# Mac i7 won't connect to internet **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 22, 2010, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-i7-wont-connect-to-internet/544168 "2010-06-22T21:49:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-i7-wont-connect-to-internet/544168/1 "2010-06-22T21:49:03Z")
Just took my new imac i7 out of the box and set it up. It occasionally will connect to the internet but not at usable speeds. Most times it won’t connect at all. I have a pc notebook that connects without problem and my daughter has an ibook that similarly has no problems at all. Any ideas what is wrong with this one computer? ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-i7-wont-connect-to-internet/544168/2 "2010-06-22T21:51:11Z")
How are you connecting to the internet? Wireless or wired? If it’s wireless, could it be a location issue? What kind of router are you using? I assume you’re using the iMacs internal wireless modem? (I also assume you’re using the iMac, not the mac mini or Mac Pro?) ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-i7-wont-connect-to-internet/544168/3 "2010-06-22T22:24:51Z")
There are known issues with wireless connection speed using WPA encryption protocol. Can you use WPA2? ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-i7-wont-connect-to-internet/544168/4 "2010-06-23T01:13:39Z")
It is over a wireless router. I took the new computer in the room with the router and it worked just fine. So although the old computer and the laptop worked in the kitchen the new imac does not. Does anyone think that buying the airport router and a repeater might help? N-routers are supposed to have greater range. Any advice will be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-i7-wont-connect-to-internet/544168/5 "2010-06-23T01:31:58Z")
What _type_ of wireless router? A newer generation (in this case, N) will give greater range and potential speed (although speed is irrelevant, since almost all of the generations give more than the highest american connection), so it’s likely getting a newer router will alleviate the problem. However, Airports are typically expensive, no? Belkin and Lynksis probably sell much cheaper N routers. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-i7-wont-connect-to-internet/544168/6 "2010-06-23T02:23:59Z")
I’d expect a small amount of difference between machines wireless reception, but not “works fine” (I’m assuming this means several bars) to “doesn’t work” in the same location. It’s possible the the iMac has a busted or disconnected internal WiFi antenna, which is unfortunately not a home repair. ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-i7-wont-connect-to-internet/544168/7 "2010-06-23T02:37:37Z")
Actually, although I said works fine, the old imac was finicky, with dropped signals and disconnects. Also, the fact that when I brought it in the room with the wireless router suggests that the antenna is not disconnected, although it still could be loose, I assume. Has anyone had experience with the airport and a repeater. I still think that a repeater might end up needing to be used. How about using the house wiring for a system, does anyone have experience with that? ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-i7-wont-connect-to-internet/544168/8 "2010-06-23T03:29:44Z")
> [@dauerbach](#): > > How about using the house wiring for a system, does anyone have experience with that? As it turns out, I’ve used the “ethernet over power line” things (something like [this](http://www.frys.com/product/5957064), for example, although there are a range of options varying in capacity and number of ports). They work surprisingly well, although in my home I get fairly bad degradation when the clothes dryer is running. The rest of the time, though, it manages to stream to three different computers and a Tivo, sufficiently to support Netflix HD streaming.