Over the past week or so some BTL DSL subscribers who use Mac computers have experienced a very strange problem. This problem manifests more or less as follows ......
Turn on computer, connect to internet, possibly manage to download one page or a few e-mails and then your Mac freezes. You can't change programs, you can't close programs and you can't even force-quit or turn off the machine by way of mouse or keyboard. Your cursor is a spinning rainbow ball and nothing will stop this other than manually turning off your computer. If you have a laptop you may choose to go to another location to try to connect - and in most cases (even another BTL DSL connection and router) you will find you can do so without problems. Further you find that if you work offline, all programs work well. Relieved that your computer is not dead and needing replacement, you wonder if your house is possessed or your systems are hacked. You call BTL to report a fault and their technicians come to call. Their computers are PC's and they have no problems at all with your DSL connection - they try your Mac and confirm that yes, the machine and all its programs freeze upon connection to the internet. Eventually you are advised to call a specialist.
Julian from CSM 2000 has been out on several calls of this sort and he reports that indeed the problem issues from BTL. The issue is connectivity-incompatibility with Mac products. Why this problem is new and why it only happens here and there is a mystery. It seems that it only happens with BTL routers, but clearly not with all BTL routers. I am not an IT person and will therefore not even try to explain further what the issue is - but the good news is that an adjustment to the computer or a different modem seem to put one back online without problems.
Weird. But solvable.
AmbergrisCaye.com 
