Finder took 10 minutes to load while DSL was down!

Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
Just thought I'd share:

I have Dynamic DSL over a Westel 2200 with a DHCP Server providing two IP addresses. (not PPoE)

I booted up in OSX 3.7 yesterday, and got nothing but the dock and a few icons at the upper right. After a fair amount of frustration I discovered the finder would eventually load after 10 minutes and perhaps a little tickling of menus. I tried on a fresh install of Panther 10.3 and experience much the same, with less delay due to the lack of start up apps. Everything I did was painfully slow- essentially the computer was useless.

So as it turns out DSL was down, and turning off the ethernet port sufficed until I got back a signal. Too bad Verizon didn't know to suggest that.

This makes me think of the OS8 days when setting TCP/IP to DCHP, and not connecting to a DHCP server would hang the computer on regular intervals while it sought a port.

But if it had a good IP license from the router, you'd think I could have used the remainder of network services without interference!

But perhaps the Westell is not quite a proper router.

And I need a cable modem. \

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    a_greera_greer Posts: 4,594member
    Get yourself a router. for many reasons, no matter what platform you are on, it is more secure, and it can fix your dhcp thing - because the computer is relying on the router not the ISP signal, I have had the same thing happen in windows before: it turned out to be a tcp/ip stack thing but the quickest fix that I have found when something like that happens is to power down everything - all computers, modems, routers/hubs/switches, even printers, then turn on the modem and any routing or switching equipment and ait for all lights to indicate a connection - then boot the computer and any peripherals, it is a pain but I only have to do it once every 4 months or so, not bad for consumer equipment (ie not enterprise thus not made to run uninterupted for years.)
  • Reply 2 of 8
    dobbydobby Posts: 797member
    Use DHCP with manual address and give yourself the ip address that your router/dsl connection normally gives you.

    If you have a number of machines connected (like I do at home) then make sure the ip is higher in the subnet range.

    eg. if you router is 192.168.1.1 and subnet is 255.255.255.0 the make your ip 192.168.1.10



    This works fine on most hoem installations I do.



    Dobby.



    Edit. This wil ensure the machine boots straight away even if the router/dsl is off.
  • Reply 3 of 8
    scottscott Posts: 7,431member
    You didn't happen to have some network mounted disks did you? The Finder is not very graceful with volumes that it can't mount or ones that drop off line unexpectedly.
  • Reply 4 of 8
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Scott

    You didn't happen to have some network mounted disks did you?



    Nope. And it did the same with a test of a freshly installed OSX3 on another drive with no startups, etc. I was tempted to boot the Jag Mac and see how it responded, but how much time could I waste playing detective?

    Quote:

    Originally posted by Dobby

    give yourself the ip address that your router/dsl connection normally gives you



    Good Idea, as it will be a PAIN to have to do it AFTER symptoms present themselves again.



    It didn't help that my Palm stopped syncing the day before, and I was already tearing things apart for that problem. Got to the bottom of that too, but home many Mac/Sony Clie users ARE out there to care?

    Brrrrrrrrr - internet withdrawal.

    I was ready to run out and buy an airport card and hope to snag a neighbor's signal (isn't it funny how wireless routers OTHER than Airport come preset with no password so they give out access to the world?).
  • Reply 5 of 8
    One thing that happens on login is that the Finder attempts to resolve the IP address of idisk.mac.com. This really bogs down logins that cannot do this, not 10 minutes but perhaps 20-30 seconds. If i have to set up a lab with no no external network access then i spoof this address on a local DNS.
  • Reply 6 of 8
    relicrelic Posts: 4,735member
    Get a different Finder Apples sucks big donkey dick, "There isn't one!", nevermind you're screwed.
  • Reply 7 of 8
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Relic

    Get a different Finder Apples sucks big donkey dick, "There isn't one!", nevermind you're screwed.



    Anything is better than windoze, as sadly, I'm off to work on a PC at a client.

    Let's see, it only took four IT guys and three days to install a plug-in I needed on THAT system.

    The work around to that problem was trick it like it was a Mac. That left the last IT guy scratching his head, but I yelled "It's working. GO AWAY!"
  • Reply 8 of 8
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Jellytussle

    One thing that happens on login is that the Finder attempts to resolve the IP address of idisk.mac.com. This really bogs down logins that cannot do this, not 10 minutes but perhaps 20-30 seconds. If i have to set up a lab with no no external network access then i spoof this address on a local DNS.



    I wonder if that couldn't be fixed using a hosts file or a Netinfo equivilent? In any case, I have had this happen to me too when my cable modem was down.
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