In Depth: 20 OS X networking problems and fixes

20 OS X networking problems and fixes | News | TechRadar UK Updated 12 hours ago

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Tweet Page 1: 20 common Mac network problems: Part one Page 2: 20 common Mac network problems: Part two

We solve the most common network issues with OS X

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If you've got problems with your Mac and your network, you've come to the right place.

We've gathered together the 20 most common OS X networking annoyances and solved them on the spot.

Q. When my MacBook is right next to the wireless router, it connects, but if I move to another room, it then asks for the password, even though other computers can connect just fine.

A. This is a hardware fault with your MacBook's AirPort card or the antenna. The AirPort icon still reports a good signal because it is measuring the signal received from the router and the problem doesn't affect the receiver. But the transmitter's signal isn't strong enough to reach the router unless the range is virtually zero. It's time to get the AirPort card replaced – you can do so at an authorised Mac service centre.

Q. I connect wirelessly to the internet with a BT Home Hub 2. Recently, Safari has started opening at btopenzone.com instead of my home page. What's going on?

A. If your ISP is BT, your router will create two networks – the password-protected one and an open one called BT FON that can be accessed by anyone with a BT broadband account If your router isn't available when your Mac starts for whatever reason, you can sometimes find yourself connected to a neighbour's FON network instead. Rightclick the AirPort icon and select the correct network to reconnect.

Q. My iMac used to be able to create computer-to-computer networks with my Windows laptop. Since upgrading to Snow Leopard, I can't do this. Why?

A. If you use the Mac as a Wi-Fi base station, then Windows PCs at least, won't be able to connect to your network unless you untick the Require Password box. Alternatively, use a separate wireless router and connect both computers to that.

Q. How can I configure my AirPort Extreme to run both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands simultaneously, to give me two independent networks?

A. It already uses both frequencies by default. The newer wireless n models automatically pick whichever band offers the best reception. Separate your network traffic at the IP address level, using a router – not by using different radio frequencies.

Q. When I'm using MS Office, I frequently get asked whether I want the application to accept incoming network connections. Is there any particular reason why I might click 'allow'?

A. Incoming connections are network packets that were not specifically solicited by the application. MS Office applications listen on certain ports to receive notification of updates, for example.

If you have your firewall set to block all incoming connections, it won't be able to do this and that's why it pops up the message, asking if you want to let this one through. If you trust the application, it's safe; probably safer than leaving MS Office unpatched, in fact.

Q. How can I use my home Mac to access my Windows XP computer at work?

A. You could use the Remote Desktop Host included with Windows XP Professional, but it's probably easier to use a web service like GoToMyPC.com, which enables you to access your Mac or PC from anywhere (for a price).

Q. I use an Orange Internet Livebox, with Wi-Fi turned off, connected using Ethernet to a Time Capsule in Bridge Mode. This provides my wireless network. However, I'm restricted by the five-connection limit of the Livebox, even though I'm using the Time Capsule. How can I get round this?

Next Page: 20 common Mac network problems: Part two

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Tutorial: How to fix Mac network and internet problems

Fix Mac network and internet problems

Network problems can be a total pain. Thankfully internet problems on the Mac are rare, but you can easily sort them out with a few short steps.

Here's our guide to the most common Mac network and internet problems along with some suggested solutions.

"Why can't I connect my Mac to the internet"

Most connections work by your Mac connecting to a modem/router, which connects to the internet. Things could be wrong between your computer and the router, or the router and the internet. Check the lights on the router and look up what they mean – they could show you where things are wrong.

Network diagnostics may also help pinpoint the problem; open System Preferences > Network, click Assist me… then Diagnostics…

If your Mac can talk to the router, it'll appear in AirPort Utility (Apple routers), in Safari by typing its IP address into the Address bar to open the setup screen (for third-party models, find the IP address in System Preferences > Network > AirPort/ Ethernet), or in the setup software that some routers have.

