not connected to internet: network diagnostics fixes it every time.....
so this is a pain in the face....
I am connected to the internet via a belkin N+ router..... this is in turn connected to an adsl modem...
I am having no problems with the signal to the router but at least four times a day my internet disappears....
When I run Network Diagnostics hey presto, your internet is working fine....
The only things I have changed recently was that as I am running osx 10.4.11 I was having that issue where you couldn't access Network in sys pref, it kept saying "your settings have been changed by another application", I found a solution on here whereby you delete the plist prefs and rebuild them... That worked a charm but now I'm wondering is this connected in some way....
or...
I got software from the makers of the belkin N+ wireless usb dongle chip that came with my router (belkin don't provide osx support but said that I could get a utility from the chip makers) I installed this but it never worked so uninstalled it, and ran disk utility and safe boot and pram and fsck (everything I could think of)
I only have one location in network, and airport is the only active network port
any ideas...????
System:
imac G5 20" | osx 10.4.11 | belkin N+ router | airport extreme card
Comments
Clone your whole boot drive to a external firewire drive using Carbon Copy Cloner and repair permissions on both. Hold option and boot from the clone to check it out. Write down any important information, like software passwords etc and tape it to the drive.
Cloning gives you a way to go back to exactly what you had beforehand in a bootable state, just in case. If you want to check for rookits, search for Rootkit Hunter and run that with Admin, might show something or better if it doesn't. Because you really don't want to hook up a rooted OS X to a clean OS X drive.
Note: if your boot drive is Filevaulted, you need to turn this off first and have the drive space available, if not simply copy your users folder to the external drive for backup purposes and take a note of all applications, passwords, download locations etc to help in your rebuild. Filevault causes the machine to get hot and hampers the ability to recover files later if something happens, only good if you need the drive encrypted, if you need only some files encrypted then there is software for that.
Next disconnect the clone, the router from your machine and the internet and any Time Machine drives (important!) and then hold c and boot from your OS X install disk and from the menu someplace run Disk Utility and Erase with Zero option your boot drive (will erase all data!)
You need a clean OS X install to get rid of any problems or infections before tackling the router so from here on out you are going clean and totally fresh.
Next install OS X and use the drive name and user name as the original boot drive, but use new and different passwords. This way files like in iTunes playlists will work when transferred over later.
Take the Mac to another (safe) internet location and download the latest software and firmware for your router. Also update OS X while your at it, now your machine will be clean and up to date.
http://en-us-support.belkin.com/app/...ist/q/routers/
Follow the instructions to set up the router and install the firmware, if it doesn't use OS X software, you'll need to have a Windows user do it for you. Do use a network guru with a clean Windows machine.
Next you want to access the advanced features of your router, not the easy install method which leaves so many users routers undefended. Instructions should be in your router manual.
Use WPA2 with AES (WEP and WPA are cracked)
Use a especially long and complicated Administration access password for the router, I think you can safely use more than 20 random characters, the more the better the max is the best. And make sure you write it down correctly and store in a safe location.
Change the SSID to something else than the default. You can chose to hide it, but that only reduces the traffic of regular people testing your network for access. The more knowledgeable guys know how to look for hidden networks. So hiding your SSID can help reduce unwanted traffic in your in a high traffic location.
Turn off remote management if you don't ever intend to remote access the router from the internet (a good thing). Turn off ping too then, as this just answers all those knocking on the door prior to attacking and reduces performance, helps protect against new router exploits.
Turn on a Guest Internet access account and give it a random complicated password of long length, write it down as well.
MAC Address filtering is rather strict and really a hassle for you later, as anyone can sniff the traffic and spoof the MAC address to try to gain access. The WPA2 with AES encryption is what protects you from packet insertion.
You might want to reduce the broadcast range of your router so it's not reaching the street or neighbors through walls etc. Take your Mac around later to test the range of the signal.
As you know you have to use "Join Other Network" and type in the SSID and password of a hidden network. It just doesn't appear in the menu.
Once you have your router set up properly, the attention it gets from the hostiles on the internet should be reduced and your performance increased. You need to focus on setting up OS X again, like turning on the Firewall in System Preferences/Security to Allow Only Essential Services
Also you should take this opportunity to clean install all applications from fresh sources and update, run anti-virus ClamXav on the clone of the older OS and begin transferring files across.
Once you have your new boot drive perfected, then hook up any Time Machine drives, as it will copy this new configuration. Run anti-virus on that too just in case.
One should never be running as Admin as this allows the Applications folder to be altered, among other things. Instead create a new Admin User and log into that and turn the original Admin User to a General User. Everything will work just as fine, except when installing applications or doing things outside the user folder it will ask for the Admin name and password.
thanks for that... I'll get onto that straight off....
I suppose this would be a good opportunity to upgrade the hard drive too.....
I was about to search on here for the best way to do that.....
Only thing is I had a fire in my old place and all of my cd's with apps were in it.... so I have no re-install capability....
the only thing I'm worried about is my Adobe CS suite.... is it possible to find my reg no and key in a .plist file somewhere.... or am I goosed if I try this "spring clean"
basically my isp provided me with an adsl router with wireless (zyxel) but as this is only 802.11. g I contacted a local supplier for the strongest wireless router, and he pointed me in the direction of the belkin N+....
so where should all of my dhcp and dns settings be made to make this all work seamlessly
phoneline-- phonecable-->zyxel (P-660HW-T1 v3)--ethernet cable-->belkin--> wireless network
where is it best to setup alll of the open dns and dhcp etc etc..... in the zyxel or in the belkin
It might be better to pay someone good at cracking the iMac to upgrade the drive, do get as much speed and the largest size drive you can afford, as you really don't want to do this again anytime soon. Hitachi, in my opinion and of others, makes the very best drives. Do Zero that puppy before laying your data or reverse cloning or fresh install.
Your best bet with the Adobe issue is to contact them and work with them, DRM schemes over the internet and all, perhaps taking the drive name in that too. I doubt the reg key is locked in a .plist, that's way to fscking easy.
Far as your networking issues, why bother with wireless when you got a desktop? just Cat5 the b*tch directly to the modem, got to respect the length though, think it's 30' max, do check. You can buy a spool of Cat5 and the tools, etc at your local HomeDepo/Lowes. Putting the connectors on is a real delicate job, do follow the instructions included. I use a fine hair comb to keep the wires in line.
After that just mess around with the wireless until you get it, read networking books etc.
Since you got DSL, you do need a something extra on the phone line if I remember right, like a terminator or splitter or something, could be your problem, messing with the voice line or incoming fax's screwing up your internet access and dropping you, forget what, I use cable now.