Mac cannot resolve DNS on WiFi, but works fine on cellular tethering

Question

I have consulted the questions/answers here. But it seems nothing is working.

I can ping 8.8.8.8, but I cannot ping www.google.com.
nslookup www.google.com 8.8.8.8 and dig @8.8.8.8 www.google.com is not working.
I have changed the DNS to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. It's not working too.
I have try to locate the file System/.../com.apple.mDNSResponder.plist. The file is there and nothing is wrong.
I have make sure that /etc/resolver has nothing (actually, the folder resolver isn't even there).
My iPhone, which is connected to the same wifi, can browse the internet just fine.
This Mac can browse from the same wifi yesterday just fine.
When I change my Mac connection to iPhone tethering 4G, only then it works fine (then I write this question).

How can I resolve this?

Result of scutil --dns:

scutil --dns
DNS configuration
resolver #1
  nameserver[0] : 8.8.8.8
  nameserver[1] : 8.8.4.4
  flags    : Request A records
  reach    : 0x00000002 (Reachable)
resolver #2
  domain   : local
  options  : mdns
  timeout  : 5
  flags    : Request A records
  reach    : 0x00000000 (Not Reachable)
  order    : 300000
resolver #3
  domain   : 254.169.in-addr.arpa
  options  : mdns
  timeout  : 5
  flags    : Request A records
  reach    : 0x00000000 (Not Reachable)
  order    : 300200
resolver #4
  domain   : 8.e.f.ip6.arpa
  options  : mdns
  timeout  : 5
  flags    : Request A records
  reach    : 0x00000000 (Not Reachable)
  order    : 300400
resolver #5
  domain   : 9.e.f.ip6.arpa
  options  : mdns
  timeout  : 5
  flags    : Request A records
  reach    : 0x00000000 (Not Reachable)
  order    : 300600
resolver #6
  domain   : a.e.f.ip6.arpa
  options  : mdns
  timeout  : 5
  flags    : Request A records
  reach    : 0x00000000 (Not Reachable)
  order    : 300800
resolver #7
  domain   : b.e.f.ip6.arpa
  options  : mdns
  timeout  : 5
  flags    : Request A records
  reach    : 0x00000000 (Not Reachable)
  order    : 301000
DNS configuration (for scoped queries)
resolver #1
  nameserver[0] : 8.8.8.8
  nameserver[1] : 8.8.4.4
  if_index : 6 (en0)
  flags    : Scoped, Request A records
  reach    : 0x00000002 (Reachable)

Result of dig:

dig
; <<>> DiG 9.10.6 <<>>
;; global options: +cmd
;; connection timed out; no servers could be reached

Result of dig @8.8.8.8 www.apple.com

; <<>> DiG 9.10.6 <<>> @8.8.8.8 www.apple.com
; (1 server found)
;; global options: +cmd
;; connection timed out; no servers could be reached

Result of nslookup www.apple.com 8.8.8.8

;; connection timed out; no servers could be reached

Result of ping www.google.com:

ping www.google.com
ping: cannot resolve www.google.com: Unknown host

Result of ping 8.8.8.8:

PING 8.8.8.8 (8.8.8.8): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=0 ttl=58 time=71.267 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=1 ttl=58 time=48.360 ms

EDIT: added requested TCP/IP screenshot of the connected problematic wifi.

I can't read most of that but 254.169.in-addr.arpa would tell me your Mac is not reaching a DHCP server & is using a self-assigned IP Address… which is not routable & therefore will not be able to resolve DNS. To eliminate all the confusion of Terminal & dig etc, just open System Prefs > Network & click on the connected 'WiFi', then Advanced > TCP/IP & add a screenshot. — Tetsujin, Dec 27 '21 at 17:00
@Tetsujin I have added the requested TCP/IP screenshot. Please have a look. — Chen Li Yong, Dec 28 '21 at 13:16
OK, so long as that's your actual subnet & default gateway. Some ideas… Test removing the forced DNS & let it find your default ISP one instead [it will show your gateway address greyed out when it's set to default]. Change IPv6 to Link-Local only in case of a bad 4/6/4 interface somewhere. See if 802.1x is empty & that no proxies are enabled . — Tetsujin, Dec 28 '21 at 16:03

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 27 '21 at 15:09

0

To eliminate one more avenue of investigation, what happens if you use this laptop on a different wifi network? A library, business, friends place etc? If dns works on a different wifi network, consider a router issue. Tethering to iPhone would bypass your router, and then you indicated that dns works.

Edit: I assumed this was a laptop, but if it’s not a portable machine, can you test a different WiFi router in your network?

answered Dec 27 '21 at 15:09

ca125

1
1

At the moment I don't have direct access to other wifi networks, as that indeed will require me to go to a public place like a restaurant or library. Will try to find something and give you an update soon. – Chen Li Yong Dec 28 '21 at 13:13

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 09 '22 at 18:08

0

I had the same problem, I solved it as below.

Change mac address for Wi-Fi (I use macchanger https://github.com/acrogenesis/macchanger)
Reconnect to wifi

answered Jun 09 '22 at 18:08

Chan Kang

1

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered May 30 '23 at 08:08

For people who still have this problem, the solution is actually simple.

Open System Preferences.
Open Network.
Select iPhone USB.
Make sure "Disable unless needed" is checked.

Previously, I was tinkering with network settings because I noticed that my tethering internet connection is unstable whenever I tethered to the iPhone via USB instead of actually making a network tethering connection. I thought turning off this setting would help the connection. But turns out it has a side effect like that. Once I turn this setting on again, it works like usual.

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Jul 08 '23 at 01:23

0

For me the solution was to remove all custom DNS Servers in the network settings

answered Jul 08 '23 at 01:23

Grzegorz Baranski

1

Mac cannot resolve DNS on WiFi, but works fine on cellular tethering

4 Answers4