Q: How can I get rid of annoying pop-up windows in Safari on my iPhone and MacBook ?

Please follow the instructions given here.

Sections:

    Close pop-up ads on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

    Close pop-up ads on your Mac

    If you might have adware installed on your Mac

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203987

Adware?

1. Use  free Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac to remove adware.

     https://www.malwarebytes.org/antimalware/mac/

   Download, install , open,  and run it by clicking “Scan for Adware” button   to remove adware.

   Once done, quit Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.

  2. Disable Extensions and test.

     Safari > Preferences > Extensions

     Select and disable all extensions and test.

     Enable Extensions one by one and test.

     To uninstall any extension, select it and click the “Uninstall” button.

3. Safari > Preferences >  Search > Search Engine :

     Select your preferred   search engine.

4. Safari > Preferences > General > Homepage:

     Set your Homepage.

First, never use any kind of "anti-virus" or "anti-malware" software on a Mac. That's how you cause problems, not how you solve them.

If you really have the same problem on the Mac and the phone, it has nothing to do with adware.

From the menu bar, please select

           ▹ System Preferences... ▹ Network ▹ Advanced... ▹ DNS

Under DNS Servers you should have one or more numerical addresses, such as “192.168.1.1” or “10.0.0.1”. What are those addresses?

pato374 wrote:

 

There is 192.168.0.1. So I need to uninstall software like Malwarebytes ?

No, you do not. Everyone has their own opinion about how to solve the problem. If Malwarebytes solved the issue for you, then you do not need to follow any more instructions to solve this problem.

Malwarebytes on Mac is largely a waste of money and resources. Do the pop ups happen on your phone whether you're on WiFi or not? If they only happen on your WiFi then it could be that your router has been compromised. You'll need to check what DNS your router is using. You'll need to check with the manufacture of your router on how to do that.

I would recommend using OpenDNS 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220 or Google DNS 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4

gadgetvirtuoso wrote:

 

Malwarebytes on Mac is largely a waste of money and resources.

As Malwarebytes is free, what is your motive for saying that?

stevejobsfan0123 wrote:

 

gadgetvirtuoso wrote:

 

Malwarebytes on Mac is largely a waste of money and resources.

As Malwarebytes is free, what is your motive for saying that?

Seeing as IT support is my job I've never had a case where Malwarebytes was the solution, even once. Besides having any AV and Malwarebytes is like having two AV solutions installed on your machine: it never ends well. The two programs often use too many resources and will bog down a machine over time. If the two applications identify a threat things go south in a hurry. If you like one AV solution then go with it. Even in an enterprise, you can largely go without even AV on a Mac with proper user training. Not using Safari goes a long way to avoid many threats all unto itself.

If scanning with  Malwarebytes-Anti Malware for Mac didn't solve the problem, you can click "Next Steps" button for additional steps to take.

You will see a step "Check for a DNS problem" listed.

Here is a screenshot of it.

I need to uninstall software like Malwarebytes ?

I strongly recommend that you do, and also any other software of that type, such as "Avast" (which is worse than malware.)

Are you seeing the same ads at the same time on both devices? Are you sure they're not just normal web content? For example, you should never see ads on this site. Do you?

gadgetvirtuoso wrote:

 

stevejobsfan0123 wrote:

 

gadgetvirtuoso wrote:

 

Malwarebytes on Mac is largely a waste of money and resources.

As Malwarebytes is free, what is your motive for saying that?

Seeing as IT support is my job I've never had a case where Malwarebytes was the solution, even once. Besides having any AV and Malwarebytes is like having two AV solutions installed on your machine: it never ends well. The two programs often use too many resources and will bog down a machine over time. If the two applications identify a threat things go south in a hurry. If you like one AV solution then go with it. Even in an enterprise, you can largely go without even AV on a Mac with proper user training. Not using Safari goes a long way to avoid many threats all unto itself.

You may have confused Malwarebytes Ant-Malware for Mac for another product.  Unlike an AV application it does not run periodically or constantly in the background.  The only time it can use resources is when you open it and then it runs very quickly.  All it does is identify possible candidates for deletion and will do so ONLY if the user chooses to exercise that option.  Things 'can go south' with Av applications, not with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac.

Ciao.