My wifi is connected but not working...

[MACelmore]

I've tried searching the internet for an answer to this, but no luck. So here goes:

I got my Macbook back from Apple last week after they repaired it due to liquid damage. I get it home and it still automatically connects to my home's wifi network, but webpages don't load whatsoever (even google.com!). The funny thing is, if I tether my phone to the Macbook, all webpages, pictures, videos, etc load with no issues. It's only my home's wifi that my Macbook doesn't work on. My iPhone and iPad both work with my home's wifi, so what is the issue??!??!?!?

 

[Bruno09]

What happens if you paste : 173.194.67.147 instead of http://www.google.com in your browser ?

 

[MACelmore]

What happens if you paste : 173.194.67.147 instead of http://www.google.com in your browser ?

I will see when I get home today. What should happen?

 

[Bruno09]

173.194.67.147 is an Ip address of ... Google, therefore you should get Google home page.

In case you were having a DNS issue, you can't access a website by its name (google.com) but you can access it by its IP address.

Do the test and let us know what happens.

 

[MACelmore]

173.194.67.147 is an Ip address of ... Google, therefore you should get Google home page.

In case you were having a DNS issue, you can't access a website by its name (google.com) but you can access it by its IP address.

Do the test and let us know what happens.

Oh.. hahaha. You can tell how little I know about this. I will do this test later, thanks.

 

[simonsi]

Forget the network and then reconnect so the MBP relearns the network details from scratch.

 

[MACelmore]

173.194.67.147 is an Ip address of ... Google, therefore you should get Google home page.

In case you were having a DNS issue, you can't access a website by its name (google.com) but you can access it by its IP address.

Do the test and let us know what happens.

Okay, so using the IP address does work, using the URL still doesn't. Thoughts?

----------

Forget the network and then reconnect so the MBP relearns the network details from scratch.

I've tried this.. Hasn't worked.

 

[simonsi]

Assume you rebooted any/all your modem/router/WiFi access point unit(s) that are in your house? That is internet 101.

You aren't getting DNS from your ISP (but your iPhone is via your cell provider network).

Likely nothing to do with your MBP.

If rebooting doesn't or hasn't worked then get onto your ISP, there could be multiple reasons for it.

 

[MACelmore]

Assume you rebooted any/all your modem/router/WiFi access point unit(s) that are in your house? That is internet 101.

You aren't getting DNS from your ISP (but your iPhone is via your cell provider network).

Likely nothing to do with your MBP.

If rebooting doesn't or hasn't worked then get onto your ISP, there could be multiple reasons for it.

I would assume that except that my iPhone, iPad, and gaming system all have internet accessibility with no problems. It has to be an issue with the Macbook. Maybe I should just take it to the Genius bar....

 

[simonsi]

I would assume that except that my iPhone, iPad, and gaming system all have internet accessibility with no problems. It has to be an issue with the Macbook. Maybe I should just take it to the Genius bar....

It depends on how each device operates DNS, phones typically use cellular if they can't use WiFi - have you checked?

You quoted it worked when tethered, when tethered the iPhone HAS to access the cellular network. Can't speak for the console but quite possible it is using the console manufacturers DNS and doesn't need to learn it from the ISP via the modem router - that is certainly what my Wii appears to do.

Have you rebooted the modem/router? If not, not much point in talking about it any more until you have....that is pretty much step one in diagnosing a DNS issue.

 

[Bruno09]

Hi,

go to System Preferences / Network.

Select "wifi" on the left, click the "Advanced" button.

Go to the "DNS" tab.

"DNS servers" is empty, right ?
It should display your router IP address, or your ISP DNS IPs.
Something like : 192.168.1.1 (your router), or :
256.354.3.45 (for example, not a actual one).

If it's empty, clisk the "+" button in the bottom left corner.

Type in : 8.8.4.4

Click the "+" again.

Type in : 8.8.8.8

These are Google DNS servers.

You may also use OpenDNS servers :
208.67.222.222
208.67.220.220

Click "OK", then "apply".

Now you have access to Internet, don't you ?

 

[simonsi]

Hi,

go to System Preferences / Network.

Select "wifi" on the left, click the "Advanced" button.

Go to the "DNS" tab.

"DNS servers" is empty, right ?
It should display your router IP address, or your ISP DNS IPs.
Something like : 192.168.1.1 (your router), or :
256.354.3.45 (for example, not a actual one).

If it's empty, clisk the "+" button in the bottom left corner.

Type in : 8.8.4.4

Click the "+" again.

Type in : 8.8.8.8

These are Google DNS servers.

You may also use OpenDNS servers :
208.67.222.222
208.67.220.220

Click "OK", then "apply".

Now you have access to Internet, don't you ?

To the OP - just bear in mind when this advice gets you working it may, depending on where you are on the internet, give you less than optimal routing, higher latency and lower throughput than if you use your ISPs DNS which should supply best routing for their network. Good luck.

 

[Bruno09]

What I said must be understood as a step in the trouble shooting, not as a solution...

 

[simonsi]

What I said must be understood as a step in the trouble shooting, not as a solution...

I know that but the OP might have thought that was it sorted...

 

[MACelmore]

It depends on how each device operates DNS, phones typically use cellular if they can't use WiFi - have you checked?

You quoted it worked when tethered, when tethered the iPhone HAS to access the cellular network. Can't speak for the console but quite possible it is using the console manufacturers DNS and doesn't need to learn it from the ISP via the modem router - that is certainly what my Wii appears to do.

Have you rebooted the modem/router? If not, not much point in talking about it any more until you have....that is pretty much step one in diagnosing a DNS issue.

First of all, thanks for your replies. I appreciate the help. Yes I've restarted the modem. My iPad is Wifi only and it works fine with my home network. Also, my roommates have no issues with the internet. Literally the only device in the house that has an issue is my Macbook.

 

[simonsi]

First of all, thanks for your replies. I appreciate the help. Yes I've restarted the modem. My iPad is Wifi only and it works fine with my home network. Also, my roommates have no issues with the internet. Literally the only device in the house that has an issue is my Macbook.

Did the manual add of those DNS servers as above get you able to load pages?

Do you have access to the modem's config? Now you've told us the fuller story you may need to look into the modem to see why it isn't serving the DNS addresses, there may be an access rule stopping your mac address connecting, the modem may have hit a device limit that has been configured (possible if you have several flatmates, each with several WiFi devices), and you Mac has ended up as the last one to need a new connection.

As WiFi works via your iPhone there isn't anything fundamentally wrong with your Mac (like WiFi card died for instance).