If you're trying to connect by AirPort and this doesn't work, try plugging an Ethernet lead directly between your Mac and the router? Any luck? If so, it looks like the problem's with the AirPort network (is MAC address filtering enabled, for example?).

If your Mac's talking to the router and you've still got no connection, the problem's between the router and the internet. Many routers have a setup wizard (Apple's is in AirPort Utility; third-party ones will be in the setup screens in Safari); work through this.

"Why is my Wi-Fi network not appearing?"

The router's on and the relevant lights are lit – the signal doesn't go on forever, so move closer to the box and see if it shows up in your network list. If it doesn't, the network name, or SSID, may have been hidden.

If you've got an Apple router, this is called a Closed Network. If you know the exact network name and security type, choose Join Other Network… from the AirPort menu and type in the name. If not, plug an Ethernet lead between your Mac and the router to check the network name.

With Apple routers, open AirPort Utility and look in the Airport > Wireless tab, or if you have a third-party model, find the router IP address in System Preferences > Network > Ethernet. Type this into a web browser to open the settings screen.

"My internet connection is really slow!"

Is it slow on every computer in your house? If so, it could be to do with the network or internet connection as opposed to your Mac. Or could someone be hogging bandwidth? If it is only your Mac, is Software Update downloading in the background? Could something else be running?

Also, go to Safari > Reset Safari… and tick every box. Have you got loads of browser extensions running? In Safari, go to Preferences > Extensions and uninstall the lot and reinstall the vital ones one at a time.

How to troubleshoot intermittent Wi-Fi

The AirPort icon in your menu bar will show you the strength of the signal – if this is only one or two bars, the problem could be that it's too weak where you are. Move closer to the router and see if that helps – if so, think about moving your router or getting a repeater unit.

Other causes of the connection dropping randomly could be that there's interference on the Wi-Fi channel your router's using, perhaps from nearby devices – go into its setup and change it to another.

It's also worth looking at the lights on the router – when the connection drops, do the lights change? If so, there could be a fault with the router, so contact the manufacturer for help or request a new one from your ISP.

Quick tip

Want to connect to your Mac from a PC can't see it?

Open Sharing in System Preferences, tick File Sharing and click Options… Make sure Share files and folders using SMB (Windows) is ticked.

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US Navy creates game to help solve real-world problems, fight pirates

The US Navy has announced a new video game: the Massive Multiplayer Online War Game Leveraging the Internet (MMOWGLI). Developed by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the large-scale game is an experiment in generating collective intelligence to solve piracy-related problems. MMOWGLI is launching in just a few weeks (the official timeframe is spring 2011).

If you've always wanted to fight Somali pirates or take down a notorious terrorist leader, this game is for you. You also have to enjoy large games, as this looks to be one of the biggest online games ever created.

ONR plans to launch the new Internet wargame internally on May 16, 2011. It will start by recruiting a community of more than 1,000 players to collaborate on solving real-world problems facing the Navy. More specifically, for three weeks MMOWGLI will recruit online players from across the government to suggest ways of combating piracy off the coast of Somalia.

The piracy problem is just a means to demonstrate the platform, but MMOWGLI itself can be applied to any scenario. ONR intends to tap a diverse group of players from the ranks of academia, defense, as well as government and nongovernment organizations. In short, MMOWGLI is meant to identify solutions to difficult challenges by leveraging the intellectual capital of a broader community. It is still a pilot project, but it definitely sounds like it has potential.

"MMOWGLI is an online game designed to find and collectively grow breakthrough ideas to some of the Navy's most complex problems--those 21st-century threats that demand new forms of collaboration and truly outlying ideas," Dr. Larry Schuette, ONR's director of Innovation, said in a statement. "We hope MMOWGLI will help us to understand what happens when your insights are combined with the observations and actions of another player. Will that fusion result in a game-changing idea or solution, or will the MMOWGLI platform teach us something about our traditional thought processes?"

MMOWGLI should not be confused with what the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is doing. The organization last month asked gamers to test submarine-tracking simulator. Currently, ONR isn't asking gamers at large for help, but it will be soon