Unable to Connect to Localhost as of DP8

[RumorzGuy]

Hello. I host a variety of domain names using MAMP PRO 3.4 on a 24" iMac. Shortly after installing El Capitan DP8 just over two weeks ago, I discovered that I can no longer connect to any of my domains, and neither can anyone else from the outside world. Nothing is accessible locally, or otherwise. Even trying "http://localhost" in my web browser results in a futile endeavor to connect, until it times out.

This led me to wonder if something broke somewhere with El Capitan DP8. However, I have since upgraded to the recently-released Golden Master. Doing so has not resolved anything.

I have checked all of my MAMP PRO settings -- including for each virtual host -- and everything looks fine. I haven't changed any settings whatsoever.

* The ports -- Apache, Apache SSL and mySQL -- are set as they have always been.

* The path to each host's folder is set as it has always been.

* My "hosts" file is set up as it has always been with the proper loopbacks to 127.0.0.1.

* My wi-fi settings are set up as they have always been.

* My ethernet settings are set up as they have always been.

* MAMP PRO's "httpd.conf" file includes the proper data for my various virtual hosts.

I even went so far as to reinstall MAMP PRO 3.4 a few times -- with SIP disabled in one instance -- but that did not help either. The connection problem persists.

Now, what is odd is this:

* I have no problem accessing the Internet. I can visit websites. I can download files from the web. I can use FaceTime and Messages without a problem. I can send and receive email using the Mail app. I can use the Mac App Store app, etc.

* I run an old school BBS which, as you may know, uses the telnet protocol and port 23. My BBS members from around the world have no problem logging into the BBS.

* I also run an old school Hotline server. Hotline uses a proprietary protocol and port 5500, or whatever port the admin chooses during setup. Again, folks have no problem accessing my Hotline server across the Internet, and downloading files from it.

So as you can see, I can do everything that I need to do on the Internet without a problem. The only thing that does not work, is MAMP PRO, and connecting to my various domain names.

Now, when I say that MAMP PRO is not working, let me clarify that it launches and runs fine. It launches both the Apache and mysQL servers. I simply cannot connect to any of my domains.

On another website earlier today, I discovered that in an earlier El Capitan beta, localhost -- or 127.0.0.1 -- was blocked by Apple. You can read about it here if you want:

http://superuser.com/questions/938999/osx-10-11-el-capitan-beta-pf-conf-behaviour-changed

Supposedly, it was a bug which was fixed in El Capitan Beta 4, but oddly enough, that sounds like what is happening to me. One suggestion was to change localhost to 127.0.0.2 in the hosts file. I tried that, but it did not work.

Up until now, Appsolute -- the developer behind MAMP PRO -- has been of no help to me whatsoever, even though we have exchanged a few emails. Sadly, their support has never been impressive, in my view, even though their app has been rock solid for over four years for me.

Well, today, I installed AMPPS and tried it out. Guess what? I couldn't connect to localhost with that app either!

So now I am wondering if it is something deeper in El Capitan itself, some change that Apple made, but which it has not publicized, and not MAMP PRO after all. If it is, I don't know where to look, or what to do.

Odd enough, if I shut down MAMP PRO and start El Capitan's default Apache server via the Terminal, I can connect to localhost, because I get the "It works!" message.

Have any other web server admins experienced this with El Capitan? If so, how did you resolve it? My websites have been down for over two weeks now, which obviously is not good.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

[chrfr]

Have any other web server admins experienced this with El Capitan? If so, how did you resolve it? My websites have been down for over two weeks now, which obviously is not good.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

I don't have MAMP on this computer which is running 10.11 GM Candidate, but I did just start up Apache, and accessing http://127.0.0.1 works as it always has.

 

[RumorzGuy]

That is the weird thing, chrfr. Just a few minutes ago, I shut down MAMP PRO, started up El Capitan's native Apache server in the Terminal, and then used Firefox to go to http://localhost. It worked fine.

So, next, I shut down El Capitan's native Apache server via the Terminal, and fired up MAMP PRO again.

This time, whereas it refused to connect before, it let me go to the home page for two of my domains, but not to the home page of the third one.

I was also able to go to one internal page on one site, and even to one of my CGI messageboards.

However, it won't let me connect to my WP blog.

Then, when I try to go to more internal pages on the aforementioned two websites, it just hangs and can't connect. Furthermore, now I can't connect to that same messageboard again either.

This is the same weird behavior I have witnessed before. It is totally erratic, and doesn't make sense. One minute MAMP PRO partially works, and then it doesn't.

The fact that I can start up El Capitan's built-in Apache server, and at least go to localhost, again seems to point back to MAMP PRO being the problem. But if that is the case, then why couldn't I connect to localhost when I fired up AMPPS as well?

Of course, I didn't really set up any sites or pages in the built-in Apache server, so who knows if I would encounter the same issues?

This is all very perplexing.

