Reader Feedback Request: Help, help, my I can’t surf the Web!


Ok, so here’s a problem I’ve been having since I moved into my new house. This has been ongoing for months, and I can’t seem to find a fix for it…so today, I am handing it over to you. Please help me.

I changed ISPs today because the previous company was no longer interested in helping me with this issue, and didn’t want to come to the house. So I switched. Now, I’m having the same problem with the new service. The technician checked the lines, so it must be problem with the machines. The question is – how could this be a problem for both macs, when they were running Tiger, and now that they are running Leopard?

It might be the router – but I tried that – you may remember back when I bought an Airport Extreme to fix this issue – it didn’t help, and I ended up taking it back and reusing the same router that I still have.

So here’s the problem – surfing the web is dial-up levels of slow sometimes. It seems like it happens every time the browser looks for the DNS…downloading large files is no problem. Speed tests are no problem. I’m getting the speed I pay for.

Do you have any ideas? Any questions that might help me get this sorted out? Anything at all?


Kokou Adzo

Kokou Adzo is a stalwart in the tech journalism community, has been chronicling the ever-evolving world of Apple products and innovations for over a decade. As a Senior Author at Apple Gazette, Kokou combines a deep passion for technology with an innate ability to translate complex tech jargon into relatable insights for everyday users.

11 Comments

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  1. i usually use different dns servers, not only the ones my isp gives me.
    for example i use my isp dns and 4.2.2.1 as 2nd one. this i enter into my time capsule and on every mac i use in the network, usually that works for me.

  2. This sounds like a problem I keep having also. I keep getting “connecting to ” or “looking up .”

    Changing browsers…no difference. Changing routers…no difference. Sacrificing a small fuzzy animal to the Gods Of The Intertubes….still nada.

    I’m running a 1st Gen. Intel iMac, wirelessly connecting on 802.11g. I used to connect with an Airport Express, but am now using a wireless LinkSys of some sort. Even replaced the LinkSys router once, thinking it was the problem. Also, had Comcast come out once, but no help.

    There are 2 PCs on this router also, although both are wired-connections, and they have the same problem.

    help…………? please……………?

  3. Change the location from automatic to another one (system preferences/ network/ location/ edit locations) . Put 4.2.2.2 in as DNS server (system preferences/ network/DNS Server). This is a known 10.5 problem. Worked for me on all macs.

  4. had this problem both with windstream dsl and timewarner cable,
    finally i looked in the Netgear router settings and found that the dns was “get from isp” changed it to “static” dns and solved the issue immediatley.
    Good Luck.

  5. I had a similar problem. The issue was that for some reason, my ISP’s DNS had to be fixed manually in the TCP/IP configuration. Otherwise, I would get the router’s address for the DNS (192.168.1.1) and that would not work properly (slow pages loading but good download speeds…). I found that if I put static DNS entries (ISP’s DNS though), the problem would go away.

    Tell us what was your solution!