Hi. I’m using a late 2016 MacBook Pro 15" with all the latest OS updates (Mojave 10.14.5) and running the latest iteration of Local By Flywheel (3.2.1) to make my wordpress sites offline.
The problem I’m having is that I keep losing my wifi internet connection only when I use FlyWheel. Though I’m using Local By Flywheel (LBF) for offline wordpress website development, I still use the internet during that time to browse, research, etc. However, only when I use LBF do I lose my wifi connection. I’ve found that it always happens when I leave one location (work) and go to another location (home). I do this frequently, so it could also simply be happening after a certain period of time. I can’t yet tell. Once I’ve changed locations (or enough time has gone by), I open up my laptop to work again and the internet connection is gone, yet shows as connected. Everything shows that I have an active wifi connection (full signal bars, etc.), yet nothing loads - email, websites, everything. The only solution that works is restarting my computer every time this happens which means every day that I use LBF.
I’ve been using your platform for about a year now and have just put up with this problem the whole time, but now that I’m ramping up my web development, I can’t keep losing time restarting my laptop and reloading all of my previously active applications because of LBF’s effect on my wifi connection.
I often see that plugins can be the issue, but I have no active plugins running on wordpress. Not yet.
The main thing that Local is doing in relation to networking is using VirtualBox to create a couple of new network interfaces. It might be that the OS is defaulting to these virtual interfaces as the primary network, as opposed to the actual, physical one.
In doing so, the Operating System “thinks” that it’s connected to the internet, but because the physical connection (ie to the WIFI access point) has changed, then it can’t proceed.
Have you done more troubleshooting into this? For example, if instead of restarting the computer, do things get fixed when you restart Local as opposed to restarting the computer?
It happens every time I turn on Flywheel, though it takes a few hours to knock out my connection. I take my laptop with me everywhere I go, so my home wifi gets replaced with open networks around town or at the office.
Turning the wifi on and off, or restarting Flywheel don’t help. The only solution is resetting my computer. I also tried making sure I log out of my wordpress site, “stop” the site on FlyWheel, then shutdown flywheel, then turn my wifi off, then move location. No matter what I try, it happens every time Flywheel has been used recently.
I’m very surprised I’m the only one reporting this. If anyone else reading this thread is experiencing the same, please let me know.
You’re not alone seamus (but I don’t know if it’s a good news).
With Windows 10 and an Ethernet connection since the last Windows update. If I launch LBF and I have an Internet connexion, VirtualBox always wants to edit something (classical laconic message box from Windows), if I say “No”, LBF is dead but I keep my Internet connection. If I say “yes”, I loose my connection and I can restart my computer, LBF will work (without Internet connection, so sad).
I tried to change networks parameters without success and in my situation, i must shutdown my Internet box if I want to turn up my connection. It’s really really annoying. LBF is banished from my computer for now. What a pity!
@seamus and @Nilav - We’re definitely sad to hear that you’re having similar-sounding issues. VirtualBox does create these network routing options in both environments but what you’re describing is pretty atypical for most folks.
It also sounds like the problem that @Nilav is having is a bit more flip a switch and it doesn’t work, while @seamus, yours is a little more nuanced, sometimes happening after a long period of time.
@seamus, since it sounds like you’re still using Local, the next time you have an issue with the network showing connected but not working, would you open up the Network preferences on your mac and check the IP address and DNS servers being used at the time? Additionally, check to see if you can renew the DHCP address on the connection that is not working:
What is the actual error you get in a browser when things aren’t working? Can you send a screenshot?
Has updating to the latest version of Local (3.3) made any difference?
Chances are, Ben is right that VirtualBox could be interfering but we’d like to help troubleshoot it some more if you’re up for it!
Hey Matt. Thank you for the additional help. My web-development work is sporadic at best lately because of this issue, so my replies are very spread out and I acknowledge that.
The problems is still occurring. I use LBF and then hours later my connection to any wifi doesn’t work, even though everything registers as being connected . I’ve also learned it doesn’t matter if I change from one wifi connection/router to another. It simply seems to happen after a period of time. Tried Renewing the DHCP Lease but that did nothing. There is no error that comes up. It’s simply that the wifi internet connection doesn’t work despite everything showing the connection is there. And yes, I’m using the latest version 3.3.
Well, someone on your team may have noticed our conversation and done something about it. The problem seems to have disappeared. I haven’t lost my connection the last couple times using LBF. I used it and left it running by accident. 2 days later still running and wifi connection was fine the whole time. Started up my sites again, left it again, all is still well. Woohoo! Hopefully this is a real and lasting change. Whatever tech angel has been working their magic, thank you.
Super glad to hear that! I don’t specifically see a fix for that in the change logs but we have released a new version of Local that is no longer dependent on Virtualbox, which could also alleviate any routing issues, if they were connected.
In any case, it’s great to hear that it’s working for you.
