Most websites and services not working on my mac mini

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Most websites and services not working on my mac mini

I think this has started since I last upgraded my OS. I’m using Big Sur 11.2.2. For some reason my 2018 mac mini, by both ethernet and wifi, will not access most websites and online services. I can’t check email, Adobe Creative Cloud stops working, my iCloud drive won’t sink, etc. Periodically, everything starts working again for no real reason. Then, it stops again. Sometimes, I can access one or two websites, like apple.com, but nothing else. Just now, it worked long enough for me to receive my email, then shut off before I could send one out.

I know the internet isn’t the problem, because I’m using it right now on another device to type this out. I tried looking for known bugs for Big Sur, but couldn’t find anything.

I’ve tried turning off my antivirus software, to no effect, and I deleted a Cisco VPN client that kept giving me an error warning, but that didn’t help either. I’ve also tried booting in safemode, but again to no effect (though, again, sometimes I can access apple.com). Rebooting in general has proven useless.

I can always access my router’s set up page via its IP address. My computer also recognizes when I’m using my iPad (the little device icon appears along with the app I’m using in the dock), so local services seem to be working.

FYI, I’ve been using Safari mainly for internet access, but Firefox and Chrome aren’t working any better.

Anyone have any ideas? I teach some of my classes entirely online, so I really need my computer working more reliably than this. Thanks!

Mac mini, OS X 10.11

Posted on Mar 9, 2021 4:39 PM

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Answer 1

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pludolph Author

Level 1

15 points

Mar 13, 2021 8:17 AM in response to babowa

Sorry for the long delay in replying. When the internet began magically working again on my computer, I downloaded the new update to 11.2.3 and downloaded the installer/uninstaller for Intego. I hunted through my computer to delete the last vestiges of my old McAfee software, uninstalled Intego's ContentBarrier (because it felt kind of like a malfunctioning parental filter), and updated my OS to 11.2.3. I've been waiting for the problem to repeat itself, but it hasn't. One of those things seems to have solved the problem, but I'll check back in if I lose internet again.

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Answer 2

babowa

Level 9

78,562 points

Mar 9, 2021 5:45 PM in response to pludolph

I'd start by uninstalling your AV software - it is utterly superfluous if you are running Big Sur. The OS is now "sequestered" in a read-only, otherwise inaccessible volume to be protected. So, neither you nor anyone or anything else has access to it. How could an AV app write to it if it cannot access it?

So, check for their uninstall instructions, uninstall it, restart the Mac and then see if things have improved. Also throw out the VPN for the time being.

After you've done that, download, run and then post here the results of this diagnostic utility (free version) using the additional text third icon from the right in the tool bar of the reply window:

www.etrecheck.com

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Answer 3

babowa

Level 9

78,562 points

Mar 13, 2021 11:49 AM in response to pludolph

Great to hear - just remember that an update or upgrade in the OS does not fix third party software conflicts; the only things it may fix are specific issues/bugs that Apple is fixing. So, it is always best to try to fix such things before updating or upgrading - if the entire Mac is performing well, then an update should not be messing things up (unless you've got invasive/incompatible apps installed).

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Most websites and services not working on my mac mini

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