Some sites will not load, any browser

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Level 1

16 points

Some sites will not load, any browser

History: I've been using Mullvad VPN, my signal comes from my data plan on my iPhone. I noticed my Mac increasingly sluggish, both on startup and once up, even getting a click on a dock icon to "take".

Following Mullvad's support, I fully uninstalled it and got nearly instant responsiveness back.

An older issue persists, that happened when Mullvad was present: some sites just will not load. Safari, Brave, Firefox, same response. Some are sites I've been to countless times, like Wells Fargo and HelpScout. I can't determine a pattern.

One other 3rd party app running: Malwarebytes, in which I bought their plan. No VPN, but monitoring every 6 hours or so. I've used this for at least 6 mo without issue, but may have updated it recently, can't recall.

I used to see mDNSResponder taking a lot of prominence in Activity Monitor and it's a bit less but still quite "up there" in Network tab. For ages, I've used OpenDNS settings 208.67 etc. So, I'm also wondering if there's some DNS confusion between the phone and the Mac.

Thanks for any insights. This is really screwing with my work.

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.14

Posted on Nov 27, 2020 9:26 PM

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Answer 1

homeovet Author

Level 1

16 points

Nov 28, 2020 8:31 PM in response to homeovet

I opted to use OpenDNS in place of 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4, and followed the rest of your helpful instructions. It appears my problem sites from yesterday are now loading quickly! Woo hoo!

Final question: did my Mullvad use have anything to do with this? If not, I'd like to reinstall that VPN and continue to use it, as it was the best I've ever experienced.

Thanks so much BD!

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Answer 2

BDAqua

Level 10

245,189 points

Nov 28, 2020 11:09 AM in response to homeovet

On the Mac. you can leave OpenDNS, but add these...

Make a New Location, Using network locations in Mac OS X ...

System Preferences>Network, top of window>Locations>Edit Locations, little plus icon, give it a name.

System Preferences>Network, click on the little gear at the bottom next to the + & - icons, (unlock lock first if locked), choose Set Service Order.

The interface that connects to the Internet should be dragged to the top of the list.

Sys Prefs>Network>highlight the Interface you're using>Advanced>TCP/IP>Configure IPv4: Using DHCP.

If using Wifi, instead of joining your Network from the list, click the WiFi icon at the top, and click join other network. Fill in everything as needed.

System Preferences>Network>choose interface>Advanced>Proxies Tab, make sure none are set, like for HTTP & HTTPS.

System Preferences>Network, unlock the lock if need be, highlight the Interface you use to connect to Internet, click on the advanced button, click on the DNS tab, click on the little plus icon, then add these numbers...

8.8.8.8

8.8.4.4

1.1.1.1

9.9.9.9

Apply.

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Answer 3

homeovet Author

Level 1

16 points

Dec 24, 2020 4:26 AM in response to BDAqua

I decided to run EtreCheck as today was a problem day, worse with the iPhone data connection, as I mentioned in the report. Maybe this will shed some light on this on again/off again mess I seem to experience. Thanks.

EtreCheck Report

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Answer 4

homeovet Author

Level 1

16 points

Dec 1, 2020 5:40 AM in response to BDAqua

I'm back in the browser dog house, I'm afraid. I reinstalled Mullvad VPN and everything immediately reverted to horrible logins, mDNSResponder is now prominent in Activity Monitor again, and though I immediately uninstalled the VPN (and bits and pieces of two older VPNs I'd used previously), adding another location, and a few restarts (even an iPhone Network setting reset), I'm not able to load sites that I've used regularly.

Interestingly, some of those sites have apps on the iPhone, and they get right to work, allow me to make credit card payments, etc. But, I also tested the sites themselves and, while I'm often stuck at login (just not loading, even) on MBP, no impediments what so ever to get to the same sites on the iPhone, same Brave browser (both Brave and Safari fail on Mac now).

So, I'm sure this must be diagnostic. Sounds like DNS confusion, but you'll know better than I. Thanks.

