Level 1

8 points

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

37 replies

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

May 27, 2012 11:38 AM in response to MikeV.

Safe Boot from the HD, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions.

PS. Safe boot may stay on the gray radian for a long time, let it go, it's trying to repair the Hard Drive.

Copy this folder to the Desktop then trash the original & reboot.

/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/

Note, SystemConfiguration isn't in your home Library, but the one at the root of the disk.

MikeV. Author

Level 1

8 points

May 27, 2012 3:42 PM in response to BDAqua

We are getting close, BDAqua.

I safe booted, logged in as the administartor, repaired permissions, copied the root SysConfig folder to the desktop, trashed the original, and, before I rebooted, started up Safari. Safari connected to the Internet no problem in the administrator's login. I connected to a number of pages.

I safe rebooted again, logged in as the user, and I again repaired the permissions from the user login. Still no Internet. In a fit of desperation, I moved all the user permissions to the desktop. Safari connected to the Internet and I was able to load numerous pages.

I have just rebooted out of Safe mode, and sadly, nothing has changed. no Internet. I ran Network Diagnostics again, and the Internet and Server lights were orange. After I had picked the network name, they changed to green and a page loaded in Safari. Then the lights turned red and the Internet connection stopped.

In Network Diagnostics, by cycling through the step where I pick the name of the network and click Continue, the computer will connect to the Internet for 10 to 15 seconds before the red Internet and Server lights come on. Something is knocking the computer off connecting to the Internet. Something that's rest everytime I pick the name of the network.

We're close.

What is your next suggestion?

Thanks a million.

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

May 27, 2012 3:54 PM in response to MikeV.

You run & you run, to catch up to the Sun, but it's sinking, racing around to come up behind you again! 😝

Turn on Fast User Switching, log into an admin account, does it connect?

Does it stay connected if you log back into the other account without logging out of the admin account?

MikeV. Author

Level 1

8 points

May 27, 2012 6:08 PM in response to BDAqua

If I start the computer normally, neither the admin login or the user login will connect to the Internet for more than a few to 20 or 30 seconds. On the other hand, if I log in after a safe boot, both will connect, and stay connected, no problem.

I guess it's time for me to research what's turned off with the Safe boot to see what might be corrupt there. Would a reinstal of the OS be in order, or would the corruption get carried over?

The sun is within reach!

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

May 27, 2012 6:39 PM in response to MikeV.

See this great post by themachead on how to list the extensions in Safe Mode with System Profiler then compare to the extension folder!

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=10161377&#10161377

He ignored instructions not to fly too close to the sun, and the melting wax caused him to fall into the sea where he drowned

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icarus

😉

MikeV. Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 25, 2012 8:02 PM in response to BDAqua

Hi BDAqua,

I finally solved the problem. I disabled the extensions that weren't in Safe Boot, but it still wouldn't connect. I reinstalled the OS, but it still wouldn't connect. Tonight, in frustration, I took it to a Genius at an Apple store. He figured it out in two seconds.

It seems that DNSCrypt was blocking the port used to connect to a DNS server and instead was asking the computer to connect to an internal IP address. By enabling DNSCrypt over TCP/443, Internet connection was restored.

He also said he's seen a lot of this happening lately with DNSCrypt, but that the solution was relatively unknown in the community.

Thank you for all your time, excellent suggestions and encouragement. If I had been smarter and gone staright to a Genius bar, I wouldn't have wasted so much of your time.

If you're ever in Vancouver, I'd love to buy you a coffee, or whatever, for all your help and encouragement.

And, I didn't get burned. 🙂

Thanks, again.

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Jul 25, 2012 8:43 PM in response to MikeV.

Geat to hear, thanks for the report! 🙂

Thanks for the offer, but have trouble travelling the 3 miles to work 365/7. 🙂

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Can't connect to internet