Brave and Chrome not opening any urls on Mac m4

Hey,

got a Macbook Pro m4, but for some reason Brave and Chrome are not working. The app itself loads, but cannot load any website. Can do google search, but can’t access any url. For weird reason facebook, instagram and x works, but basic websites even apple dot com does not. Either I get timed out error, or the site doesn’t load at all like it doesnt have internet connection or it load like this (like the CSS does not load at all)

It’s not my internet because Safari and Mozilla work just fine, but for my work I don’t like to use either of these so really need to get either Brave or Chrome working.

Talked to apple support - but since Safari is working just fine, they can’t do anything about it.
I tried clearing cache, resetting DNS and most things people recommended in similar situations but neither worked for me.
I even reset my whole Mac and started all over with no extension, no other apps. It worked for couple hours but then it stopped.

Versions:
MacOS M4 Sequoia 15.3
Brave
Version 1.74.51 Chromium: 132.0.6834.160 (Official Build) (arm64)

Chrome Version 132.0.6834.160 (Official Build) (arm64)

Other things I tried:
Switching on/off DNS on Brave and Chrome, changing it to google/cloud DNS. Reset my local network, reinstalled apps, deleted extensions, private windows not working either. Reinstalled MacOS.
Checked settings → Privacy and Security → Advanced → Use secure DNS on/off.

I’ve had this laptop for 2 months, didn’t have any problem the first month, then I moved houses and that’s when the issue started. But again, I since then, reinstalled and put the Mac in default settings but that did not help.

Can someone please help me make this work.

Please disable (turn OFF):


“Can do google search”

“facebook works”

“instagram works”

“X works”

Please report detailed steps of, how each of those work - what you did for each.


Any chance, javascripts are blocked, globally and for all sites?

A simple online test webpage to reach; requires javascript:

https://test.nextdns.io/

Brave Shields:

Shields Basics

https://support.brave.com/hc/en-us/categories/360001053072-Shields

How do I configure global and site-specific Shields settings?

https://support.brave.com/hc/en-us/articles/360023646212-How-do-I-configure-global-and-site-specific-Shields-settings

How do I use Shields while browsing?

https://support.brave.com/hc/en-us/articles/360022806212-How-do-I-use-Shields-while-browsing


thanks so much! disabling private wifi seems to solve the problem on Brave (not on chrome - but that’s alright).
I downloaded Nord VPN again, and Brave works with VPN on but not when off - not an issue for me as I have it on all the times anyways.

What I also tried is logging in to other wifi (in the library) and both chrome and brave worked there, so I guess there must be some kind of router configuration that is preventing either browser to log in to the internet, because when I went back home Chrome stopped working and Brave only works with VPN on.

Either way thank you very much as that solved the issue (kinda) for now!

1 Like

Thank you for doing the detective work. Your experience will help others, here.