Can’t access localhost files

Firefox version 48.0.2

OS 10.6.8

Early 2008 Mac Pro

MacPro3,1

64-Bit Intel

SMC Version (system): 1.25f4

Proxies:

Exceptions List: *.local, 169.2xx/xx

FTP Passive Mode: Yes

ATT|Uverse WiFi

I am suddenly not able to access my personal website files on my Mac Pro using localhost. The browser says to try loading the page again. When I do this, an ATT|Uverse page appears saying that the problem has been resolved and to close the browser and try again. Same result.

I have have never had this happen before.

Is is this a Mac Pro computer problem? A browser problem? Or an ATT|Uverse router problem?

Any suggestions appreciated.

Posted on Jan 26, 2020 6:03 PM

Top-ranking reply

Shelley Schreiber Author

Level 1

53 points

Posted on Jan 29, 2020 11:08 AM

Actually I think it does. I contacted ATT|Uverse and it turns out my router which connects all my devices to WiFi and the internet has been “retired” unbeknownst to me until now. This means firmware updates weren’t being made to the router. They are sending me a new router, which I have to connect in place of the old one. The support guy thinks this is the reason why my desktop localhost webserver is not available. I will report back when the change is made. Fingers crossed.

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52 replies

Feb 5, 2020 10:38 AM in response to Shelley Schreiber

Shelley Schreiber wrote:

Is this done as a terminal command?

sudo apachectl configtest

That is the command yes, though you may have to tailor it for details of your local Apache configuration.\

This explains why you were poking at httpd earlier, too.

And I’m here assuming that you’re even running Apache, as there are other ways to serve web content, and to access HTML files.

You seem somewhat unfamiliar with running a web server, and with troubleshooting a web server? Running a server is somewhat different and more involved than running a client, and can get a bit more gnarly when something goes weird with the server or the local network.

Feb 1, 2020 1:46 PM in response to BDAqua

BDAqua wrote:

Just the first line, the following 2 were the results here.

Both of the traceroute commands I’ve posted, as I’d like to see what is being used for the translation, as well as the paths.

Feb 5, 2020 8:51 AM in response to MrHoffman

Is this done as a terminal command?

sudo apachectl configtest

Feb 5, 2020 3:35 PM in response to Shelley Schreiber

PS I have no idea how that Web Sharing Service option became unchecked. I must have accidentally done this (unless there was a gremlin in the works😆).

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Jan 27, 2020 4:48 PM in response to Shelley Schreiber

Try this Browser...

https://brave.com/

Running any Anti-virus or cleaner Apps?

Jan 26, 2020 9:29 PM in response to MrHoffman

Thanks for your suggestions.

Can I determine if and how the /etc/hosts file has been corrupted by reviewing the file?

Don’t understand how to do this:

“Disconnect from the Wi-Fi, maybe connect to a network switch with no other links, and see if localhost works.”

ATT|Uverse is my internet service provider, so I can’t eliminate it from the mix. Do plan to contact them for support because I think they are responsible for this somehow.

Jan 27, 2020 9:59 AM in response to BDAqua

Thank you so much for this information BDAqua. I will check this file and adjust as needed.

Right now I’m running TechTool Pro on my Mac Pro to see if other files need attention.

When I get all this resolved I will report back to this thread on what did or did not work. 🙂

Jan 27, 2020 10:09 AM in response to MrHoffman

Thank you so much MrHoffman for explaining all this. I will use your information to try and resolve this. I am currently running TechTool Pro to figure out what else might need attention (corrupt files, etc.). Will post again with results. 🙂

Jan 27, 2020 10:15 AM in response to Shelley Schreiber

Learning a little more about IP networking will probably have a bigger payoff than will time with the tools.

Tools are great and can be a shortcut, but they can also be wrong, they can miss details, and they can distract.

IP networking, DHCP, DNS and TLS are among the absolute fundamentals of modern computing.

If that’s all not working right, nothing above that—and that quite often including the tools—is working right.

Tesserax

Level 10

157,884 points

Jan 27, 2020 10:43 AM in response to BDAqua

@BDAqua @MrHoffman Interesting. That last "fe80" line has never appeared in my Mac's host file, now running macOS Catalina. My ISP does not provide me with IPv6 service (very rural location,) nor do I have anything but IPv6 Link-local configured on my Ubiquiti UniFi-based network. Is this something added to the hosts file if you enable native IPv6 service by Apple?

Jan 27, 2020 10:56 AM in response to Tesserax

Tesserax wrote:

@BDAqua @MrHoffman Interesting. That last "fe80" line has never appeared in my Mac's host file, now running macOS Catalina. My ISP does not provide me with IPv6 service (very rural location,) nor do I have anything but IPv6 Link-local configured on my Ubiquiti UniFi-based network. Is this something added to the hosts file if you enable native IPv6 service by Apple?

Wouldn’t surprise me to learn that hosts files from different eras have been preserved over upgrades.

Your Mac has what’s known as a dual-stack implementation.

All less-than-ancient Macs are running a stack capable of both IPv4 and IPv6.

macOS will routinely be using IPv6 locally, and can potentially also be tunneling IPv6 over IPv4 remotely.

Some reading: https://superuser.com/questions/241642/what-is-the-relevance-of-fe801lo0-localhost-in-etc-hosts

Tesserax

Level 10

157,884 points

Jan 27, 2020 11:28 AM in response to MrHoffman

MrHoffman wrote:

Your Mac has what’s known as a dual-stack implementation.

All less-than-ancient Macs are running a stack capable of both IPv4 and IPv6.

macOS will routinely be using IPv6 locally, and can potentially also be tunneling IPv6 over IPv4 remotely.

Ah yes, that makes total sense. I should have known as this is an option for some routers as well. Thanks for reply and the link.

Jan 27, 2020 2:35 PM in response to MrHoffman

I agree with your statement, Mr. Hoffman. However, TechTool Pro doesn’t fix things, it just identifies possible causes such as corrupted files etc. I will have to read the scan results and take action myself.

Jan 27, 2020 2:48 PM in response to Shelley Schreiber

Also planning to ask att Uverse about resetting the WiFi gateway and their browser page “resolution” message that pops up when I am trying to access my localhost page. Whatever that is, it doesn’t do a d***n thing, which is why this is probably an ATT|Uverse thing.

Keep you all updated. (Will take a while since I have other things on my plate and places to go.)

Jan 29, 2020 2:53 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks to both MrHoffman and Grant Bennet-Alder for this input about the router. In any case I have to replace the old ATT|Uverse router according to them. So as soon as I receive the new one and hook it up, I’m going to try the localhost access again. If this does nothing, as you both say, I will then look at the /etc/hosts file and other files that may be the problem and get back to this thread. 🙂

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Can’t access localhost files