Unable to open resources in network browser on Mac with VPN connection

Abstract: A user is unable to open resources in a network browser while connected to a VPN on a Mac. The user is able to ping the address but cannot open it in the browser.

Created: 2025-01-15 by UserComp.com Editors

Unable to Open Resources Network Browser Mac VPN Connection

If you are unable to open resources on a network browser while connected to a VPN on your Mac computer running MacOS Sequoia 15.2, this article can help you understand the possible reasons and provide solutions to the problem.

Checking VPN Connection

The first step is to ensure that your VPN connection is active and established. You can check this by clicking on the VPN icon in the menu bar and verifying that you are connected to the VPN server.


 // Check VPN connection in MacOS
 networksetup -showvpnstatus

Understanding Network Access

When connected to a VPN, your Mac computer is assigned a new IP address and routes all network traffic through the VPN server. This can cause issues when trying to access resources on a local network.

To access local resources while connected to a VPN, you may need to configure the VPN settings to allow split-tunneling. Split-tunneling allows you to access local resources directly, rather than routing all traffic through the VPN server.

Configuring Split-Tunneling

The steps to configure split-tunneling vary depending on the VPN client and the VPN server. Here are general steps to follow:

Open the VPN client on your Mac computer.
Go to the settings or preferences section.
Look for a checkbox or option to enable split-tunneling.
Enter the IP addresses or domain names of the local resources you want to access.
Save the changes and try accessing the local resources again.

Adding a Route to the Local Network

If split-tunneling is not an option, you can try adding a route to the local network on your Mac computer. This will allow your Mac to access the local resources directly, bypassing the VPN server.


 // Add a route to the local network
 sudo route add /

Checking Network Settings

If the above solutions do not work, you may need to check your network settings on your Mac computer.

Click on the Apple menu and select System Preferences.
Go to the Network section and select the VPN connection.
Click on the Advanced button and go to the TCP/IP tab.
Make sure the IP address and DNS server are configured correctly.
If the DNS server is not configured, try using a public DNS server like Google DNS (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1).

Check the VPN connection and ensure it is active.
Configure split-tunneling to allow access to local resources.
Add a route to the local network to access local resources directly.
Check the network settings and ensure the IP address and DNS server are configured correctly.

References

MacOS Sierra: A User's Guide.
David Pogue.
O'Reilly, 2016.
"Accessing local resources while connected to a VPN on macOS".
MacWorld, https://www.macworld.com.
"Configuring VPN connections on Mac".
Apple Support, https://support.apple.com.

Tags: Linux MacOS Network VPN

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