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Tagletigre

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 24, 2019
39
5
My 2008 iMac desktop, with Firefox 78.3.1, wired Ethernet connection to AT&T -- the connection drops several times a day, for ten or fifteen minutes perhaps. Might it be my modem, or is this normal?
 
It's not "normal".
But it might not be anything wrong with the iMac itself.

Do you get only internet from AT&T?
Or is it a "uverse" type setup where you get tv, too? (and perhaps phone)

When the connection goes down, have you tried powering off/on the modem/router?
 
You are probably plugged into a router. How old is it?
Has the router's firmware been updated and still supported?
Does AT&T provide modem or you?
What kind of speed does it get?
 
The AT&T line comes in the house and splits, one line to the phone, one Ethernet line to the modem.
I will try the powering off-on.
The modem, Westell, provided by AT&T, says it was made in 2010, but I've only had it about 5 years.
I dont know what kind of speed it gets, and dont know how to find out. Nor whether the firmware has bee updated, supported. As you can see, I'm fairly computer-illiterate.
 
You need to contact AT&T customer support and request an updated modem. They now should have and use combo modem-routers. That modem is out of date and probably failing which is why your connection is up and down.
 
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