My Ibook Battery & My internet connection
 

I would have never thought that these two things would ever be related, but for some reason, my internet connection seems to be directly linked with the battery. If I run my ibook with the battery in, I can almost never connect to the internet. If I take it out, I am occaisionally able to get an internet connection, but I lose it after about 20 minutes. When that happens, I put the battery back in for about 10 minutes, take it out, and then I am able to connect to the internet again (for about 20 minutes). So, in the past week, I haven't been able to hold my connection for longer than 20 minutes at a time, and it's starting to drive me crazy.

Does anybody have any suggestions for how I can stay on the internet ALL THE TIME, rather than just when my computer feels like letting me online?

I use a cable modem to connect to the internet if that's at all relevant. I am sure that the problem is not with the ISP, however, because I am having the same problem with wireless connections. I clearly have a full connection to the wireless network, but if the battery is in, I cannot connect. I also took my ibook to work and tried their internet connection, and same deal: no battery, 20 minute connection. with battery, no connection.

Cum hoc ergo proper hoc ;)

1. When things go flaky, and you're using ethernet, what do you see in the Network pane of System Preferences? Do you have an IP at all? What is it?

2. There's a wireless signal strength meter in your menu bar, on the right side. When things are flaky, what does it look like?

What seems to be happening (I discovered after I posted) is that the IP address changes at will... whose will? i don't know.

also the router number disappears at will. generally the computer doesn't let me change the router number and IP address to the correct one until it 'feels' ready... usually after it's been sitting idle for a while.

I missed the second part... when things go flaky and i'm using wireless, it still shows a full connection to the internet.

If you get an internet connection, then don't touch the computer AT ALL, does the connection stay up for longer than 20 minutes?

Trevor

I think trevor is hinting at what occurred to me too - that the problem might be with some flaky electrical connection inside your iBook. (i.e. a hardware problem)
When you do stuff with the battery, maybe it jiggles something and makes it work (or not work).

interesting thought, but no it happens whether i'm using it or not (i can tell from the status on the modem).

did your IP address change sporatically? that is what is happening with mine. so i know that this is why i'm losing my internet connection, i just need to know how to make my computer not just change its IP address at will.

Your computer doesn't have much of a choice over that, really. It's using whatever the DHCP server is giving it. (Unless it's set up to use a manual IP, in which case, it won't change at all.)

I wondered whom you were addressing this question to, then I realized that you were addressing it to me - since you misunderstood me when I said "what occurred to me too". The thing that "occurred to me" was the thought (about possible hardware flakiness). I have no trouble with my Airport.

I'm not sure I completely understand. Are you saying that there is nothing that I can do about my IP address changing all the time?

I think you are looking at the wrong end of the problem. The problem is not that your IP address is changing all of the time. The problem is that you are losing network connectivity. It is because of the loss of network connectivity that your IP address is changing.

It's sort of analogous to your postman trying to stick some letters into your mailbox but finding that your mailbox is rusted shut, so he puts them through a slot in the door. The next day he finds that the slot in the door is closed up, so he puts the letters through an open window. And you are complaining about him putting the letters into different places every day, while the real problem is with your mailbox, etc.

Thanks for letting me know. I really don't know what I'm doing (maybe you have noticed), but I can't reach out to the apple store here for advice... or to my ISP, because I am in Korea, and nobody in either of those places speaks English. Do you have any advice for me?

One thing to do would be to look in the logs for messages that occur at the time when you lose the connection or otherwise have trouble.

Launch the "Console" application (under /Applications/Utilities) and look for relevant error messages. Note that messages are labeled with the date & time so you can use that to locate the part of the log to look at. Copy & paste the relevant messages back here so we can see them.
Be sure to look at system.log as well as console.log (Use the "Logs" button (top-left) to see the various logs available - note that you will probably need to be an "admin" user to see the system.log)

System Log
 

I'm not sure what exactly is relevant here, but this is part of the system log. I have been changing the network setting without really knowing what they mean... just messing around hoping that something will work. It seems like that is sort of appearing here below, but I don't really know how to read this log, so maybe not.

