Can't access my local web server on Mac mini from Laptop after MX records update

I run a web server on my Mac mini on my Wi-Fi network. Somehow, after adding some MX records to my domain provider, I can no longer access my server on my laptop.

However, I can access it just fine on my iPhone and my iPad.

Monitoring websites outside my network also report that my website is up.

I tried cleaning website data from Safari and Chrome but both cannot access my website.

What am I missing?

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 15.3

Posted on Jan 3, 2025 8:17 AM

Top-ranking reply

woodmeister50

Level 7

21,015 points

Posted on Jan 22, 2025 5:26 AM

I don't know if you have tried this or not, but have you simply tried to PING the server computer from the laptop? This would quickly tell you if it is a network or server issue.

Have you tried using Wireshark?

I would try Wireshark and use the filter to limit the connection to the IP address of the server. Then, from the laptop, send the website request and see what traffic goes back and forth during that request. Generally one would see the initial request from the laptop and then handshaking traffic to setup the security connection and then followed the http response.

There could then possibly see if there is a TLS issue that may not be completing or if the server is even getting the request.

I have used Wireshark quite often in debugging embedded web servers, telnet, SSH, etc. and has helped to quickly find the issue.

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20 replies

Jan 13, 2025 4:40 PM in response to MrHoffman

I'm sorry, I thought it would be helpful to check the access log and see if there was any activity from trying to access the website.

What else should I try?

Jan 13, 2025 6:54 PM in response to NemesysSoftware

Yeah, that’s mostly unrelated chatter, though the TLS renegotiation looks interesting.

Look for access chatter originating from your local network.

Jan 21, 2025 7:06 AM in response to MrHoffman

How do I check the access chatter originating from my local network?

Jan 4, 2025 6:00 AM in response to NemesysSoftware

I would check the network settings on the laptop and make sure the network adapter being used is correct and connected to the correct network.

If all the above appears correct, try renewing its DHCP lease.

You may need to dig deeper into Details in the network settings interface and make sure all is as it should be (TCP/IP,DNS, WINS, etc.)

You may even need to remove the network interface in Settings and then re-add it. It isn't common, but sometimes the network settings get corrupted and need to be "reset".

Jan 5, 2025 5:16 AM in response to NemesysSoftware

NemesysSoftware wrote:

Thanks for the suggestion but I'm not so sure. I rebooted my MacBook Pro in Windows 10. Chrome on Windows could not find my server either. So, I'm not sure removing the network interface would help...

Is Win10 running in a virtual machine or natively via Bootcamp?

If it is via virtual machine, if the Windows virtual machine is set up to share the Mac's network connection the test is not valid since the Mac is just forwarding from macOS to the Virtual machine.

If the the virtual machine is configured to look like a a totally different machine on the network or if you are running Win10 natively via a Bootcamp install, the issue is somewhere in your network or your server.

All this is assuming your MacBook Pro can access network and internet normally.

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Can't access my local web server on Mac mini from Laptop after MX records update