Certain (variable) websites won't open in Safari / Google Chrome

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Level 1

4 points

Certain (variable) websites won't open in Safari / Google Chrome

Hello,
Can you help a relatively new owner of a shiny macbook pro?
OS 10.6.5

Safari won't open certain sites. The following message appears.
Safari can't find the server. Safari can’t open the page “ http://www.whatever.com/” because Safari can’t find the server “www.whatever.com”.
Now I could find it earlier today, and if I refresh many times, sometimes eventually it will load up OK.

The same thing happens with Google Chrome.

I have reset Safari, used disk utility, no go.
This has been happening on and off since I bought this macbook - around 2 months ago.
Can anyone assist?
Thanks!
Lucy

Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.5)

Posted on Dec 13, 2010 7:21 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

JohnAlanWoods

Level 2

166 points

Dec 13, 2010 7:25 AM in response to lucyo

Heya,

Sounds like (i'm nearly certain) an issue with your router OR Intenet connection.

Can you check the 'Console' to see if you are getting time outs with your wireless connection?

Do you ever notice the little wireless connection drops (the signal bars near the clock on the top left of the screen?

Finally does this happen on other PC's/iPods/devices on the wireless network?

Can you try connecting to your router with an ethernet cable and see if the problem persists? (to rule out your ISP being the issue)

Regards,
John

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Answer 2

The hatter

Level 9

60,990 points

Dec 13, 2010 7:44 AM in response to lucyo

I know there have been threads in the past with basically the same issue.
Might want to look at those, and try changing your DNS server, Google, OpenDNS, etc. I would make changes in router rather than software.

etworking for Snow Leopard.
http://discussions.apple.com/forum.jspa?forumID=1343

http://www.apple.com/support/networking/

http://www.macintouch.com/readerreports/snowleopard/

Router and firmware up to date is one thing sometimes overlooked.
Whether you use wired or wireless, and anything else that would be pertinent.

Check this on slow wireless
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2563743

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Answer 3

Dec 13, 2010 7:44 AM in response to lucyo

This is a DNS failure / timeout, not specific to the browsers. This may occur if your ISP's DNS server is particularly busy, or if you have a router between you and your ISP that's caching DNS and has a bug (I have an ActionTec FiOS router provided by Verizon that goes awry about once every six months requiring that it be restarted).

The easiest thing to do is to go to the Network preferences, click on "Advanced" and then the DNS tab. Click the "+" button under the box labeled DNS servers and add the following OpenDNS.com:

208.67.222.222
208.67.220.220

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Answer 4

lucyo Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 13, 2010 8:45 AM in response to J D McIninch

Thanks for this advice

But if it's a problem with router / wireless / ISP then how come i can access one site like twitter in one open tab, but another site in another tab won't load?

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Answer 5

The hatter

Level 9

60,990 points

Dec 13, 2010 9:05 AM in response to lucyo

Try the suggestions first, and see if they make a difference.

In some cases a new modem or router is the best avenue, sometimes firmware update to the device. Ive done both, my old Netgear modem couldn't handle 15MB and no longer provided firmware udates.

It is a device, it has firmware and software and follows rules and protocol. A device might have worked on a PPC Mac, or on XP, and not properly with Windows Vista or 7 or latest OS.

+Only google and a few others know just how the spagetti string network traffic flows.+

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Answer 6

Dec 14, 2010 6:07 AM in response to lucyo

This sort of behavior is generally the result of errors in the DNS caching or timing out. Caching problems typically present as certain sites/domains consistently failing, whereas with timeouts the problem typically affects more sites/domains but sporadically.

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Answer 7

lucyo Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 15, 2010 2:42 PM in response to lucyo

Thanks All!
Adding the DNS seems to have solved it completely.
lucy

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Answer 8

ahemond

Level 1

0 points

Mar 2, 2011 12:40 PM in response to lucyo

I've the same problem but change in DNS doesn't solved the problem.
I've tried on the same network with another computer and it's work fine.
I cannot access twitter.com and I don't understand why?
Another Macbook pro can access the website on the same network.
Safari, Firefox, Chrome, Opera no browser can access the website.
With Twitter API I've message error Error loading tweets -1004.
if someone can help me I'll appreciate.
Thanks

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Answer 9

oddapt

Level 1

4 points

Mar 4, 2011 5:05 PM in response to ahemond

This is happening to me to! Very frustrating! Have you solved it yet?

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Answer 10

TildeBee

Level 7

31,917 points

Mar 4, 2011 5:19 PM in response to ahemond

ahemond --

If it's only one site, get rid of the Cookies.
Safari Preferences > Security > Show Cookies > type in Twitter.
Get rid of cookies that show up.

RESTART Safari and try Twitter again.

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Answer 11

Mar 6, 2011 10:15 AM in response to lucyo

I have just got this problem starting a few days ago, twitter seams to work ok on my iPhone and iPods but not on my macbook. :/

I have not installed anything new nor have I messed about with any settings. This is really annoying!

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Answer 12

Dick M

Level 3

675 points

Mar 6, 2011 10:37 AM in response to lucyo

The whatever URL you posted didn't work for me either. The URL is incorrect cause you have a quote mark after the backslash. Does this one work better?

http://www.whatever.com/

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Answer 13

oddapt

Level 1

4 points

Mar 7, 2011 10:28 PM in response to Dick M

This problem still hasn't gone away for me either! I've tried DNS fixes, etc, but nothing is working. I wonder if it was concurrent with a system update... It is seriously driving me nuts. Also, my wife has a slightly newer 13" mbp with none of the problems. Super weird!

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Answer 14

Mar 8, 2011 1:21 PM in response to Highland Warrior

FIXED IT!
It seams to be a flash player issue (typical flash) I just installed the new beta release ( http://download.cnet.com/Adobe-Flash-Player-Beta/3000-2378_4-75289579.html ) and restarted my mac and twitter came alive!

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Answer 15

Mar 8, 2011 1:43 PM in response to Highland Warrior

nope

it went back to -1004 error

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