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Can't connect to internet

Yesterday the connection to the Internet stopped on a July 2011 Mac mini. Running Network Diagnostics gets as far as ISP (green light) and that's it. Red light for ISP and Server. All the other devices connect no problem. Have tried resetting and restarting everything. The odd thing is that ocassionally a page will load in Safari when going from choosing a network connection step to the selecting a wi-fi network step and when quiting Network Diagnostics.

Any help is much appreciated.

Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on May 13, 2012 1:22 PM

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BDAqua

Level 10

239,363 points

Posted on May 13, 2012 1:43 PM

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

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2712

10.5.x/10.6.x/10.7.x instructions...

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.

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.

Then... Try putting these numbers in Network>TCP/IP>DNS Servers, for the Interface you connect with...

208.67.222.222

208.67.220.220

Then Apply. For 10.5/10.6 Network, highlight Interface>Advanced button>DNS tab>little + icon.

DNS Servers are a bit like Phone books where you look up a name and it gives you the phone number, in our case, you put in apple.com and it comes back with 17.149.160.49 behind the scenes. 🙂

These Servers have been patched to guard against DNS poisoning, and are faster/more reliable than most ISP's DNS Servers.

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37 replies

MikeV. Author

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May 15, 2012 5:13 PM in response to BDAqua

The MacBook had an IP of 192.168.1.71 - same as the mini. By clicking on Renew DHCP Lease, it's switched to 192.168.1.73 and is connecting to the Internet again - YEAH!

I can't find another device that's connected with 192.168.1.71, which is what the Mac mini is using. The mini is set to Using DHCP. Clicking renew lease still shows 192.168.1.71. And it's still not connecting.

I just thought of something. I have an Eye-fi card that uploads to the computer wirelessly. It stopped working wirelessly last week. I guess it has a IP address. I'll see if I can find it.

Thanks for all your help, so far! We're getting there. I'm now sure it's something with the IP address, but what? Is there anyway to force a new IP address?

BDAqua

Level 10

239,363 points

May 15, 2012 7:49 PM in response to MikeV.

You could use DHCP with a Static IP that no other Device would ever use, like maybe 192.168.1.86

If both were using DHCP & had the same IP, I suspect aflakey Router, or possibly some Time out setting, have you checked to see if there's a firmware updsate for the Router?

MikeV. Author

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May 15, 2012 11:22 PM in response to BDAqua

I set the IP manually, but it didn't help.

I notice that in the TCP/IP tab of the Network System Preferences app there is no entry for router IP. That must mean something.

The AirPort Express is version 7.6.1, which is up to date.

Thanks again for all your time and ideas. I've learned a lot and made some progress.

BDAqua

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239,363 points

May 16, 2012 2:09 AM in response to MikeV.

Was that Manually, Manually using DHCP?

MikeV. Author

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May 16, 2012 6:36 AM in response to BDAqua

Yes, I used DHCP with a Static IP.

BDAqua

Level 10

239,363 points

May 16, 2012 10:27 AM in response to MikeV.

Then the Router would be automatic & blanked out. Manually allows filling all three positions.

MikeV. Author

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May 16, 2012 10:53 AM in response to BDAqua

To be a little clearer (I hope) I went to System Preferences > TCP/IP > ConfigureIPv4: Using DHCP with manual address. The Router area underneath does not show an IP address.

If I change ConfigureIPv4: to Using DHCP and apply the setting, the Router area underneath still does not show an IP address.

Thanks.

BDAqua

Level 10

239,363 points

May 16, 2012 11:32 AM in response to MikeV.

Try Manually & filling in the Router IP.

MikeV. Author

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May 25, 2012 1:27 PM in response to BDAqua

I'm sorry that my response is so late. Work is a bit hectic and we have a work around to this problem by using an old MacBook to connect to the Internet, so I'm slacking off on fixing this.

When I maually added the router IP on the mini in System Preferences > Network > Advanced > TCP/IP (Configure IPv4: Manuall) all the buttons on the Network Diagnosis app went red, so I put the Configure IPv4 setting back to DHCP. Leaving it there gives me four green buttons up to and including ISP.

Sorry I am not being very helpful. I am completely flummoxed. Everyother device in the house connects and this one just upped and stopped.

BDAqua

Level 10

239,363 points

May 25, 2012 1:36 PM in response to MikeV.

Got me a bit stumped, but when you did Manually was it like this?

IP: 192.168.1.84

Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

Router: 192.168.1.65

MikeV. Author

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May 25, 2012 2:04 PM in response to BDAqua

IP: I don't want to give it out, but it's not 192, or 10 to start

Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

Router: 192.168.1.254

AirPort Utility reports that the router mode is off (Bridge Mode). The other options are DHCP & NAT or DHCP. Would this make a difference?

Thanks.

Message was edited by: MikeV.

BDAqua

Level 10

239,363 points

May 25, 2012 2:07 PM in response to MikeV.

The IP would have to have the same 1st 3 numbers as the Router, with the 4th number Unique from anything else connecting to the Router.

I thought you gave a different Router above somewhere?

MikeV. Author

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May 25, 2012 3:53 PM in response to BDAqua

I (am guessing here) that I had just put in the modem IP that the ISP gives me.

In System Preferences > Network > Advanced > TCP/IP (Configure IPv4: Manual) I went back and used

IP: 192.168.1.84

the other settings are

Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

Router: 192.168.1.254

and the result is still the same - green lights to ISP, red on Internet and Server.

BDAqua

Level 10

239,363 points

May 25, 2012 4:25 PM in response to MikeV.

OK, then it seems that DHCP was not the problem, just double checking, is Router set to allow that range of IP, I mean some can be set for a starting & ending IP, but I don't think that's it if it gets to the ISP... that's the strange part!???

I wonder, your ISP wouldn't be using Proxies somehow? Did you check the others for that?

MikeV. Author

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May 27, 2012 11:06 AM in response to BDAqua

> I wonder, your ISP wouldn't be using Proxies somehow? Did you check the others for that?

Proxies don't seem to be an issue. The other devices are not set to use proxies.

This morning i compared the AirPort Express settings on the mini with those on the MacBook. They are identical. I then compared the Network System Preferences on the mini with the Macbook. The only difference is the mini's IP address is 192.168.1.67 and the MB's is 192.168.1.65.

When I run Network Diagnositics, the green lights are on up to ISP and the Internet and Server lights are red. Occassionally this morning, while cycling through the diagnostic steps, the Internet and Server lights would turn orange and sometimes, after picking the network (SSID) name and continuing, the Internet and Server lights would turn green and a connection would be made to the Internet - usually long enough for a single web page to load. Then the Internet and Server lights will stay green, but no other pages load.

Still stumped.

BDAqua, thank you for your suggestions, patience and tenacity.

Can't connect to internet