Macbook freezes up on internet

[Kathy Sarlo]

MacBook Pro running Osx 10.6.8 will freeze up (spinning beach ball) when connected to internet in my house. Does not do this at Apple store or in places with free wifi. Freeze occurs on wifi and with direct cable connection to modem. No issues using Ipad or old windows machine...connect fine. Internet provider pointing finger at computer since iPad, windows computer and service tech computer (also windows) work. Apple believes issue with internet provider. Genius bar cannot reproduce problem. Stuck in middle. Have tried all sorts of resets, reboots, diagnostics and nothing helps. Computer works fine when offline but can't do a thing with it when connected. This all started when internet provider started replacing copper wire with fioptics and upgrading modem/router. Has anyone had this problem? Any ideas?

 

[Spawn_Dooley]

You might not want to hear this but is it an option to upgrade your MB Pro? Is the issue when you try to use a Web Browser or even with Software Update? Or the MBP just can't 'see' the internet? Are you in Aust? I ask because we are in the middle of an NBN rollout with fibre optic. Who is the ISP? Can you take your computer to a friends house to test their internet connection with your MBP? Preferably a non fibre optic service? Very odd that the old PC has no issues ...

 

[Kathy Sarlo]

You might not want to hear this but is it an option to upgrade your MB Pro? Is the issue when you try to use a Web Browser or even with Software Update? Or the MBP just can't 'see' the internet? Are you in Aust? I ask because we are in the middle of an NBN rollout with fibre optic. Who is the ISP? Can you take your computer to a friends house to test their internet connection with your MBP? Preferably a non fibre optic service? Very odd that the old PC has no issues ...

Thank you Spawn_Dooley. I can make the connection and sometimes able to download my mail or open a web page but after 1-2 minutes I get the beach ball. Sometimes I get the beach ball as soon as it connects. I will try a friends connection...good idea. Apple tech support were hesitant to do upgrade since they want to know if this is hardware or software issue. The ISP is Cincinnati Bell. I am sorry, what is Aust?

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello and welcome.

Aust is Australia. I am originally from Columbus, so Cincinnati Bell brought back some fond memories.

This is a unique issue for sure. Spawn_Dooley made some great suggestions. In addition to those:

-Did you have to install any Cincy Bell software?
-Do you have any third-party utilities such as MacKeeper or an anti-virus installed and running?
-Do any of your friends/neighbors have Macs that could try your network?
-I assume you are using DHCP in your network settings? Do you have any DNS entries that you or Bell asked you to enter manually?

It sounds to me that is most likely a setting in the modem/router.

-I am sure you power cycled it already?
-Has Bell attempted to swap the modem/router since the upgrade?
-What brand/model is the modem/router?

We should be able to figure this out together.

C

 

[Kathy Sarlo]

Hello and welcome.

Aust is Australia. I am originally from Columbus, so Cincinnati Bell brought back some fond memories.

This is a unique issue for sure. Spawn_Dooley made some great suggestions. In addition to those:

-Did you have to install any Cincy Bell software?
-Do you have any third-party utilities such as MacKeeper or an anti-virus installed and running?
-Do any of your friends/neighbors have Macs that could try your network?
-I assume you are using DHCP in your network settings? Do you have any DNS entries that you or Bell asked you to enter manually?

It sounds to me that is most likely a setting in the modem/router.

-I am sure you power cycled it already?
-Has Bell attempted to swap the modem/router since the upgrade?
-What brand/model is the modem/router?

We should be able to figure this out together.

C

Thank you Cory. Unfortunately my memories of Cincy Bell are becoming muddled at the moment! . I had a "duh" moment about Aust....let me answer your questions. I did not install or run any software from Cincy Bell. I am not running any third party software. I am using DHCP but I never typed in a DNS. I have a friend with a Mac but I don't want to mess up her laptop....we have power cycled the modem several times and Bell has so far refused to swap out the modem (I will go back and insist). The brand is ZyXEL 41947. I checked out my settings on my iPad and everything is the same as the MB except the IP address. Can the
IP address get corrupted?? The Bell tech that came to the house would not tell me the settings in the modem...I assume this is proprietary. Any help you and others can provide is greatly appreciated. Kathy

 

[Cory Cooper]

The IP address that your Mac is getting shouldn't cause any issues, especially since it's numbers are all the same as the iPad's are except the last number. They can't really be corrupted.

Yes, they keep the admin section of the modem/router private for their techs only.

It could also be with Mac OS X 10.6.8 and the ZyXEL, but I wouldn't go to upgrade that just yet, as I still think it is most likely due to the ZyXEK itself and hopefully a swap will correct the issue.

I will let you know of anything further we can try if I think of anything.

C

 

[Kathy Sarlo]

The IP address that your Mac is getting shouldn't cause any issues, especially since it's numbers are all the same as the iPad's are except the last number. They can't really be corrupted.

Yes, they keep the admin section of the modem/router private for their techs only.

