MacBook won't connect to the internet!!!

Question

Level 1

12 points

MacBook won't connect to the internet!!!

I recently switch wireless service at home to At&t.

Since, my computer "connects" to my network, accepts my password, and shows full signal, but when I open Safari, or any other app that requires internet, I just get the "failed to open page because you are not connected to the internet" page.

My roommates connect to use our wireless network with their PC's just fine, and my Mac connects to other wireless service at school and work and works just fine.

I have been on the phone with At&t many times trying to troubleshoot and fix the problem. No success.

Apple charged me $49 to talk to them, with no success.

I HAVE ALREADY TRIED RESTARTING both my Mac and my router, I have reset the router, I have restored original settings in both Safari and my router, I have tried removing the security from our network in order to connect without a password, I have tried re-configuring the router to work with Macs....all no success.

I am very frustrated with the situation as I, like most people, require internet access for both school and work.

Any help, tips, or advice on the situation would be grateful.

Thank you.

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Jul 10, 2010 9:39 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

AMelillo

Level 1

4 points

Feb 21, 2017 3:26 PM in response to TildeBee

I just purchased a brand new MacBook Pro today and spent my first four hours with it struggling to connect to wifi. After trying every solution I could find, this one finally worked. The solution I found (https://community.bt.com/t5/Connected-Devices-Other/BT-INFINITY-wifi-loss-on-Mac Book-Air-ready-to-quit/m-p/1160960#M7876…) noted that Macs often run in to trouble connecting to wifi when there are identical names assigned to 2.4ghz and 5.0ghz frequency bands.

To fix this problem: access your wireless gateway (For Xfinity users: go to 10.0.0.1 by typing it into the browser of a connected device, enter username: admin pwd: password <-defaults for all xfinity customers) and modify the SSID for the 2.4ghz frequency (e.g., add an 's' to the end of the network name). Then, restart your computer and voila, you should be able to connect. (I still can't access the original network name—the 5ghz frequency—however, I'm able to access the newly named 2.4ghz variation of the network, and it works perfectly).

Hope this saves someone else the headache!

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Answer 2

Jun 23, 2017 5:56 AM in response to mayfi944

Check your wifi and router are working correctly. Check other devices are working on your network. If they are normal then time to check your network settings are correct. They can be altered without notifying you and affect your connection. This can be because of a DNS issue on your Mac or, if you use a VPN, the network settings can be affected by the software. VPN software on your computer can alter these settings so ensure it is closed and not running. A VPN would normally reset your primary DNS address to one of their own when connected and should reset your settings to your normal DNS when closed. Sometimes this might not happen.

It's a good idea to restart your router and your Mac initially. Ensure your network is being picked up by the affected computer / device. Check your Network settings.

Go to System Preferences > Network.

Select WiFi from the list on the left. Check that the setting for Wifi connection is active. You should see Status showing "connected" and the name of your network and your IP address. Under that is your network name.

If it is active then click on Advanced. You'll see a drop over window showing your network settings.

Click on DNS. Check that you have a DNS address there (example: 208.67.222.222 )

If your DNS address is missing you can manually enter it here, or enter an open DNS address. Click OK and Apply.

Click on TCP/IP. Ensure that Configure IPv4 is set to USING DCHP. You can also click on Renew DCHP Lease.

In Hardware ensure MAC address is set to configure Automatically. Apply your changes.

Hope this helps.

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Answer 3

BbBbBbEb

Level 1

4 points

Aug 8, 2017 7:53 AM in response to mayfi944

Someone said early on in this thread "what happened to Apple" and "get it together Apple". I agree. I switched from PC to Apple because of issues like this. I can switch back too.

Why can't Apple fix this issue and get us functioning? Why have millions of us waste many millions of hours stumbling around when one tech with Apple could do it?

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Answer 4

Oct 19, 2017 2:03 PM in response to mayfi944

Hi, i´m from Brazil, and lost about 3 hours to solve the same issue, the solution, now is very simple and easy to fix. If your caseyou had a conection and nothing has changeg, you just have to take photos of your settings in the network (for example ethernet), and then choose ethernet click minus signal to delete, and plus signal to re-create ethernet, use the same configurations that you took photos and be happy ! I hope help u guys

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Answer 5

TildeBee

Level 7

31,923 points

Jul 10, 2010 11:06 AM in response to mayfi944

Hi mayfi --

Welcome to Apple Discussions!
We're other Mac users here, asking questions and sharing solutions.

You said: +My roommates connect to use our wireless network with their PC's just fine, and my Mac connects to other wireless service at school and work and works just fine.+

So, there's something amiss in your network at home, eh???
I've asked for more help for you . . . Hang in there!
🙂

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Answer 6

andyBall_uk

Level 7

20,516 points

Jul 10, 2010 1:41 PM in response to mayfi944

$49 ? - we'll do it for 1/2 that 😀

Let's start with System Preferences-Network... is airport at the top of the list on the left, with a green indicator, and says 'connected' - or does it say something else ?