Dec 10 03:15:05 Courtnees-Computer cp: error processing extended attributes: Operation not permitted
Dec 10 03:23:18 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 03:23:19 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 03:28:47 Courtnees-Computer configd[35]: posting notification com.apple.system.config.network_change
Dec 10 03:28:47 Courtnees-Computer launchd: Server 0 in bootstrap 1103 uid 0: "/usr/sbin/lookupd"[388]: exited abnormally: Hangup
Dec 10 03:28:47 Courtnees-Computer configd[35]: posting notification com.apple.system.config.network_change
Dec 10 03:28:53 Courtnees-Computer configd[35]: posting notification com.apple.system.config.network_change
Dec 10 03:28:53 Courtnees-Computer lookupd[451]: lookupd (version 369.5) starting - Sun Dec 10 03:28:53 2006
Dec 10 03:29:22 Courtnees-Computer launchd: Server cb33 in bootstrap 1103 uid 0: "/usr/sbin/lookupd"[451]: exited abnormally: Hangup
Dec 10 03:29:22 Courtnees-Computer configd[35]: posting notification com.apple.system.config.network_change
Dec 10 03:29:23 Courtnees-Computer configd[35]: posting notification com.apple.system.config.network_change
Dec 10 03:29:23 Courtnees-Computer lookupd[452]: lookupd (version 369.5) starting - Sun Dec 10 03:29:23 2006
Dec 10 03:30:04 Courtnees-Computer launchd: Server cb47 in bootstrap 1103 uid 0: "/usr/sbin/lookupd"[452]: exited abnormally: Hangup
Dec 10 03:30:04 Courtnees-Computer configd[35]: posting notification com.apple.system.config.network_change
Dec 10 03:30:21 Courtnees-Computer mDNSResponder: Repeated transitions for interface en0 ( 222.232.184.111); delaying packets by 5 seconds
Dec 10 03:30:39 Courtnees-Computer lookupd[453]: lookupd (version 369.5) starting - Sun Dec 10 03:30:39 2006
Dec 10 03:32:46 Courtnees-Computer launchd: Server cb87 in bootstrap 1103 uid 0: "/usr/sbin/lookupd"[453]: exited abnormally: Hangup
Dec 10 03:32:46 Courtnees-Computer configd[35]: posting notification com.apple.system.config.network_change
Dec 10 03:32:47 Courtnees-Computer lookupd[454]: lookupd (version 369.5) starting - Sun Dec 10 03:32:47 2006
Dec 10 04:23:14 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 04:23:16 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 04:53:09 Courtnees-Computer dashboardadivsoryd[458]: fetch-parsers: unable to fetch data from read stream
Dec 10 04:53:09 Courtnees-Computer dashboardadivsoryd[458]: fetch: unable to fetch data from read stream while fetch advisory list
Dec 10 04:59:19 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 04:59:21 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 05:10:31 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 05:10:33 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
*(This went back and forth from being up and down about 30 times between 5:10 am and 12:00 pm)

Dec 10 12:09:07 Courtnees-Computer launchd: Server 0 in bootstrap 1103 uid 0: "/usr/sbin/lookupd"[454]: exited abnormally: Hangup
Dec 10 12:09:07 Courtnees-Computer configd[35]: posting notification com.apple.system.config.network_change
Dec 10 12:09:07 Courtnees-Computer lookupd[488]: lookupd (version 369.5) starting - Sun Dec 10 12:09:07 2006
Dec 10 12:33:14 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 12:33:16 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex

Console Log
 

This is some of the Console Log.