It could also be with Mac OS X 10.6.8 and the ZyXEL, but I wouldn't go to upgrade that just yet, as I still think it is most likely due to the ZyXEK itself and hopefully a swap will correct the issue.

I will let you know of anything further we can try if I think of anything.

C

Hello Cory. I am 95% sure my issue has been resolved. I spoke to a tech expert at Cincy Bell and she mentioned that she has seen this problem once before, related to IP address.
For some reason when the Mac connects to the ZyXEL modem/router, it will get an IPv4 address, then the option for an IPv6 address gets turned on. The computer tries to get an IPv6 address (even though it is connected via IPv4) and confusion reigns...the computer freezes up and has to be powered down. I disabled the IPv6 option in network utilities and now everything is working fine. This must be something related to the ZyXEL since I have been able to connect and work with the MBP in 4 other sites. I am really hoping this is the fix. Thanks for your help. I'll be back if other issues arise.

 

[Cory Cooper]

Ahhh...that makes sense. Comcast recently started deploying IPv6 addresses as well, and it has caused a few connectivity issues. I really didn't think about that as a cause in your case, but sounds like it should be OK now.

Don't hesitate to let us know if you need anything else, and thanks for the update with the solution.

C

 

[chazp]

A Fairpoint upgrade to DSL speed meant a new modem (Zyxel) -- which worked great for my IOS device and a Mac with Snow Lion OS 10.8.5. Hooray!
However, two older Macs with Snow Leopard OS 10.6.8 suddenly started beachballing and freezing. Co-incidence? Virus? It took a while to confirm that the problem did not occur as long as not connected to internet (even without opening a browser or email it would happen within a minute or less of connecting, sometimes even before boot up was completed). Weirdest thing ever on a Mac, as the thing would completely lock up and even ForceQuit would not operate -- only powering down worked. Importantly, taking the laptop to a different location w wifi it worked just fine as before. So it was definitely something about how the older OS was interacting with this new modem, not the computer per se....
A friend had had the same problem a few months back and had never resolved it. Ironically his older Mac worked fine at my place at that point, but locked on his own network, even though his IOS and newer Mac worked fine.

After trying all kinds of stuff that did not fix or prevent this, (even safe boots!), what worked was disabling IPV6 in Network preferences (both in Airport and Ethernet sections). I also added in two DNS addresses (which had been empty) found by looking at the modem's webpage to see what it was using, but I think it was the IPV hand that was the culpit. I looked at Little Snitch to watch what happened on startup, then upon turning on Airport, and the IPV change completely changed what happened. It works!

Thanks a bunch Kathy, passing on your solution totally saved my bacon!!!

 

[Balystick]

Ok Guys I confirm !
I've an old Macbook 2007 running 10.6.8 perfectly until I changed my internet box.
Like you it was freezing 1 or 2 mn after connecting the box, by wifi or ethernet.
I try everything during 1 week and I was desesperate, until I found that post.
So I confirm, just after disabling IPV6, everything work totally fine.
Thank you so much, this post saved my Macbook !!!!!!

 

[Cory Cooper]

Nice to hear that solution worked for others as well. We'll take note of that, in case anyone else is experiencing this issue.

Thanks for letting us know,

C

 

[Brandi]

Hi! I have turned my iPV6 off and I am still having the same problems. Is there anything else I need to do?

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello and welcome Brandi.

Is this a new post, or are you posting under a different user name?

C

 

[Brandi]

It's a new post. I got it fixed though

 

[Cory Cooper]

Excellent!

If you would like, please post your solution so that others may benefit in the future.

Glad you got it working again,

C

 

[caymanjon]

Hey Brendi, the IPV6 isnt doing it for my mac either if could please share your solution! Cheers

 

[vballmom]

Hi all - I'm experiencing the same problems and have disabled the IPV6 for my MAC. Does anyone have any other solutions or suggestions?

 

[cupempty]

New reply. Thanks for your help. The IPv6 disabled worked for me as well. I've had the same problem with a Macbook pro running 10.6.8 for about a year at the same place. It works fine at every other place, every other router. This one is Zyxel vmg1312 variety, b10d. Not sure if it's fibreoptic but likely that it is since it was installed between 1 and 2 years ago. Every time I have the internet on with the Macbook pro, it crashed and I power down. But now it seems to be okay and I'm ready for all that other work that has to be done. Every day being a holiday.

 

[cupempty]

ANother note: I'f you're disabling the IPv6 make sure you save it but then also save it in the main Network preferences window and if you have restarted, check again if it is still disabled. I'm pretty sure I had to restart before that stayed disabled.

 

[guybles]

First post and just wanted to give this a bump: my struggling 2007 iMac on Snow Leopard (10.6.8) was not feeling the love for networking with a new ZyXEL VMG1312-B10B, but would support peer-to-peer with another Mac if you logged in quickly enough.

The advice above was absolutely perfect: flicked off the IPv6 settings on the network Control Panel and its been steady ever since.