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College internet blues...I am SO puzzled..

t300

t300

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Okay, I am having some problems..So of course, before contacting Apple, the ISP, or etc....I am turning to my faithful members at MacRumors.

I just got to college a little while ago and set up my Buffalo wireless router on one of two ethernet ports on the wall. My girlfriend's Dell is contacted wirelessly and is on the other side of the room and my PB is right next to the router, hardwired to it. The internet has been working find for me, whether plugged in or using Airport, until...Yesterday.

I check my email yesterday morning, only to come back in the evening and to find out that my internet was connected via ethernet, but no web pages would work. I don't have any clue what could have happened. So then, I unplugged and connected fine to my wireless connection, aptly entitled "Jet." I was connected fine, went to Safari...nothing. No pages would load. I was stumped. I checked over things for hours. In my Network status it shows that I am connected (little green light) successfully and gives me my IP and everything...Yet, Safari, Mail, iChat...NOTHING. Same thing with Airport...It shows I am connected fine but still nothing works.

My girlfriend's Dell connects fine to my wireless network and surfs easily. As well as I also connected to random people's wireless networks like "linksys," "Ruby," "Paul And Sarah," etc. ALL of them worked. I could surf on their wireless networks. Then I tried to connect directly to the ethernet ports on the wall...Same thing. It shows I am connected with an IP and all, but nothing.

So now I have no idea. I suppose this means that it has to do with MY computer on MY specific ethernet ports on the wall. I really don't know what step to take next..The only thing I remembered installing maybe that day, or the previous night was an Apple update, an Apple Remote Desktop server update thing..Maybe that's it?..Anyway..I have tried everything.. Zapped the PRAM, FSCK, repaired permissions...

So what am I supposed to do? Does anyone have ANY ideas?
 
PlaceofDis said:
did you try and reset the router?
Click to expand...


Sorry, so many things I have tried, I forgot to list some...

Yes, I tried that multiple times. Thanks.
 
did you make sure that you were either 1) connected to it via ethernet when you reset it, or 2) were not connected and had your Airport card turned off when you rest it?

That has happened to me before and it is usually just a quick fix. routers can be kinda funny like that. i would suggest that your computer be off while you reset it in fact.

if that does not work, well then its time to check your network connections. does the IP adress area fill in when you connect via the ethernet cord?

the more info the better
 
TrenchMouth said:
did you make sure that you were either 1) connected to it via ethernet when you reset it, or 2) were not connected and had your Airport card turned off when you rest it?

That has happened to me before and it is usually just a quick fix. routers can be kinda funny like that. i would suggest that your computer be off while you reset it in fact.

if that does not work, well then its time to check your network connections. does the IP adress area fill in when you connect via the ethernet cord?

the more info the better
Click to expand...

I have done those and they did nothing, thanks.
The IP address does fill in when I connect with the ethernet cord...
I've even tried using different ethernet cords, as I thought maybe it had died..Or something.
 
Have you tried resetting your DHCP Lease. It is a button in the TCP/IP tab of the networking device you are using.

2) I have had similar problems when switching between wireless networks, what I have found works best is to have multiple locations set in the Network (I miss Location Manager from OS9, but I digress) and switch locations, after about 45sec it ususally works. Also, in the Network Pane, is it giving a Red, Yellow, or Green light for your active device (Airport, Ethernet, etc.)?

TEG
 
Have you tried restarting safari? Sometimes that will fix the problem for me. Though it sounds as if you've restarted the entire machine several times, so that pretty much eliminates that possibility.
 
I have tried reseting the lease, I have restarted Safari, reset it, etc...
I even tried using Firefox...but still...Nothing.
 
Have you tried using IP addresses instead of domain names? That is, try going to http://216.218.211.127 instead of https://forums.macrumors.com and see if it works.

If it does, it is a DNS issue (Domain Name Server). Check your network preferences for DNS server listings and if some are there, delete them (cut them so you can paste back if necessary).
 
emw said:
Have you tried using IP addresses instead of domain names? That is, try going to http://216.218.211.127 instead of https://forums.macrumors.com and see if it works.

If it does, it is a DNS issue (Domain Name Server). Check your network preferences for DNS server listings and if some are there, delete them (cut them so you can paste back if necessary).
Click to expand...


Oh my gosh...I think that is totally the problem. I made up tons of IP addresses and I could go to them, so I think that's the problem...

