strange internet problem - partially working?

[wfriedwald]

using a 2020 MacBook Air M1
running the latest SONOMA

Okay, this is very strange - in 30 years of using Macs, I've never encountered anything like this: I seem to be getting PARTIAL internet.

I am currently connected via ethernet directly to my router - I also have the option to connect wirelessly via wi-fi, but I generally prefer the ethernet when I am home, as that is usually faster.

Virtually everything tells me that I am not currently connected to the internet, including CHROME, which is my main browser, and the OOKLA SPEEDTEST, which is a standalone app (NOT part of a browser).

The exception is SAFARI: when I run SAFARI, I have limited, slowed-down access to the internet. When I go to speedtest.verizon.com, I get the following results:

speedtest.verizon.com

ROUTER
GOOD Connection speed on your router
933 = Download
854 = Upload

DEVICE

GOOD Connection speed on your device

942 = Download
821 = Upload

so obviously I am connecting to the internet, but somehow my Mac OS thinks I am not.

I see that there is a SONOMA update (14.4.1), I doubt that this would have anything to do with this issue ... and I also do NOT know if I can even access that update, given the current internet situation.

I am thinking perhaps I should try a clean re-install of the Sonoma OS? (I believe that won't affect my own user data, correct?)

has anyone ever experienced anything like this?

Grateful for any suggestions / feedback.

W

PS: Okay, I updated to SONOMA 14.4.1, but it doesn't seem to have made any difference! Oh well. Still wondering if a clean reinstall of the entire system might be the only thing I can try?

 

[wfriedwald]

I tried turning OFF and ON the dock device (DELL UNIVERSAL HYBRID VIDEO DEVICE) through which my ethernet is connected (see attached), but it doesn't seem to have made any difference.

I am seriously leaning towards trying a clean reinstall of the system - is there any possible downside to that?

thanks again - grateful for any suggestions, especially with regard to possible clean re-install.

thanks !

w

 

[fisherking]

i think this happened here, today (2 april), briefly. i could connect to some sites, not others. and teamviewer crashed on me mid-session. even after a reboot, i could not connect in teamviewer. no mail was coming in (showing as 'offline'), but many sites were opening... some very slowly.

not sure what to make of it, but it passed after 10 minutes. so, seems similar...

 

[kpluck]

I am seriously leaning towards trying a clean reinstall of the system - is there any possible downside to that?


w

You might try creating a new account on your Mac first and see how that works. If internet access works fine in the new account, you know it is a software/setting issue in the affected account.

Another thing to look at, do you use a VPN service? Some VPN software has an option to not allow internet access if you aren't connected to the VPN (you can turn this on/off). Why Safari would work in that situation, I don't know. The software may have an option for that or something. If you use a VPN, you might look at that.

-kp