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You are here: MacNN Forums > Software - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Applications > Have I Been Hacked? Am I A Robot Now?

Have I Been Hacked? Am I A Robot Now?
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tpicco
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Feb 11, 2014, 10:23 AM
 
OK... I run a iMac OS X with 10.6.8
All of my browsers (Firefox 27, Chrome 32.0.1700.107, and Safari 5.1.10) have been running very spotty the past couple of weeks. However my Apple Mail program seems to have no problem, and neither does my Spotify app, when I want to use them.

I have unplugged and replugged (rebooted) by cable modem/router a dozen times. Sometimes it helps.
I often have ok browser function when I restart the computer, at least for 5 or 10 minutes.

When I call Time Warner Cable (my internet provider) they claim there is no problem.

Sometimes the browsers work fine but then they stop for 5 to 15 minutes at a time. Sometimes they only let me connect to certain sites. Took me 20 minutes and several reloads to get here to Macnn...

I hope this is the place to post this question.
Do I need a new router (this one is 2-3 years old)?

Any clues, hints, ideas?
     
andi*pandi
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Feb 11, 2014, 11:22 AM
 
If you needed a new router, I'd think the cable folks would say, or be noticing something is wrong. Then again, they could be slackers willing to pass the problem on to whoever answers the phone next.

What does activity monitor say? Do you have little snitch? Is your network secure (maybe you're not hacked, but someone is leaching wifi?)
     
P
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Feb 11, 2014, 12:13 PM
 
What is the setup here - is the cable modem and router in the same box from the cable company, or have you added your own router? If it is your own router, try connecting your iMac directly to the cable modem. If it is the same box, ask your cable company to reset your cable modem/router to default settings.

Also consider adding another DNS manually. Google has an open DNS at 8.8.4.4.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
tpicco  (op)
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Feb 11, 2014, 03:17 PM
 
The router is from TimeWarner. They are not exactly uber-helpful, but I live in NYC and they must field alotta calls (no excuse but...)

I added my own wi-fi unit from Medialink, but I do not use wi-fi. The wi-fi is for my wife when she has to bring her PC laptop home to work late. And yeah it has a password.

I am gonna go Google "little snitch"
     
tpicco  (op)
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Feb 11, 2014, 04:06 PM
 
OOOOOkay... now TimeWarner says to try disconnecting my Medialink Wi-Fi unit... and they said I do not have a TimeWarner router, just a cable box.

Please forgive my ignorance Macnn friends...
I will report back much later, as I have to split for a few hours
     
copland98
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Feb 11, 2014, 04:10 PM
 
run this command in terminal

Code:
curl -w '\nLookup time:\t%{time_namelookup}\nConnect time:\t%{time_connect}\nPreXfer time:\t%{time_pretransfer}\nStartXfer time:\t%{time_starttransfer}\n\nTotal time:\t%{time_total}\n' -k 'http://www.macnn.com' -v -v -v
post the last few lines (similar to something below).

Lookup time: 0.002
Connect time: 0.101
PreXfer time: 0.101
StartXfer time: 0.226

Total time: 0.957

Lookup time =dns
( Last edited by andi*pandi; Feb 11, 2014 at 04:29 PM. Reason: disabled smilies)
     
pottymouth
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Feb 11, 2014, 06:20 PM
 
So your iMac is connected by wire? To the modem? Or to your Medialink router?
     
tpicco  (op)
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Feb 24, 2014, 09:48 PM
 
sorry it took so long to reply so far... internet has been spotty...

I disconnected the Medialink wi-fi... made no difference... for a few days recently it cleared up and I had no problem, but problem's back now. But my wife's laptop accesses the wi-fi and her internet works fine even when I am having spotty connections.

So I am gonna uninstall my Chrome & Firefox & download new versions yadda yadda and see what happens...

I will try the Terminal suggestion next...

Thanks for all the help so far and your patience w/me
     
tpicco  (op)
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Feb 24, 2014, 10:35 PM
 
TERMINAL

</body>
* Connection #0 to host Apple, Macintosh, iPod and iPhone news | MacNN left intact
</html>
Lookup time: 0.002
Connect time: 0.002
PreXfer time: 0.002
StartXfer time: 10.362

Total time: 10.376
     
HamSandwich
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Feb 27, 2014, 09:05 AM
 
Any progress? You could always try reinstalling the OS... How about other devices going online, same problem?
     
tpicco  (op)
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Feb 27, 2014, 10:27 AM
 
So far... reinstalling Chrome & Firefox did nothing

So I switched my iMac to wifi and it worked for awhile but the same spottiness happens... sometimes it works great for several hours, sometimes a few hours of on n off...

If, during the troubled times, I reboot the computer, or reboot the cable modem & wifi router, my internet will work for 5 minutes or so before the spottiness returns.

I was thinking of upgrading to Maverick, but maybe I will try reinstalling the current system first... I will be back in a few days. I am also trying to run a graphic design biz at the same time, so time is tight for me
     
tpicco  (op)
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Feb 27, 2014, 10:29 AM
 
Oh... and Spotify's stand alone app, and Mac Mail, have no trouble functioning while the browsers are acting up. Spotify plays seamlessly and Mail fetches my earthlink mail effortlessly
     
andi*pandi
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Feb 27, 2014, 11:44 AM
 
when you uninstall, do the preferences, cache, and plugins get deleted as well?
     
tpicco  (op)
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Feb 27, 2014, 12:29 PM
 
Hmmmm... sorry to sound foolish but when I reinstalled all my bookmarks popped back in... so I guess the answer is no....
     
andi*pandi
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Mar 4, 2014, 01:41 PM
 
drag your bookmarks to the desktop, and trash the rest. Go look in

~/Library/Application Support/Firefox/Profiles/<profile folder>
~/Library/Mozilla/Firefox/Profiles/<profile folder>

or some such.
     
   
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