Internet fail over Ethernet (second attempt for response)

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Internet fail over Ethernet (second attempt for response)

MacBook Pro 13' (late 2013), Intel i5, 2.4 GHz, 8Gb ram, 250 GB SSD,macOs 10.12.1

A couple of weeks ago my ethernet connection with internet dropped after waking it from sleep (I think this is when it happened ). A few days before that I have upgraded to macOS Sierra at home where everything worked and beginning of week also at the location of my current project.

Ethernet dongle, both of them, are functioning. As well as thunderbolt ports according to System Information.

Network diagnostics tells me everything is working fine, all green balls. Using a different location setting it is all red balls and anything in between with other self-made location during different try-outs. Either way no connection to internet over Ethernet

What have I already done:

- I have deleted all network locations and started afresh.

- Deleted all Thunderbolt bridges and rebooted.

- I have re-installed macOS 10.12.1 (Sierra)

- I have checked correct version of "IncompatibleKernelExtensionConfigurationData " have 3.21.2 which is higher then the apparent faulty one mentioned in fora

- I have thrown out content of /Library/Preference/SystemConfigurations as suggested in other fora and rebooted for 'clean' build of files.

- Tried different cables on other machines (win), all good. Checked wall socket of ethernet, all good, double checked switch wiring was still in place to my office ethernet socket, all good.

- Tried it at home (The Netherlands) as well as at current project (Germany, it is here where I am frustrated out of my skull as I have to deal with a self concocted 3G mobile wifi router set-up to get by with a trickle feed internet)

- Booted in safe mode and subsequently rebooted in standard mode. Apparently cleans up some stuff somewhere.

I am currently at my wits end. Please help.

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2013), macOS Sierra (10.12.1)

Posted on Nov 4, 2016 7:27 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

CodingEthos

Level 1

32 points

Nov 4, 2016 8:30 AM in response to MacDutchRooster

There's a few things that could be going on here:

1. Check to see if the network card is active under Utilities >> Network Utilities.

2. Try switching to WiFi and then back to Ethernet.

3. Manually try fetching an IP address from your ISP (Look under Advanced settings within the Ethernet connection).

4. Clean the gold connectors on the Ethernet port, make sure none of them are bent or broken.

5. Check to see what version driver you have, updates sometimes break things.

If the cable works on other machines, it may ultimately be a bad port. I wasn't sure from your OP if you were using an actual Ethernet cable to a router or if you were using a dongle to connect via USB/Other Port.

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Answer 2

Nov 4, 2016 8:27 AM in response to MacDutchRooster

If all the indicators in diagnostics are green, what EXACTLY do you see when you try to use it?

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Answer 3

Nov 5, 2016 2:10 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Grant Bennet-Alder, thanks for the feedback!

During Network Diagnostics Ethernet, Network Settings and ISP are standard green. After clicking Continue Internet and Server go from red to green.

Network Diagnostics subsequently tells me all is hunky dory.

But nevertheless;

Safari unable to connect to e.g. Google (default website)
Mail is not being picked up or sent
Several Syncs fail (Box, OmniFocus)

I have also run the rMBP without Virus, Firewall and delete of Safari History (makes no difference).

WiFi works great where available (not available on my current project, hence the slow 3G router set-up).

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Answer 4

Nov 5, 2016 2:27 AM in response to CodingEthos

Hi Coding Ethos,

Thanks for the reply!

1. Is active from what understand but only tiny amounts are sent and received

2. Done that a million times with no effect.

3. Done that a few times without any effect (at project location) I will try at home on router.

4. Just checked, looks good to me, but I am unable to look on the underside of that thing in the Thunderbolt port.

5. Driver? Driver of what am I looking for? Could you give me a hint where to look for this.

I am a happy Mac user of 2 years after 25+ years Windows but miss the savvy in and outs of the Mac(X)OS. I am however without fear to try ;-)

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Answer 5

Nov 5, 2016 7:15 AM in response to MacDutchRooster

What IP Address is shown for DNS Server?

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Answer 6

Nov 5, 2016 7:33 AM in response to MacDutchRooster

No worries. My wife finally came over to a Mac after being a life-long Win user 🙂

To check drivers just hold down the option key, select the Apple menu and then System Information. Once that pops up, in the left column look for Software. You can alphabetize it if you wish to by clicking the name header.

