Safari and Chrome can’t connect to the server after Catalina update

Hi all,

If you have tried all these things and things still don't work then you may find my experience helpful.

Upon upgrading my Macbook Pro (2012) to Catalina, I found I couldn't gain any access to the internet on Safari or use anything that required the internet, such as Mail, Skype etc... I too had a Wifi connection but no internet access. When Safari was opened, it showed an error message saying the page couldn't be displayed and that it couldn't authorise the content. I tried all methods previously mentioned and spent hours talking to Apple support and our IT department, who couldn't figure it out.

After a bit of my own digging, I found that a common problem that occurs with Macs after a Software updates is that 3rd party anti-virus software can interfere with things like internet connection. I found that my old Intego - ContentBarrier software (which I don't even use anymore, but haven't uninstalled yet) was blocking access to the internet after the upgrade to Catalina. Once I opened on the app, it asked me authorise Internet access, which restored full function of Safari and other apps. This needs to be done every time I connect to a new Wifi/turn my Mac on, I presume until I uninstall the ContentBarrier app.

I hope this helps!

Just in case the last few posters did not read my response from several days ago, this very problem I resolved with the help of Apple Support. It had nothing to do with Catalina. It had to do with malware that was hijacking by internet connection. To check if this has happened to you, open System Preferences, Network. Click "Advanced" and then choose "Proxies". If SOCKS Proxy is checked (nothing should be checked unless you have specifically checked something), you have malware that is redirecting. You can fix that by unchecking SOCKS Proxy. But it will reassert itself when you reboot.

So, to stop that from rehappening, run Malwarebytes (free software), and keep on rerunning it until all the malware is deleted (it will list what it deletes, but sometimes finds more on rerunning). By the way, doing this also resolved my problem of Safari search engine (which should be google) being redirected to Yahoo search.

I had the same problem after dealing with Apple support the first time they eventually walked me through the deleting the wifi and re-adding it after a pram clearance. This only worked for a short period of time, about a week later it was failing every hour. The next time I got someone competent at Apple support and I was instructed was to do a re-download and install of Catalina because he determined it was a corrupted file. After going through that OPT CMD R experience and reinstalling the OS it has been solid and working at maximum speeds. I would suggest doing a reinstall immediately.

After I booted in safe mode and then rebooted normally, my IMac worked much better, but still not like it did before the upgrade to 10.15.1 from 10.15. I uninstalled my antivirus program (Trend Micro) and rebooted. My computer is now running like new. No lags in application functions and fast response to internet activities.

THIS WORKED FOR ME. VPN UNINSTALL.

Had similar issue. After considerable troubleshooting and two Catalina re-installs I still would randomly loose my internet connection although I could still connect to my network via wifi and ethernet.

Had a brainstorm when on the line with an Apple senior advisor that my networking issues possibly were being caused by my VPN. The Apple tech did have instructions to remove VPNs from the system in his troubleshooting guide.

Completely uninstalled IPVanish VPN with this link; https://support.ipvanish.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000668874-Clean-Install-of-IPVanish-on-macOS.

But because I was unable to connect to the Internet with my MacBook Pro I downloaded the uninstall on my iPhone and then Air dropped the uninstall onto my MacBook Pro to run it.

Reinstalled IPVanish and a week down the road everything still seems fine. Fingers crossed and hope this helps for others..

I had the same problem and by calling Apple support we figure out this solution.

Keychain access> system> arrange by kind> delete all airport network passwords

Restart your computer and you will be able to connect to public wifi.

The most reliable solution I've found is to manually execute the "Captive Network Assistant" which is what generates the normal login screen for a public wifi. It can be found here System\Library\CoreServices\Captive Network Assistant

Hi jackvinson,

I am not tech-savvy myself, so my ability to help is pretty limited. I can only share my experience, so hopefully it helps or others can build on it. Your case might be similar to mine, or completely different. Have you tried the other methods mentioned in this thread?

In my case it was the ContentBarrier app. Each time I start my Mac, I need to click on the app and it asks to 'unblock the internet'. It's an app I have had for years but never used it or pay any attention to it! So it could be a security app you downloaded a while ago without knowing. The only suggestion I have is open your apps until you find something that gives you more clues. I wouldn't delete anything for now, in case you delete something that needs to be used. Some apps that I have that were suspects were ContentBarrier, VirusBarrier, FileGuard, etc. I think that this can occur for Intego and Norton products from what I have read.

I had the same problem and ... Hasan-x had the fix to my problem.

This was his answer...... System Preferences > Network > and create a new Network Location (normally its says Automatic) and to re-join a known working wi-fi network.

Very easy.

There are other solutions out there that I have tried but the only thing that has worked for me so far is booting in safe mode. Still, here are the other "solutions" i found that I tried for this issue.

Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration - In here there are several plist files to backup on the desktop nad then move the originial to the trash. Reboot.

In the Netwrok screen, click advanced on the wifi section. in here delete the prefered wifi networks and re add.

Click TCP/IP and renew lease.

Click DNS tab. Delete the listed and add 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4

Click on hardware. Click on configure manually. Then custom and enter the value 1453.

Again, none of this helped me but these are solutions I have seen on the internet.

Here's the solution to my problem, thanks to Apple Support. It was not Catalina. It was Malware installed probably through a Flash update in October. First, download Malwarebyte. It's free and it will find malware on your mac and delete the files. There was one file it could not delete so the Apple Support guy had me physically delete it.

I first noticed the problem when Google Earth Pro could not connect to server and would not boot. Then I had intermittent problems accessing the internet and using email.

What the malware did was to check a setting in Proxies in the Network Preference pane. None of those boxes should be checked. What this did was essentially hijack any use of the internet, even though the Network pane said that the Ethernet and Wireless connections were fine.

To fix that get into the Network Preference pane (in System Preferences). Click Advanced. Then choose Proxies. None of those "protocol" buttons should be checked. The malware kept on rechecking "SOCKS Proxy". Unchecking it works, but if you don't delete the Malware file when you restart your machine it will be checked again.

Anyway, everything is fine now for me.

Update :

After repeated calls to Apple Support, I elected to re-install Catalina..

Although I could not connect to any websites via Safari prior to the re-install, I was still able to connect to the App Store, from which I re-installed Catalina.

Following the re-install, I was once again able to access the internet via Safari, with no issues.

Again, it appears that the source of these internet connectivity issues with Catalina are varied, as are the remedies.

After updating to IOS Catalina I had trouble connecting to my WiFi when using my MacBook Pro. I was not having the problem with my IPhone or IPad. This AM I did a little research and I read that I should go to System/Users, click on my name and see what apps load when I turn on my MacBook Pro. I did and I saw that Netgear - which was the modem/router that I was using before my building switched over to community WiFi - was listed there. I had been given a new modem/router by our cable provider, so I deleted Netgear in the start up menu, and my problem appears to be solved.

it appears it’s worth checking to see which Apps load when you turn on your computer, one of the Apps may be causing the WiFi problem

I was getting this problem and tried many of the solutions, and I would lose connectivity (wifi connected, no internet) on MANY networks. SO I removed ANY VPN etc etc. And it continued so I did the "New Location" thing and it worked, until IT DIDN'T. Even new locations I created in the past also died.

SO I just went into the "bad connections" removed the WIFI connection in NETWORK SETTINGS and re-added it and it worked just fine EVERY SINGLE TIME. Now, how long will it last? WHO KNOWS? HEY APPLE! Can ya fix this?

Upgraded my Mac Book Air to Catalina and was unable to access internet. Disable or delete antivirus security and bingo! Now to research how to keep a security package that is compatible with the new OS.