Home Forums Networks & Cross-Platform Networking Explain this — PLEASE

SCENARIO

I have been experimenting with browsers and network security settings and suddenly found myself in an inexplicable situation when attempting to log on to FineTunedMac. When I clicked on Log In anywhere on FineTunedMac there would be an instantaneous screen blip and no login popup would appear in Arc, Bear, or Chrome, but Safari worked normally. I asked myself, "Why was Safari working but not the others?"

TROUBLESHOOTING

• Since there had been a new release of the secure fork of Chrome I decided that may have been related but to my surprise, and frustration Firefox didn't work either.
• I had installed several Chrome extensions in ARC so I disabled them and when that did not work uninstalled them — both to no avail.
• I reset ARC's preferences to factory default — no joy
• Since I had been trying different macOS network settings I reset all of those back — no change.
• At this point I began trying every browser I could think of DuckDuckGo's private browser didn't work, but to my suprise, Tor browser and VPN did!. Then I noticed the Tor VPN was active.
• Ah Hah says I, and turned my VPN (CyberGhost) ON.

Not only are all of the browsers logging on to FineTunedMac normally, but I have noticed that some annoying HTML font rendering issues have been resolved, in all of the browsers.

EXPLANATIONS SOUGHT:

1. What was the problem?
2. Was it only effecting FineTunedMac? (maybe it was only noticable on FTM?)
3. Where was it originating?
4. How is a VPN preventing the issue?
5. Why wasn't Safari effected

Private Relay?

Have you found any reports of others experiencing your issues?

I thought of that and among the settings changes and resets, I tested with private relay both off and on. No effect either way.


No, but assuming the rendering issues are related to the failure of the log in HTML code, they are tenuous enough to go unnoticed. It could be related to the recent DDOS attack on FineTunedMac. (I wish I could replicate your shrugging shoulders stick figure, it would go so well here.

Is that why FTM was down the other day? Who'd even bother?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

You can copy, save somewhere, and paste it, same as I did.

I don't get it!

Is the wink about the FTM DDOS or the "shrug?"

My hand is raised as I had issues with FTM log-ins two or three times over the past few weeks but just waited and logged in some time after - like the next day. I didn’t think about it and chalked it up to a glitch that someone at FTM was probably working at.

I can’t contribute much more except that I am a Safari user and that’s the one browser that did not create an issue for joemike.

Yes, but obviously it wasn't obvious.

Have you noticed any other subtle browser misbehavior on other sites such as font size, having to click more than once to trigger an action, failure to respond to keyboard input, more than normal typos, etc? I didn't really notice them until I turned VPN on and they are no longer happening.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I am dumping this in Apple's lap in hopes they can replicate what I am seeing and can figure out a fix. In the meantime, I am leaving VPN on.

Typo! I think you meant to say "obliviously it wasn't obvious."

Nope....certainly nothing so obvious that I'd say: "That was weird, I wonder what that was about?", and I don't operate through a VPN.

I hate it when a magic fix occurs, and I have no explanation. This morning I came in and verified my VPN was DISconnected opened Arc went to FineTunedMac and Arc automatically logged in with no problem. The same with Brave and Firefox. I cannot say there were no changes in my configuration as I have been doing a lot of tinkering this week but nothing that logically should have any impact on the FTM log in issue.

I am leaving the issue open with Apple and Arc. Hopefully, it will not magically reappear but if it does, my VPN work around is still available.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Haha....I take the approach that sometimes you just have to scratch your head and keep on going.

Some are lucky enough to be able to go that route, and others - such as yours truly - lie awake in bed and lose sleep over such occurrences.

Many years ago, I learned the value of solving a problem was often secondary to, the value of what was learned in the process of solving it. While I may not like the unanswered question, it forced me to dig back into technologies I had not kept abreast of and to take a fresh look at the network security settings I had been using for years. I found a number of changes in the technology and OS I had missed, re-examined my options both at home and on the road for each of my devices. Made changes to the Mac Studio, iPhone, and iPad Pro, eliminated some no longer needed or outdated apps and utilities and optimized settings in others.

While I may not have discovered the specific cause of my issue, I feel the troubleshooting process was well worth the effort. If I have any trouble sleeping, it will be because of all the new thoughts and ideas, not because of any lack of solution.

Indeed!

Easy to say now that the problem has passed.