I recently moved to Norway and bought a router from Amazon in the United States. My rent includes Wi‑Fi, but we need to connect our own router to access it. My roommate's phone and Kindle work normally, but my MacBook says it is connected while web pages and downloads do not work. I have restarted the router, unplugged the power and Ethernet cable, and performed a factory reset. After the reset, the MacBook had internet for a few minutes before losing it again. The router's app still shows the MacBook as connected. Could this be related to the router setup, IP settings, or my MacBook needing an update?
3 Answers
Since other devices are online through the same router, the problem is probably specific to the MacBook rather than the Norwegian connection or the router’s Wi‑Fi bands. On the Mac, open System Settings > Wi‑Fi > Details next to the network, then check TCP/IP. Set Configure IPv4 to “Using DHCP” and click “Renew DHCP Lease.” Also check DNS and remove any manually entered values if they look unusual. Forgetting the network and reconnecting can help too.
The router may be connected to the building’s Ethernet service, so make sure it is configured in access-point or bridge mode if the landlord’s network already provides DHCP. If the router is creating a second network, it can sometimes cause connection problems. Log in through the router’s app or its local address and compare its settings with the working devices. You can also temporarily connect the MacBook directly to the Ethernet wall connection to determine whether the router is involved.
If the MacBook works when connected directly but not through the router, the router mode or DHCP settings are the likely cause. If it still fails directly, focus on the Mac’s network configuration.
Try removing the saved Wi‑Fi network from the MacBook and joining it again. In the network details, temporarily disable Private Wi‑Fi Address and Limit IP Address Tracking, then test once more. Also check System Settings > Network > Wi‑Fi > Details > Proxies and make sure no proxy is enabled unless your landlord specifically requires one. A USB‑C Ethernet adapter should be available from electronics shops or online retailers in Norway if you want to test a wired connection.
The IP address and router address shown there should normally come from DHCP. A manually assigned or mismatched IP address can make the Mac appear connected while preventing it from reaching the internet.