leopard - safari/firefox die but other connectivity is fine

Sounds like you are losing connection to your DNS server. If your ISP has IP addresses for their DNS, try adding them manually to your Airport DNS list.

See System Preferences > Network. Select Airport, then click Advanced.... Go to the DNS tab and add your ISP's DNS server's IPs to the list on the left (usually one or more are available).

I think I have the same problem. When it happens, I can send and receive mail vial Mail.app and I can also load RSS feeds in Safari, but webpages will simply not load. In addition, The Network Diagnostics tool usually says "your connection appears to be working" or something to that effect.

I am connected via an Airport Express and have tried entering both my ISPs DNS servers as well as the OpenDNS servers. Seems to happen less frequently with the DNS servers from my ISP, but I could be wrong about that.

Also, when it happens on my Mac Mini running leopard, my Powerbook running Tiger (also connected to the Airport Express) can still connect fine to any web site. It seems that it must be a problem with Leopard somehow.

sahnert said:

I think I have the same problem. When it happens, I can send and receive mail vial Mail.app and I can also load RSS feeds in Safari, but webpages will simply not load. In addition, The Network Diagnostics tool usually says "your connection appears to be working" or something to that effect.

I am connected via an Airport Express and have tried entering both my ISPs DNS servers as well as the OpenDNS servers. Seems to happen less frequently with the DNS servers from my ISP, but I could be wrong about that.

Also, when it happens on my Mac Mini running leopard, my Powerbook running Tiger (also connected to the Airport Express) can still connect fine to any web site. It seems that it must be a problem with Leopard somehow.

Click to expand...

If you haven't tried already, perhaps adding the DNS IPs on the Airport Base itself. I'm thinking since it's happing on more than one machine, it points to possibly the DHCP connection to your ISP, rather than the Airport's DHCP server.

gr8tfly said:

If you haven't tried already, perhaps adding the DNS IPs on the Airport Base itself. I'm thinking since it's happing on more than one machine, it points to possibly the DHCP connection to your ISP, rather than the Airport's DHCP server.

Click to expand...

Sorry, I'm not quite following.

I have entered my ISPs DNS servers onto my Airport Express base station which is connected directly to my modem. (I have also tried with OpenDNS severs on my Airport Express)

Both my Powerbook running Tiger and my Mini running Leopard are connected to the Airport express, so they both should be using the same DNS servers, correct?

The strange thing is that the Powerbook will connect fine even when the Mini does not.

Should I enter the DNS servers in Network Preferences on my Mini or is that redundant if they are already entered on the Airport Express base station?

Thanks for your help.

sahnert said:

Sorry, I'm not quite following.

I have entered my ISPs DNS servers onto my Airport Express base station which is connected directly to my modem. (I have also tried with OpenDNS severs on my Airport Express)

Both my Powerbook running Tiger and my Mini running Leopard are connected to the Airport express, so they both should be using the same DNS servers, correct?

The strange thing is that the Powerbook will connect fine even when the Mini does not.

Should I enter the DNS servers in Network Preferences on my Mini or is that redundant if they are already entered on the Airport Express base station?

Thanks for your help.

Click to expand...

I wasn't sure whether you were entering the DNS IPs on the Airport Express, or on the individual machines. It wouldn't hurt anything to add them to the PB and Mini, though. Of course, if your ISP changes DNS IPs, you'll have manually reset them.

Since the PB is ok, and the Mini is the one having DNS issues, it might point to a Leopard issue. I don't remember seeing specific reports - sometimes it might be lumped in with other connectivity issues. I haven't had DNS problems, myself, but several times the Airport Utility has not discovered either of my AEBSs. If I turn off the Airport on the MBP, then back on, they pop up fine. It's not a DHCP issue, as that would be using Bonjour. (My MBP's using a static IP on my LAN, with both my own DNS and ISPs. Both AEBSs are also static IPs, in bridged mode.)