Then, you can look to see if any of the drivers are causing issues. Back in Feb an update broke some Ethernet ports, but it sounds like you just did a fresh install so that shouldn't be causing you any more problems anyways. But perhaps another driver isn't functioning properly and this will let you know.

If that doesn't do anything for you, try repeating the steps you normally take but have the Console open. You can find this in Applications >> Utilities (they're folders). Major errors like this should register here; have a look around and see what you find, maybe we can get a look under the hood and see what's going on. We can pull log files (.txt) from here.

Cheers

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Answer 7

Nov 6, 2016 11:03 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

192.168.2.254

195.121.1.34

195. 121.1.66

It makes no difference if I replace with others like google's 8.8.8.8

However I am, at home at least, back on line via Ethernet!

Have a look at my reply to Coding Ethos, I will probably still need your help to finally solve this riddle.

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Answer 8

Nov 6, 2016 11:28 AM in response to CodingEthos

Hi Coding Ethos,

Having tried many things again on this Sunday and I am back on line with Ethernet.

This time all red balls at my Automatic network location. The last time (2 weeks ago, I recall still having 2-3 green ones).

I hooked up the cable + Gigabit Ethernet Adapter to the MBA of my wife to double check the hardware and instant connection!

I subsequently unplugged it and stuck it back into my rMBP, created a new location and bang internet over Ethernet!!

I must have done this tens of times before, without hooking it up to the MBA....very strange.

So the remaining questions are:

- Will it still work at my project location in Germany tomorrow? (I will let you know)

- Has my wife's MBA tickled/reset the Gigabit Ethernet Adapter?

- How do / can I replace the default Automatic Network location with a new one? It is now that I think this file somehow got corrupted but I am unable to delete / replace it. Can I edit it some place? I can obviously simply ignore it but I am kind of a stickler for having things as they should be :-/ A deficiency for sure..

Another odd thing is that I do not recall the Ethernet connection ever to be so fast as it seems now!

By the way I have learned nothing from the console. It is possible due to my ignorance but if something is wrong how is that signalled there? The February Apple update error has already been checked. I am good there.

Thanks for the help so far by you and Grant Bennet-Alder!!!! Really appreciated!!!!!

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Answer 9

Nov 6, 2016 12:18 PM in response to MacDutchRooster

- How do / can I replace the default Automatic Network location with a new one?

System Preferences > Network > Wi-Fi > (assist me) > (assistant)

Follow the flow and answer the questions and you will be offered the opportunity to create a new NAMED Network Location File. DO NOT stay with the Automatic-name! Give it a meaningful name and the next time you are in a different place, do this again and give it a new Different name for that place.

Using network locations (Mac OS X v10.6 and later) - Apple Support

You connect to the Internet using the Top-Most Working interface in the Network pane. So in cases where you MIGHT have Ethernet, but if not, you want to use Wi-Fi you use the "gear" icon in that pane to "set Service Order". First try Ethernet, and if that is not working, the next one is Wi-Fi.

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Answer 10

Nov 7, 2016 6:07 AM in response to MacDutchRooster

Hmm, we could do some more extreme methods if we must, but just to be sure, make sure you're OK with doing a clean install or have a back-up handy. Not saying you'll need it, but better safe than sorry. We'll start here and work our way up if we have to.

Resetting PRAM

1. Shut down your MBP all the way. (Total shutdown, as in no sleep or anything like that).

2. Press the Power Button, then very quickly press Command-Option-P-R, before the grey Apple boot screen. (If you miss, shutdown and try again).

3. Keep the keys pressed until your MBP restarts and you actually hear the chime again.

4. Let go of keys and let your MBP finish booting.

If that doesn't work on its own, we can also reset the SMC.

Resetting SMC

1. Shut down all the way.

2. Keep your charger plugged in.

3. Press Shift-Option-Control on the left side of the keyboard.

4. Let go of the keys.

5. Boot up normally using power button.

Sometimes things do get a little wonky after you use your MBP for a while, and the best solution to most problems that aren't hardware related is to just flush everything and have it re-written. A clean install doesn't do this for you, you have to manually flush the PRAM and SMC. However, it usually fixes all sorts of Mac ailments.

Let me know how it goes 🙂

Cheers

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