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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Very slow Internet -- seems like DNS lookup problem
BMorearty - Apr 4, 2006 - 1:07 am
Hello,
I've had my (first) Mac since last summer. It's running OS X 10.4.2. It's a PowerBook G4. I access the Internet using a wireless LinkSys modem and DSL. I also have two PCs connected to the same modem--one wireless, one wired.
The Mac's Internet connection is annoyingly slow. It's really bad. It's slow whether I'm using Firefox or Safari, and with any web site. (I normally use Firefox.)
It seems to be a problem with DNS lookup, not the actual throughput rate. I say that because when I navigate to a page, Firefox's status bar says "Connecting to xyz.com..." for a long time. Once it has finally connected, the text of the page loads quickly. Then it sits there for a long time loading the images.
Various bandwidth tests (cnet.com, testmy.net, giganews.com) tell me I'm getting 1300K to 1400K, which is perfectly respectable for my DSL connection. That's probably because those tests are downloading a single big file, not testing the DNS lookup speed.
Interestingly, I get 2-3x Slower results from my notebook PC on these same bandwidth test sites--and yet the PC throughput is a lot faster because there's no lag in the DNS lookup.
In the past I was able to fix this by turning off my Linksys router and my DSL modem, then turning them on again. Now this fix doesn't work any more.
I also upgraded my Linksys firmware. No helpy.
Let me know what else I can try. Please give explicit instructions--I'm a PC expert but new to the Mac so some terminology is unfamiliar to me.
Please help.
I've had my (first) Mac since last summer. It's running OS X 10.4.2. It's a PowerBook G4. I access the Internet using a wireless LinkSys modem and DSL. I also have two PCs connected to the same modem--one wireless, one wired.
The Mac's Internet connection is annoyingly slow. It's really bad. It's slow whether I'm using Firefox or Safari, and with any web site. (I normally use Firefox.)
It seems to be a problem with DNS lookup, not the actual throughput rate. I say that because when I navigate to a page, Firefox's status bar says "Connecting to xyz.com..." for a long time. Once it has finally connected, the text of the page loads quickly. Then it sits there for a long time loading the images.
Various bandwidth tests (cnet.com, testmy.net, giganews.com) tell me I'm getting 1300K to 1400K, which is perfectly respectable for my DSL connection. That's probably because those tests are downloading a single big file, not testing the DNS lookup speed.
Interestingly, I get 2-3x Slower results from my notebook PC on these same bandwidth test sites--and yet the PC throughput is a lot faster because there's no lag in the DNS lookup.
In the past I was able to fix this by turning off my Linksys router and my DSL modem, then turning them on again. Now this fix doesn't work any more.
I also upgraded my Linksys firmware. No helpy.
Let me know what else I can try. Please give explicit instructions--I'm a PC expert but new to the Mac so some terminology is unfamiliar to me.
Please help.
mookie - Apr 4, 2006 - 11:13 am
Good day - my name is Alex and I might be able to help you.
I have also experienced the endless "connecting" message followed by a fast load of the page, except any elements that are linked off site (typically graphical ads).
In my case DNS was indeed the problem. I am a Cablevision subscriber and have found that if I use the Cablevision provided DNS servers from within the Cablevision network the performance leaves a lot to be desired.
I assume you are using DHCP from the Linksys to acquire an IP address, a default gateway and DNS server addresses.
If you single click on the blue apple in the menu bar at the top left of your screen and select "system preferences" and then single click the "network" icon in the Internet & Network section, you will see a Network control panel.
Unless you have made changes here it is likely that the Location is "Automatic" and the Show selection is "Network Status".
In the box below you will see various conection possibilities. Thes may include Airport and Ethernet. Click on the one that is in use and select the configure button below.
In the next panel you will see a row of menu buttons, select the TCP/IP button. The data presented here should be familiar from your Windows experience.
If you are defaulting to DHCP you may also see the DNS Servers box is empty.
For my geographical location (north of New York City) I usually enter the addresses for 2 Verizon Level 3 DNS servers here.
4.2.2.1
4.2.2.3
(Don't ask me why I chose these 2 - there are 6 total - 4.2.2.1 through 4.2.2.6)
Click Apply Now and give it a try.
Let me know if this improves your connection. There is 1 other possibility that I have experienced in Ethernet corporate environments when conected through a switch. This is related to speed and duplex settings and is not usually the problem in home networks.
regards,
Alex
I have also experienced the endless "connecting" message followed by a fast load of the page, except any elements that are linked off site (typically graphical ads).
In my case DNS was indeed the problem. I am a Cablevision subscriber and have found that if I use the Cablevision provided DNS servers from within the Cablevision network the performance leaves a lot to be desired.
I assume you are using DHCP from the Linksys to acquire an IP address, a default gateway and DNS server addresses.
If you single click on the blue apple in the menu bar at the top left of your screen and select "system preferences" and then single click the "network" icon in the Internet & Network section, you will see a Network control panel.