 

[chrfr]

The fact that I can start up El Capitan's built-in Apache server, and at least go to localhost, again seems to point back to MAMP PRO being the problem. But if that is the case, then why couldn't I connect to localhost when I fired up AMPPS as well?

Something must be getting logged somewhere.

 

[RumorzGuy]

That's just it. MAMP PRO's Apache error log isn't logging anything, other than the start up and shutdown sequence when I start and stop its Apache server. And now, I can't even connect to one single local domain.

There is no pattern, and no sense to its behavior.

 

[leman]

Is the firewall turned off? I don't have any issues with connecting to localhost...

 

[RumorzGuy]

Yes, I have never used the built-in firewall. It is turned off.

Are you using MAMP PRO 3.4 with El Capitan DP8 or newer, and preferably with the Golden Master?

If so, do you host just one virtual host, or multiple virtual hosts as I do?

 

[leman]

Nope, I tested it using the internal apache server.

 

[RumorzGuy]

Leman, please read my original post and previous posts. That is not where the problem is occurring. It happens with MAMP PRO 3.4, as well as with AMPPS 3.3. I don't have any domains set up under the built-in Apache server. OS X's native Apache server is in fact turned off, as otherwise, it would conflict with MAMP PRO.

 

[leman]

I know what you wrote. However, you were also saying that Apple blocked 127.0.0.1, and I wanted to point out that it is working on my machine. Did you test the built-in Apache on your computer? If it works, then the issue is certainly with MAMP Pro.

 

[RumorzGuy]

Leman, yes, I did say that according to what I read on another website, Apple blocked 127.0.0.1. However, after I gave the aforementioned link, I also clearly said "Supposedly, it was a bug which was fixed in El Capitan Beta 4."

I also said earlier to chrfr "The fact that I can start up El Capitan's built-in Apache server, and at least go to localhost, again seems to point back to MAMP PRO being the problem."

The bottom line seems to be that until Apple makes its final release of El Capitan, and until Appsolute releases an updated version of MAMP PRO, there isn't much that I can do except wait. Despite my attempt to get clearer answers from Appsolute, they have been rather tight-lipped regarding the whole situation. In fact, they said that they can't even guarantee that their next release of MAMP PRO will fix the problem. In fact, they have yet to outright admit that the problem lies with MAMP PRO, so I am kind of in the dark at this point.

I have looked at everything I can, and tried everything that I can, but to no avail. All of my sites remain offline.

 

[leman]

I also said earlier to chrfr "The fact that I can start up El Capitan's built-in Apache server, and at least go to localhost, again seems to point back to MAMP PRO being the problem."

Oh, sorry, I didn't notice that. My bad! Sorry for not being able to offer anything helpful

 

[RumorzGuy]

Oh well. Thanks for taking an interest, Leman.

I just hope that the problem really is with MAMP PRO, and that Appsolute can come up with a lasting solution in their next release of MAMP PRO; as otherwise, I may be forced to start using the built-in Apache server.

I am a Mac user who has been spoiled on the easy-to-use Mac GUI for 25 years, so I don't like having to dig into confusing config files, or using the Terminal, unless I really have to.

Having to set up Apache, plus install and configure PHP and mySQL, will be a major headache and time-consuming enough. Then I will have to set up four virtual hosts. That will be followed by setting up my WP blog.

The WP blog is actually my biggest concern, because unless they get MAMP PRO working again, I stand to lose four years of blog posts, and that does not make me very happy at all.

As I briefly mentioned in an earlier post, earlier this evening I also set up AMPPS, which is somewhat similar to MAMP PRO, in that it also uses an easy-to-use GUI. However, as occurred with MAMP PRO, I was not able to connect to localhost using AMPPS either.

That is why I am still not 100% certain that the problem lies with MAMP PRO. In other words, the localhost problem occurred with both MAMP PRO and AMPPS. That could be pointing to some subtle change in El Capitan DP8 and forward, which breaks third party Apache setups.

Now I am starting to sound like a conspiracy theorist!

 

[chrfr]

Yes, I have never used the built-in firewall. It is turned off.

Are you using MAMP PRO 3.4 with El Capitan DP8 or newer, and preferably with the Golden Master?

If so, do you host just one virtual host, or multiple virtual hosts as I do?

I assume you're using Little Snitch since there's a virtually identical post to yours in their forums. It might have been useful to mention that was running as it's always advisable to test connection errors by turning off all firewalls.
And yes, the latest nightly build of Little Snitch 3.6, build 4350 at this writing, is severely broken in the GM candidate of 10.11.

 

[RumorzGuy]

Hello again chrfr. Yes, you are indeed correct. Little Snitch's development team has in fact confirmed that since El Capitan DP8, Little Snitch has not been playing well with it, thus resulting in the localhost/connection problems I have been experiencing for the past three weeks.

Although a permanent solution has not been found yet, I am nevertheless relieved, because at least now I know exactly what the problem is -- or at least what the offending app is -- and I know that Objective Development is working to fix it.