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Answer 7

Steve.B

Level 1

0 points

Jul 10, 2010 3:39 PM in response to mayfi944

Hi,

I have suffered the same problem after waking the imac from sleep mode, it seems to forget how to link with the web, I can see my wireless router in safari which tells me there isn't a problem with my network or internet connection. I've tried restarts and shutdowns then after a about 2 hours with no obvious outcome by checking settings etc., things return to normal as if nothing had gone wrong.
It's happened twice in the last 24 hours, started up when I got in from work read emails etc. about 6pm left it to go to sleep 7.30, then woke it up 3 hours later. Spent 1.5 hours trying to figure out what went wrong before giving up and going to bed.
This morning got up started machine 8.45am no problem with internet connection on safari and itunes. Put it to sleep at 10am and woke it 8.30pm up pressing the space bar with no connection again went through all the same procedures of checking and double checking settings. Then about 11pm it springs back to life enabling me to write this.

I have no idea what stops and what starts the problem.

(connection error's affected safari, mail, backup, firefox, intego-netupdate)

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Answer 8

mayfi944 Author

Level 1

12 points

Jul 12, 2010 7:06 PM in response to andyBall_uk

No, no green indicator.

It's just read and says not connected...then when you go to connect it, it doesn't connect.

When I try and do a network diagnostic on it, I go through all the steps with all the correct info provided and setup and at the end it still says cannot connect.

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Answer 9

mayfi944 Author

Level 1

12 points

Jul 12, 2010 7:08 PM in response to mayfi944

I thought it might be doing the same thing as the previous problem with it going to sleep and waking back up because mine use to that but it would only last a few minutes. Mine doesn't connect at all, not with mulitple reset, restarts, sleeping, waking, different times of the day, for almost two weeks now.

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Answer 10

TildeBee

Level 7

31,923 points

Jul 12, 2010 7:25 PM in response to mayfi944

mayfi --

Was it originally set up for your school network?
Or your Home network?

When you select the Airport icon with the fan-shaped bars (which I have in my menu bar above)
Does it have suggestions for which network to join?

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Answer 11

Jul 21, 2010 6:34 PM in response to mayfi944

Same problem here.

Full bars, but no internet connection (even after multiple start ups).
Seems to happen mostly when I'm at the coffee shop using their wifi, but also periodically at home on my own modem.

I have also tried using network diagnostics and assist and nothing is working - searched the internet and can't find any remedies there either.

This is so frustrating.

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Answer 12

Aug 6, 2010 7:13 AM in response to haffajappa

Not only do I have this problem with my 17" mac book pro, but i've seen many mac users experience the same problem.

I have an iPhone 3Gs with OS4 on it and it will connect to any WIFI, but at the same location my mac book pro will not connect to the internet at all. the mac book pro will handshake with the wireless modem and give full signal indication but will never allow internet access.

no matter how many restarts, or new location settings/create new location... nothing works.

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Answer 13

databank

Level 1

0 points

Aug 6, 2010 9:22 PM in response to mayfi944

same problem here!

full bars wifi on the menu bar with a tick on my network but it just doesnt go onto the internet at all. Safari, Firefox, Messenger and skype, nothing works. While my iphone and another PC worked just fine.
It happened a couple of time before with it going back to normal after a few minute. However, it's getting serious this time, it's been 3 days already. Tried the network diagnosis but didn't help.

Really getting frustrated.

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Answer 14

Aug 7, 2010 10:14 AM in response to mayfi944

THIS IS SERIOUSLY JACKED. ***!!!!!!

Clearly there's a ton of us out here with the SAME PROBLEM. A month ago, I installed an ATT Microcell (VERY cool if you live in the country) and all was ok until about 2 weeks ago. I've spent so much time on this...I went through the same steps as Mayfi. I've tried EVERYTHING. Setup, reenter password, look online for help, reboot, restart, delete profile and start all over again.

And I can't get online on anyone's wireless at this point. Not friends, not the coffee shop, NADA.

As for the Apple no-support support, I can't afford to pay Apple a one time fee of $49 bucks. (BTW, Mayfi, I hope they didn't actually charge you since they didn't fix anything.) We all know that PCs suck but is Apple going to be as bad??? Funny that I've got 2 PCs, one on VPN, that's working fine. BUT THE APPLE IS DEAD IN THE WATER.

Get with it, Apple Genius people. FIX THIS. You have a loyal following who needs YOUR HELP. Real help. Not just discussion boards full of people complaining about the SAME problem with no real solutions that I can find.

Seriously...HELP...

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Answer 15

Sep 2, 2010 12:27 PM in response to mayfi944

Hey guys. I have one of the newest generation of Macbooks and started having this problem earlier this week with my school network.

I just solved it (seemingly stupidly) and would like to offer my solution just in case it might help anyone.

What I did was as follows:
Open: System Preferences>>Network

At the left, there should be a pane listing ways in which your computer connects to the internet (Ethernet, VPN, AirPort, etc.)

At the bottom of this pane there are (+)(-)(cog) buttons that correspond to (add method)(remove method)(other options dropdown)

Highlight: Airport and hit - to remove.
Immediately hit + and choose AirPort (on mine it is default) for the interface type.
Click: Create

That somehow allowed my AirPort to fully connect again.

This seems gimicky, but I do hope it helps some of you out! Don't know how long the renewed effect lasts as I just did it within the last few minutes.

Message was edited by: Rigelface

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