Why won't Apple websites / App store / Software Update load on home network?

[will0407]

I have an imac 3.06ghz 21.5", my brothers and sister all have either a mac mini or macbook.

Whenever I try and load the apple store, software update or the itunes or app store, I get a connection error saying I should make sure I'm connected to the internet. The app store won't load on my iphone either unless I connect via 3g- same goes for my brothers iphone and my dad's.

Anyone have any idea what the problem is? My brother deleted some software update plists and he can now get software updates, however I deleted the same plists but my software update still doesn't work!

Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated, as, I'm sure you can tell, it's really annoying issue!
Thanks in advance.

 

[Hellhammer]

This isn't really my territory but it sounds like it could be a problem with router/modem or something because all Apple sites are blocked. I asked DoFoT9 to take a look, he knows more about this. BTW, have you reseted your router and modem?

 

[will0407]

thanks for your fast reply. I've turned the router on and off etc, but I haven't done a hard reset as I don't really want to tamper with the home internet.

 

[DoFoT9]

hey there will! sounds like an odd error. would you mind posting some screenshots of where the errors come up?

looking at the apple website related to the iTunes issue: here.

the thing that caught my eye from that article was the thing with the keychain and needing to reset it.

a significant cause of the issue could be your ISPs DNS servers - so its worth attempting to change them on your local computer to see how that goes.

to change DNS: System Preferences->Network->Click "Wireless" (assuming you are using wireless)->Advanced->DNS. on the left hand column enter 8.8.8.8 first, then under add 8.8.4.4. hit ok, then apply etc. close all safari windows/iTunes/software update and try again.

the firewall may also be causing some issues, turn that off temporarily and see if that fixed it.

as hellhammer suggested, reset the router and modem and see how that effects it.

the final suggestion, is to try the interface that you arent using. e.g if you are using wireless, try ethernet - and vice versa.

go through those things and let us know how it goes!

 

[will0407]

OK will do, thanks for your fast replies- one all the way from Finland and one from Australia!amazing!

 

[wrldwzrd89]

One more thing to check is your ports. All of those services use some non-standard port numbers.

 

[DoFoT9]

OK will do, thanks for your fast replies- one all the way from Finland and one from Australia!amazing!

we are all on the MacRumors IRC channel.

One more thing to check is your ports. All of those services use some non-standard port numbers.

they all use port 80 if web pages are working for the OP then its not a port issue.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

they all use port 80 if web pages are working for the OP then its not a port issue.

Hmm. I thought Software Update worked through 8088 - according to this table, it uses 80 AND 8088 (8088 only for the server functionality).

 

[DoFoT9]

Hmm. I thought Software Update worked through 8088 - according to this table, it uses 80 AND 8088 (8088 only for the server functionality).

Software Update only uses TCP on 80. 8088 is the "broadcast" port for OSX Server - so unless the OP manages OSX Server and distributes updates to clients, i doubt its that

 

[will0407]

so much knowledge on these forums!

 

[Hellhammer]

so much knowledge on these forums!

Is it working now?

 

[will0407]

Not yet, will be home in a couple of hours so will try then.

 

[will0407]

i reset the keychain and it seems to be working! Thanks for all your help- wish I'd asked sooner as it's been like this for a good few months. If only I knew the fix was so simple!

 

[will0407]

So close!i can now access the app store and apple websites as i mentioned above, however i still cant get on the app store from my iphone...any ideas?

 

[DoFoT9]

So close!i can now access the app store and apple websites as i mentioned above, however i still cant get on the app store from my iphone...any ideas?

yay im glad part of it is working.

did you attempt to apply the DNS fix to your iphone? its virtually the same concept - in the system prefrences of the iPhone. give that a go and see how it works.

 

[will0407]

Thanks, worked a treat!

 

[DoFoT9]

Thanks, worked a treat!

ahh great! must be a local DNS issue with your ISP - or something along the lines of that anyway. glad to know that its working! goodluck

 

[allusmorgans]

Very similar problem

Greetings! I am having a very similar issue. I have a mac book pro with OS 10.6.4 and iTunes 9.2. I can get onto the internet via Firefox but Safari, iTunes store, and apple software update are all not working. Safari just times out, iTunes store says "iTunes could not connect to the iTunes Store. An unknown error occured (-2094)". Software update stays on "checking for new software" for a few moments then says that "Software Update can't check for updates because of a network problem." I run network diagnostics and it says everything is working fine. It does the same thing in several locations so I doubt it's the ISP or the router. I even got online through a CDMA broadband hotspot. I reset the keychain and changed the DNS as it was outlined below. I also tried using both airport as well as ethernet. Any additional ideas on what may be wrong?