Internet connection question

[funkuncut]

I have searched around, but still not found any answer to this question: why does my iPad or iPhone connect to my router and tell me there is no internet connection when I am sitting next to my computer which is connected to the same router and has an internet connection? I don't want to know how to fix it in the short term, as it is usually resolved by one of the high tech solutions like leaving it for a while, turning off and on again (device and/or router) resetting network settings - I am interested to know why and how this is possible. I don't mind a certain level of mystery in life, but I'd rather it be in more stimulating areas than this!

 

[Bigwaff]

You're going to have to provide a lot more details, my friend... for starters, can you describe your network setup in detail and explain how you have configured your devices to connect.

 

[funkuncut]

I'm a simple soul, so bear with me.... Router is a Virgin Media Hub 3. Two iMacs are connected to this by Ethernet cables. They usually work fine, but sometimes (fortunately not very often) they indicate in Network Settings that Ethernet is connected but there is clearly no connection to the Internet. Disabling and then enabling again has always worked so far, and since they are both antiques running High Sierra I accept this. I can be sitting in front of my iMac using the Internet and my iPhone 6S (I know, another antique) will be connected to the router by Wi-Fi and indicate that there is no Internet connection, while my son's iPhone 10 will have a connection, or vice versa. This can happen with a variety of devices - phones and iPads will occasionally have no Internet connection via Wi-Fi connection to the same router which is demonstrably providing a connection via Ethernet to an iMac. This is more of a source of frustration to my children, to whom an Internet connection is at the very top of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, than it is to me. I spend a lot of time getting old things to work, and I am interested in the how and why - if my old bike keeps cutting out and I have to pull over and start it again, I want to know why, and how to rectify it beyond just pressing the starter. Maybe we just have to live with it.....

 

[Bigwaff]

Have Virgin Media replace your router and check your lines.