Dec 9 12:53:21 Courtnees-Computer ntpdate[102]: getnetnum: " time.apple.com" invalid host number, line ignored
Dec 9 12:53:21 Courtnees-Computer ntpdate[102]: no servers can be used, exiting
2006-12-09 12:53:22.463 SystemUIServer[80] lang is:en
Dec 9 12:53:23 Courtnees-Computer ntpd_initres[105]: couldn't resolve `time.apple.com', giving up on it
2006-12-09 12:53:23 Google Notifier[84] GMAutoUpdate: token fetch failed with error 'no Internet connection' [NSURLErrorDomain -1009]
2006-12-09 12:53:23.746 Google Notifier[84] fetchUserInfoFailed: NSError "no Internet connection" Domain=NSURLErrorDomain Code=-1009 UserInfo={
NSErrorFailingURLKey = https://www.google.com/accounts/ClientLogin;
NSErrorFailingURLStringKey = " https://www.google.com/accounts/ClientLogin";
NSLocalizedDescription = "no Internet connection";
}
2006-12-09 12:53:24 Google Notifier[84] GMAutoUpdate: token fetch failed with error 'no Internet connection' [NSURLErrorDomain -1009]
2006-12-09 12:54:14.845 SecurityFixer[189] No insecure startup items found!
Dec 9 13:37:41 Courtnees-Computer mDNSResponder: Repeated transitions for interface en0 ( 169.254.237.8 ); delaying packets by 5 seconds
Dec 9 15:32:44 Courtnees-Computer mDNSResponder: Repeated transitions for interface en0 ( 211.212.81.98); delaying packets by 5 seconds
Dec 9 16:37:09 Courtnees-Computer mDNSResponder: Repeated transitions for interface en0 ( 211.212.81.98); delaying packets by 5 seconds
Dec 9 20:22:36 Courtnees-Computer mDNSResponder: mDNSPlatformSendUDP sendto failed to send packet on InterfaceID 0180D800 en0/4 to 224.0.0.251:5353 skt 9 error -1 errno 65 (No route to host) 3640049639
Dec 9 20:45:18 Courtnees-Computer mDNSResponder: Repeated transitions for interface en0 ( 211.212.81.98); delaying packets by 5 seconds
Dec 9 20:53:09 Courtnees-Computer dashboardadivsoryd[291]: fetch: unable to fetch data from read stream while fetch advisory list
Dec 9 20:53:09 Courtnees-Computer dashboardadivsoryd[291]: fetch-parsers: unable to fetch data from read stream
Dec 9 23:33:50 Courtnees-Computer mDNSResponder: Repeated transitions for interface en0 (211.212.81.98); delaying packets by 5 seconds
Dec 10 02:21:20 Courtnees-Computer mDNSResponder: Repeated transitions for interface en0 ( 211.212.81.98); delaying packets by 5 seconds
Dec 10 02:22:20 Courtnees-Computer mDNSResponder: Repeated transitions for interface en0 ( 211.212.81.98 ); delaying packets by 5 seconds
Dec 10 02:26:14 Courtnees-Computer mDNSResponder: Repeated transitions for interface en0 ( 211.212.81.98); delaying packets by 5 seconds
Dec 10 03:01:43 Courtnees-Computer mDNSResponder: Repeated transitions for interface en0 ( 169.254.237.8); delaying packets by 5 seconds
Dec 10 03:30:21 Courtnees-Computer mDNSResponder: Repeated transitions for interface en0 ( 222.232.184.111 ); delaying packets by 5 seconds
Dec 10 04:53:09 Courtnees-Computer dashboardadivsoryd[458]: fetch-parsers: unable to fetch data from read stream
Dec 10 04:53:09 Courtnees-Computer dashboardadivsoryd[458]: fetch: unable to fetch data from read stream while fetch advisory list
isCompatible method

Actually, it would be very interesting to see those messages, to look for a pattern. Could you show us those?

