Unable to connect to .local from Mac

StartOS Support
1

Hi,
Recently unable to connect via .local from Mac BookAir M2. Tried restarting computer, router and start9 which i can access via the IPv4 address. Tried on a different browser, same problem. Definitely not technical enough to deal with all the other options you suggest in the common problems post on this issue. Running the same version of Ventura as when i last connected via .local but which will not allow me to verify access to local network under privacy and security as this feature only appears from 14 onwards. I would be happy to access via IP except that it is impossible to access mempool service as the link to the UI tries to resolve .local DNS.

Any help welcome, bearing in mind this is a boomer who bought a plug and play node in a box, not a sysadmin :wink:

2

If multiple different client OSs are unable to connect to .locals, then the problem is going to be with your router blocking multicast DNS (mDNS). Have a search online for your router model/brand and mDNS and see what you can find out.

3

Thanks, I’ll try that. Nothing in my setup has changed since I was last able to access via .local but I guess the ISP might have done some sort of update

4

OK, so ran a command suggested by Perplexity in teminal that showed all the devices on the local network, including the Start9 so I’m assuming that this means mDNS is resolving correctly

5

This problem is still outstanding. Any advice beyond mDNS? I’d really like to access my local Mempool instance but the link to the UI only allows for access via to .local which I still can get to. Direct access via IP to the server interface is not much help if I can’t access an installed service. Thanks

6

Assuming mDNS is fine, then the other other thing I can suspect is the Browser.

Try other browsers and other devices on the same network and see if you can narrow things down.

7

Thanks but you’ll see in the original post that I already tried a different browser on the Mac. I also tried a different browser on my phone instead of the Mac. Same problem each time

8

Are you using networking devices that don’t permit devices on the local network to communicate properly? Perhaps some kind of mesh wifi devices?

9

No, just one router, no repeaters, no mesh network. Nothing in the set up has changed since I was last able to log in a few weeks ago via the .local address

10

There’s a piece missing in the this puzzle, and I don’t know what it might look like. But with the currently available available information, the network is the common denominator. Either that, or you have two separate issues on with the clients. We might focus on the phone to see if we can get a bearing. What is it?

11

Pixel 10 pro, VPN off, mobile data off, wifi connected, Brave browser, “this site cannot be reached” DNS address could not be found

12

Btw tried Sparrow from the Mac and it connected to the Start9

13

What does “tried Sparrow” mean? You’re running Sparrow on your desktop and connected it how? Following which guide?

14

Are both devices you’re using connected via wifi?

15

instead of start.local, Sometimes trying your local IP address works. You can get that address from your router by looking at the connected devices.

16

It means I have Sparrow installed on my Mac and launched it to see if it would connect to the Start9. Just wanted to see if the app on the Mac could connect to the server despite me not being able to log in using .local

17

The Start9 is on an Ethernet connection. Mac and Pixel on wifi

18

A LAN Scan from the Mac shows the devices with mDNS names, if that useful info

19

yes, thanks, done that. I can access that way but once in I cannot lauch the mempool UI as the link from the Start9 dashboard sends you to a .local url

20

Tried a bunch of stuff with help of AI

  • ping of IP address fine, ping of .local address fails
    -flushed DNS cache and restarted mDNSResponder
    -turned off iCloud Private Relay to check for interference
    -can’t fully disable IPv6 on Ventura unfortunately but doubt that’s the issue
    -no conflicting DNS servers
    -no proxies or VPN that could interfere
    -ran dscacheutil -q host -a name .local to see if it checks mDNS, nothing
    Beginning to regret not simply upgrading the SDD of my home built raspi node flashed with Umbrel which worked for ages. Was really hoping the Start9 would not require me to spend hours trying to figure out terminal commands and sysadmin issues that go way beyond my boomer skills :wink: