No connection, but only on laptop computer

[#1]

I am experiencing no connection at all (‘You are not connected to the internet’), but only on my Macbook Air. The internet on my iPad and phone seems fine. I am at a bit of a loss to know what I can do to get my connection back. I have switched the network off and back on again, as well as restarting several times. Many thanks for your help.

[#2]

…oh, and I have restarted the router twice.

[#3]

@Ben1 If other kit in your home still has a connection, then logically the issue is with the laptop. Have you tried switching that off and restarting it?

[#4]

Thank you, yes I have restarted the computer a few times. I think I will ask on the Apple forums, as well as here as I can see that the issue is probably not the internet connection, rather the laptop.

[#5]

So, the laptop is a Mac?

Does it show as being connected to  your router?

[#6]

Yes, an Apple Macbook Air. And yes, it is connected (to PLUSNET-Q3C9H7) my network.

[#7]

In that case, and this is from my experience on iPads/iPhones so may not work - try 'forgetting' the network on that machine and then reconnecting.

[#8 · Accepted solution]

I have just tried something and it fixed my problem. It was the VPN! For some reason it was stopping all access to the internet on just the machine with VPN switched on. So thank you for your help and support!

[#9]

I find that difficult to believe, to be honest, but if you've resolved it, good.

[#10]

As a matter of interest, why do you find it hard to believe, John? 🙂

[#11]

Because a VPN routes internet traffic, and should not affect the ability of your machine to actually connect to the internet. Which VPN are you using?

[#12]

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@jab1 wrote:

Because a VPN routes internet traffic, ...

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Not necessarily, it could be just for intranet traffic for example.

[#13]

Agreed, @RobPN .

[#14]

I am using Surfshark, which has been problematic as it keeps asking for my Mac account username and password, and no-one at Surfshark seems to know why.

[#15]

I remember seeing that same on screen message last year when I had no internet connection at home. After some head scratching, I called Plusnet and spoke to the call center. We tried restarting the router, checking this and checking that, to no avail. So an engineer was booked. 

Half an hour later, I turned OFF the router at the mains plug for around 30 seconds and turned it back on again. Guess what? My connection came back!! 🙄....so it was a swift recall to the Plusnet call center to cancel the engineer! So the panic was over.

I then wondered why the call center person hadn`t suggested doing that....nor myself! Maybe it seemed like too much of a dimwitted thing to do that neither of us thought of at the time. But it`s the first thing I do now! Obviously....