't been asked - is this O2 LLU or the £17 ish Access product which every man and his dog has been moaning about for weeks.

If it is Access then basically you are stuffed until either O2 get it sorted or you move on. If it is LLU than cary on checking why the wireless is slow.

The standard O2 router is a TG585v7 with custom O2 firmware. The 585's have never been much cop on WiFi.

M4RKM

OK... i've used 4.2.2.1 etc before as nameservers, and actually now find them rather slow.

I'm on o2, have a slower speed than your speedtest comes back at and have no issues, however, I do use a dedicated modem only, and then use an apple time capsule as my wireless router in the house.

I'd suggest changing the DNS within the router, and use opendns as I find this faster and more reliable, so it could be a DNS glitch.

Personally, i'm not a huge fan of the o2 wireless box when I used mine, especially because the way the DNS is set, and it always forces theirs to be first, so regardless, having 4.2.2.1 in underneath won't really make much of a difference... which is why I said you should change it in the router..

In firefox, go to 192.168.1.254 and then the options should be somewhere in that webpage...

wired is always better if you have a desktop mac, and the router is next to you (so that is an iMac, Mac Mini, or Mac Pro), but if you have a laptop, you are stuck with wireless.. also, the o2 box is only 802.11g, whereas the newer macs will work on 802.11n giving you a much faster connection to your local network, and if you have a router that works on 5ghz, you have less interference from other wifi networks and electronic devices that work on 2.4ghz that b/g wifi uses.




M