MacBroke Pro

[pwcopy]

macOS Catalina 10.15.7 MacBook Pro (13 in. Mid 2012) 2.5 Ghz Dual-Core Intel Core i5 16 GB 1600 Mhz DDR3 512 GB SSD When replying to this thread, please don't assume I have any knowledge of what you're talking about. For example, you may reply, "Do (procedure)," or "Did you try (procedure)?" Unless the procedure is • reboot router, • reboot laptop, or • check internet connection in System Preferences, the answer will be, "No," because I won't know what the procedure is or how to perform it. So I need not only its name, but how to navigate to it on my Mac and any other steps you might deem important. Thank you for your patience & understanding.

Yesterday I closed a bunch of windows on my desktop, one of which was a Systems Preferences window asking me if I wanted to save changes. I clicked yes, and now I can't surf the Internet. I don't remember which preference window it was. The problem is identical across Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. I can get to the Yahoo and Google home pages, but nowhere else. If I type a URL like autoblog.com, all browsers reply, "This site can't be reached." I know my home Wi-Fi works because the Mac tells me it's connected to it, and I'm using it to send this message via my phone. Many thanks for your help.

I hooked the laptop up to my phone Wi-Fi hotspot and I can now also get to some sites I couldn't reach before, but others still "can't be reached." Also watched a video tutorial that said to turn off ipv6 address here: System Preferences > Network > Advanced > tcp/ip > configure IPv6 > Off.

My Mac does not have an off option for IPv6. Only automatically, manually, link local only. This location also shows ipv4 turned off. There is no ipv4 address, subnet mask or router listed.

 

[Romain_H]

Looks like you screwed up your DNS settings. Maybe re-activate DHCP IP address allocation

 

[pwcopy]

I tried that. When I click on Using DHCP > Renew DHCP Lease, all of the values, IPv4 Address, Subnet Mask and Router remain blank.

 

[DeltaMac]

Yes, Click on that Configure IPV4 dropdown, and choose "Using DHCP"
(don't waste your time with the "Renew DHCP lease", that won't change anything if the other DHCP setttings are incorrect)
Click OK (which will accept that setting change), then click the "Apply" button.
You should then see the IP address, submask mask, and router fill in now.
That should get you connected again. Should be no need to restart, but I will often restart when I have to redo internet settings.
You should also try restarting your internet router, too, if you have access to that.

 

[pwcopy]

Looks like you screwed up your DNS settings. Maybe re-activate DHCP IP address allocation

So I went back into TCP/IP and flailed around a few more times, and the values for IPv4 Address, Subnet Mask and Router magically reappeared. Everything appears to be back to normal. Don't ask me how I did it. I can't tell you. Thanks, Romain

 

[pwcopy]

Yes, Click on that Configure IPV4 dropdown, and choose "Using DHCP"
(don't waste your time with the "Renew DHCP lease", that won't change anything if the other DHCP setttings are incorrect)
Click OK (which will accept that setting change), then click the "Apply" button.
You should then see the IP address, submask mask, and router fill in now.
That should get you connected again. Should be no need to restart, but I will often restart when I have to redo internet settings.
You should also try restarting your internet router, too, if you have access to that.

HA! I think I did the Renew DHCP Lease right before you posted, and now everything works! I tried before, but I think I wasn't clicking Apply. Thanks so much for answering and the step-by-step.