Trevor

Trevor, these are the logs that you requested:

Dec 10 04:59:19 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 04:59:21 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 05:10:31 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 05:10:33 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 05:22:23 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 05:22:26 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 05:31:40 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 05:31:42 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 05:34:38 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 05:34:40 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 05:37:25 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 05:37:27 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 05:42:31 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 05:42:34 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 05:59:36 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 05:59:38 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 06:00:40 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 06:00:42 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 06:06:03 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 06:06:05 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 06:10:43 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 06:10:46 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 06:40:09 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 06:40:11 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 07:05:40 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 07:05:42 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 08:21:03 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 08:21:05 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 08:22:58 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 08:23:00 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 08:25:04 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 08:25:06 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 08:46:17 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 08:46:19 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 09:04:11 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 09:04:14 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 09:23:10 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 09:23:12 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 09:40:42 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 09:40:44 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 09:45:24 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 09:45:26 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 09:49:02 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 09:49:04 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 10:18:51 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 10:18:53 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 10:26:24 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 10:26:26 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 10:31:58 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 10:32:00 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 11:54:20 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 11:54:22 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 12:00:02 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 12:00:04 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 12:08:12 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 12:08:15 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 12:09:07 Courtnees-Computer launchd: Server 0 in bootstrap 1103 uid 0: "/usr/sbin/lookupd"[454]: exited abnormally: Hangup
Dec 10 12:09:07 Courtnees-Computer configd[35]: posting notification com.apple.system.config.network_change

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In addition, here are a few recent logs:
Dec 10 19:08:03 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 19:08:05 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 19:13:23 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 19:13:25 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Dec 10 19:42:15 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is down.
Dec 10 19:42:17 Courtnees-Computer kernel[0]: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex

What is happening on the modem at that time is as follows:
19:08:03 The modem "tries" to connect to the internet. Lights on the modem look like this:

power - ON
recieve - ON
send - OFF
status - QUICKLY FLASHING
pc - ON
(during this time, usually my IP address is: 222.232.184.111
and my router number is 222.232.184.1)


19:08:05:

power - ON
recieve - ON
send - ON
status - ON
pc - OFF


Then, loss again of internet connection:

power - ON
recieve - OFF
send - OFF
status - SLOWLY FLASHING
pc - ON
(during this time, usually my IP address returns to: 169.254.197.25
and there is no router number)

**this pattern is true for every one of the 2 second intervals that are showing up in the system log.

It sounds like your Mac is directly connected to the cable modem by an Ethernet cable - is that correct? (There are no routers or other things in between the Mac and the modem.)

And while the above was going on, did you use your Mac in any way or otherwise touch it or move (even slightly) the Ethernet cable or modem, etc?
I'm still thinking that the problem might be a hardware one, due to a flaky connection somewhere.

One thing you definitely should try is to replace the Ethernet cable - i.e. buy a new one.

I'm not familiar with cable modems - does your cable modem establish an Internet connection (as seen by the lights) even if nothing is connected to it via the Ethernet cable? (i.e. unplug the Ethernet cable and see what happens to the lights.)

That's right - I'm directly connected to the internet by cable modem.

I didn't use or touch my mac in any way at all between 5 am and noon.

I've checked out the ethernet conneciton, unplugging the cord and plugging it back in. When I've unplugged it it just turns off the PC light. When I plug it back in, the PC light lights back up. For that reason I thought that meant there was nothing wrong with the ethernet cord, but I have others so I can try another one.

So the other lights remain on - in the same state as they are when your Internet connection is good?
That would suggest that your modem will make the Internet connection even if there is no computer connected to the 'PC' port.
In that case, you should try to see if the modem lights change even if there is nothing connected to the 'PC' port. If so, it would seem to be a problem with your modem or with your cable or your ISP.

ok, i'll try that. i have a sneaking suspicion that it's the computer though... because i've been having the same problem regardless of the place i'm connecting to the internet. i've tried two different wireless connections that used to work perfectly for me, and now are flaky (even if my computer says i have a strong connection) and also one other ethernet connection that used to work but now works just as this one does.