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Answer 5

homeovet Author

Level 1

16 points

Dec 1, 2020 6:47 PM in response to homeovet

Well, a new day after a shut down night, and all is mysteriously well. If I learned anything, it's to be cautious with too many VPN "pieces" hanging around for OSX to get confused by. I may still try to install Mullvad one more time, but I'll wait till I have an important online podcast recording made to be sure I'm not plunged back into the mess I've been delivered from!

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Answer 6

homeovet Author

Level 1

16 points

Dec 1, 2020 11:34 PM in response to homeovet

Spoke too soon. My online meeting failed to connect me while I was using the iPhone's data. I could login, locate the meeting, get in the "green room" but not join the meeting, while my guest was already inside, waiting for me.

When I changed networks to a new SIM from another provider in a router (also data, just completely different company supplying the signal), then I could get all the way in. Unfortunately, I learned this after I'd switched platforms to record in Zoom, which will not the same high quality as my preferred platform. Ditto in Zoom though: couldn't even login with the iPhone's data connection, but could when I switched to the other data supplier/SIM.

So, the final frontier @Bdaqua (I hope you're still looking in): how to get the phone's data supply back to happily recognized in all online exchanges, like it had been for years. (It even worked fine with Mullvad for several months and I think that changed when iOS upgraded. Thanks for any help. (My 2nd options is often a very poor bandwidth data source or I'd just use it exclusively.)

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Answer 7

Dec 23, 2020 9:45 AM in response to homeovet

Similar but worse here on my 2019 MacBook Pro 16". I just yesterday installed Mullvad. I immediately started having problems. Nothing huge, just annoyances. So I disconnected and quit the app but it was still blocking the internet entirely like it does while switching servers. So uninstalled it per Mullvads instructions. I have rebooted several times but I cannot connect with any part of the internet. I'm not on Big Sur. Still on last version of Catalina.

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Answer 8

BDAqua

Level 10

245,189 points

Dec 23, 2020 10:57 AM in response to atomheart4

Mo+st likely it left some chaff, get this App m run it, look for the Clean u[ section...

You can save us asking dozens of questions by submitting a report from this App for us to look at…

EtreCheck is a FREE simple little diagnostic tool to display the important details of your system configuration and allow you to copy that information to the Clipboard. It is meant to be used with Apple Support Communities to help people help you with your Mac. It will not display any personal info.

https://www.etrecheck.com/

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Answer 9

Dec 23, 2020 2:04 PM in response to BDAqua

Apple support was able to help me after getting bumped up the help chain. From recovery mode went into "Get help online". And then I reset my home router/modem. Was the first part necessary to get to the second part to work? I don't know and I doubt if the support staff do either. But I agree that it was most likely in my mind a bit of left over chaff, as you put it. Specifically from Mullvad VPN I believe. Because after that fix and things were back to working, after 5 minutes it reverted. Wifi but no internet. Thinking about resetting the router I decided to go on the Xfinity website where I can see the settings for it and lo and behold my MacBook, out of all the many devices in our home, was the only one that was designated as "paused" for internet access. Again smells a lot like the Mullvad protocol wherein the internet is blocked while switching router locations. That's pure conjecture so take it with as much salt as you will. I'm just glad it wasn't hardware.

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Answer 10

BDAqua

Level 10

245,189 points

Dec 24, 2020 10:46 AM in response to homeovet

Whew, most extensive list of Login items I've ever seen!

We may need to look at those Diagnostic reports of high CPU/ use to ferret out the problem.

To find out if it's system wide or user specific, try this...

Open System Preferences>Users & Groups, unlock the lock, click on the little plus icon, make a new admin account, log out & into the new account.

Does it work in the new account?

Safe Boot, (holding Shift key down at startup), does the problem occur in Safe Mode? Could take 10 minutes.

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Answer 11

homeovet Author

Level 1

16 points

Nov 28, 2020 7:43 PM in response to BDAqua

Thanks, but I'd rather avoid Google (8888) when ever possible. Don't trust them. Are there other options?

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Answer 12

BDAqua

Level 10

245,189 points

Nov 29, 2020 8:17 AM in response to homeovet

Good work, great news... tough to tell on Mullvad, but most people are in disbelief when then find out the majority are less trustworthy than google with heir info.

Take care my friend.

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