Cannot Connect to App Store when on Wifi, but CAN when on ethernet

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Cannot Connect to App Store when on Wifi, but CAN when on ethernet

I have two MacBooks, one iPod (Fifth Gen) and one iPhone 6, that, when trying to connect the App Store (both Mac App Store and iOS App Store), show the message, "Cannot connect to App Store" when connected via Wi-Fi. All can access the internet and have internet connectivity just fine for everything else (EXCEPT iTunes Store can not be accessed either on all of the above). So only the Apple applications seem to be having issues - the Wi-Fi issues are anywhere they connect to Wi-Fi.

If you connect the laptops to Ethernet or the iPhone to a cellular network (disconnect Wi-Fi) then you CAN access the App Stores and iTunes stores - iPod is dead in the water as Wi-fi is only option. Here are the specs. Two 2008 MacBooks both running 10.11.6 El Capitan with 8GB RAM, 2.4 GHz. iPod is iOS 9.3.5, iPhone 6 is same.

I also have three other macs, three iPhones and four iPads that do not present any of the above issues. So much for consistency.

I've reset and rebuilt my hardware items and even switched out my Airport Extreme for a pretty nice Linksys router - the problem persists. Would love to capture people's thoughts, suggestions and other items I should perhaps investigate. Thank you in advance!

MacBook, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6), 8 GB Ram 2.4 GHz

Posted on Sep 25, 2016 5:43 PM

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Answer 1

norm123

Community Specialist

Sep 27, 2016 6:11 AM in response to kalel15

Hello kalel15,

Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.

I see that you are having issues connecting to the Mac App Store via Wi-Fi. If you have first checked that the issue occurs on multiple Wi-Fi networks, the the following article should help you: If you can’t connect to the iTunes Store

Specifically this section:

Fix the issue on your Mac or PC

If you can't connect to the iTunes Store on your computer, these steps might help you fix the issue.

On your Mac

Make sure that you can access the Internet on your computer.

See if your computer meets the iTunes minimum system requirements.

Check that your operating system is up to date.
From the menu bar at the top of your screen, choose Apple () > Software Update. If you don't see Software Update, choose Apple > App Store and click the Updates tab in the App Store window.

Make sure that you have the latest versions of iTunes and Safari.

If you have a firewall, your settings might not let you connect to the iTunes Store. Learn how to set up your firewall.

Connection issues are sometimes caused by keychain issues. To reset your keychain, use Keychain First Aid.

Contact your Internet service provider, and make sure that these ports and servers are turned on for your network.

If there's still an issue, get more help.

Here is another article with some additional things you can check:
OS X: "Cannot connect" or "Cannot connect to the App Store. An internet connection is required"
Best regards.

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