Now, can you please explain how I need to correct this step by step?
 
jet3004 said:
Oh my gosh...I think that is totally the problem. I made up tons of IP addresses and I could go to them, so I think that's the problem...

Now, can you please explain how I need to correct this step by step?
Click to expand...

Responded to your PM, but for the record:

Go to Network Preferences > TCP/IP. Check the DNS entry. If there is something there, it seems that it is incorrect. Edit>Cut it in case you need to paste it back. Perhaps even paste it to a new TextEdit file. Or create a new location with identical settings except for the DNS entries.

Better yet, check your girlfriend's PC, which is working, to see if she has DNS entries. If she doesn't, you don't need them. If she does and they're different, replace yours.

Generally speaking, ISPs don't require DNS entries in your TCP/IP settings. Generally, if they are there and aren't needed, they will be ignored. But sometimes they will cause problems.

Oh, and just a note - the DNS servers are used to lookup named sites and translate it to IP addresses. It's like if you sent a letter that just said "Mom and Dad Barker" and the Post Office needed a big directory that translated "Mom and Dad Barker" to "123 Anystreet, Anytown USA 12345". If you sent that letter to somewhere other than the place that has the proper directory, they wouldn't know where to send the letter.
 
Okay, I tried that and there are NO DNS Servers that are there...

So now what? Anyone want to take a stab?
 
Macs R Us said:
Is it set to DHCP or using a Static IP? Well it seems odd...
Click to expand...

It is using DHCP...

It's weird that I can access website's via there IP but not their names...I am so lost.
 
Alright try this,
Download the latest version of safari from Apple's website(http://17.112.152.32/)
Don't open the .dmg yet.
Now goto /System/Library/Frameworks and trash WebKit.framework folder(safari uses webkit to connect to internet)
Now open the .dmg and install safari.

Hope it works.
 
abhishekit said:
Alright try this,
Download the latest version of safari from Apple's website(http://17.112.152.32/)
Don't open the .dmg yet.
Now goto /System/Library/Frameworks and trash WebKit.framework folder(safari uses webkit to connect to internet)
Now open the .dmg and install safari.

Hope it works.
Click to expand...


Thanks, I am willing to try anything...

Could a problem be that there is NO Webkit folder? Eek.
 
NO. There is a webkit folder. Goto your hard drive/system/library/frameworks.
Not the hard drive/library, not your home/library.
 
abhishekit said:
NO. There is a webkit folder. Goto your hard drive/system/library/frameworks.
Not the hard drive/library, not your home/library.
Click to expand...


Computers are amazing in that ONE little thing can change everything...

This worked like a charm and I NOW have internet. I appreciate it very much and thank you!
 
This morning the problem has come back...And this time with a vengence.

Trashing the webkit folder like before does not seem to work like last time...

Any idea WHY this is happening and what I could do to fix it and prevent it?
 
One thing I usually do when networks are playing up is connect the mac directly to the modem/ethernet port and see if you're getting a connection that way. Then add your router (reset and reconfigure it), then add the mac
then the pc.

Check your IP addresses, DNS and DHCP settings. probably something stupid.
 
nesbitt_a said:
One thing I usually do when networks are playing up is connect the mac directly to the modem/ethernet port and see if you're getting a connection that way. Then add your router (reset and reconfigure it), then add the mac
then the pc.

Check your IP addresses, DNS and DHCP settings. probably something stupid.
Click to expand...


I've done this and nothing worked. It is obviously, I suppose, a DNS problem..An area in which I lack expierience. Anyone care to enlighten me?
 
It is possible that you'll have to type in the name server(s) address(es) in your router and/or your computer. If your computer is connected directly to your modem/ethernet jack and you still can't resolve a name, then you will need to tell your computer (and probably your router, too) where the DNS is. Call your ISP, explain to them that you can connect to ip numbers but not to domain names. Tell them you need the DNS addresses. Put those addresses into the various TCP/IP settings in your network control panel, and hopefully you'll be in business.
 
If you look at your router settings, are there any DNS servers listed there? If so, you can try and put them in your network settings and see if that works.
 
emw said:
If you look at your router settings, are there any DNS servers listed there? If so, you can try and put them in your network settings and see if that works.
Click to expand...


Nope..No DNS settings anywhere. As I said, it worked beforhand so I figured that there must be a reason it just quit, then got better, then quit again. I have a thing from the ISP in setting up your computer in either XP or Mac OS X and both of them have the DNS settings blank. I guess I will have to give them a call, even though they are not so helpful, but I am still open to suggestion. Thanks to all!
 
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