Unless you have made changes here it is likely that the Location is "Automatic" and the Show selection is "Network Status".
In the box below you will see various conection possibilities. Thes may include Airport and Ethernet. Click on the one that is in use and select the configure button below.
In the next panel you will see a row of menu buttons, select the TCP/IP button. The data presented here should be familiar from your Windows experience.
If you are defaulting to DHCP you may also see the DNS Servers box is empty.
For my geographical location (north of New York City) I usually enter the addresses for 2 Verizon Level 3 DNS servers here.
4.2.2.1
4.2.2.3
(Don't ask me why I chose these 2 - there are 6 total - 4.2.2.1 through 4.2.2.6)
Click Apply Now and give it a try.
Let me know if this improves your connection. There is 1 other possibility that I have experienced in Ethernet corporate environments when conected through a switch. This is related to speed and duplex settings and is not usually the problem in home networks.
regards,
Alex
BMorearty - Apr 4, 2006 - 11:39 am
Alex, thank you! Your solution worked.
A few weeks ago I created a "Home" Location in Network preferences and neglected to set the DNS servers. I should have known better.
After seeing your answer I entered the same DNS server IP that I had previously entered under "Automatic" (the SBC Yahoo DSL DNS for the SF Bay Area) into my new Location. It worked.
P.S. I was mistaken when I said my notebook PC was getting lower bandwidth. Lamely, I ran that bandwidth test while downloading something big in the background. Duh. The PC actually gets the same bandwidth as the Mac, and now the perform identically.
A few weeks ago I created a "Home" Location in Network preferences and neglected to set the DNS servers. I should have known better.
After seeing your answer I entered the same DNS server IP that I had previously entered under "Automatic" (the SBC Yahoo DSL DNS for the SF Bay Area) into my new Location. It worked.
P.S. I was mistaken when I said my notebook PC was getting lower bandwidth. Lamely, I ran that bandwidth test while downloading something big in the background. Duh. The PC actually gets the same bandwidth as the Mac, and now the perform identically.
mookie - Apr 4, 2006 - 11:42 am
You're very welcome. I am also a "switcher" and only switched post OS 9 when OS X made its appearance. I now dread having to use a Windows PC.
regards,
Alex
regards,
Alex
BMorearty - Apr 4, 2006 - 11:52 am
I still love using my Windows PC. (I know, it's sacrilege to say that here.)
:-)
But the Mac's nice too.
One thing I found curious: my Linksys router has some DNS addresses entered into its configuration. Both my PCs (the desktop and the wireless notebook) seem to get that configuration from the router when doing DNS lookup, hence they're fast. I say they seem to get the config from the router because they both have their DNS addresses set to "automatic" (empty), just like my Mac did.
Perhaps the Mac doesn't get the DNS info from the router. Or maybe there's some setting I need to set to make it do that.
Also interesting was that SBC Yahoo's DSL help page specifically says to leave the DNS settings empty, whether using a PC or a Mac. Yet clearly that's not a good idea, at least in my case. But I still have the old DNS addresses from when I first signed up in 1999.
:-)
But the Mac's nice too.
One thing I found curious: my Linksys router has some DNS addresses entered into its configuration. Both my PCs (the desktop and the wireless notebook) seem to get that configuration from the router when doing DNS lookup, hence they're fast. I say they seem to get the config from the router because they both have their DNS addresses set to "automatic" (empty), just like my Mac did.
Perhaps the Mac doesn't get the DNS info from the router. Or maybe there's some setting I need to set to make it do that.
Also interesting was that SBC Yahoo's DSL help page specifically says to leave the DNS settings empty, whether using a PC or a Mac. Yet clearly that's not a good idea, at least in my case. But I still have the old DNS addresses from when I first signed up in 1999.
mookie - Apr 5, 2006 - 7:22 am
Hello again,
Actually the DNS servers provided by DHCP (if any) are being used.
If you start the terminal application and type "dig", at the end of the display you'll see the first DNS server interrogated by dig.
From within terminal you can also (carefully) change directory to /etc and display the resolv.conf file.
cd /etc
cat resolv.conf
You'll see the DNS servers in use as the "nameserver" lines. You can also add a DNS server manually from the network control panel, click "apply" and then redisplay the resolv.conf file.
You'll see the server(s) you added above the default servers.
Have a great day!
Actually the DNS servers provided by DHCP (if any) are being used.
If you start the terminal application and type "dig", at the end of the display you'll see the first DNS server interrogated by dig.
From within terminal you can also (carefully) change directory to /etc and display the resolv.conf file.
cd /etc
cat resolv.conf
You'll see the DNS servers in use as the "nameserver" lines. You can also add a DNS server manually from the network control panel, click "apply" and then redisplay the resolv.conf file.
You'll see the server(s) you added above the default servers.
Have a great day!
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