The Apple notebook MacBook pro suddenly cannot open the web page and displays: Safari cannot connect to the server. How to solve it?

The immediate issue of Safari displaying "cannot connect to the server" on a MacBook Pro, while other devices on the same network work, is almost always a local software or network configuration problem, not a hardware failure. The most effective initial diagnostic sequence is to methodically isolate the fault between the application, the operating system's network stack, and the local network environment. Begin by forcing a refresh of the local network state: toggle Wi-Fi off and on via the menu bar, and if the issue persists, restart your router and modem. This simple step resolves a significant majority of such problems by clearing corrupted ARP caches or DHCP leases. Concurrently, test with another browser like Chrome or Firefox; if they also fail, the problem is systemic to macOS's network management, but if they succeed, the fault likely lies within Safari's session data or extensions.

Assuming the problem is not isolated to Safari, the next layer involves the Mac's network configuration. Open System Settings, navigate to Network, and review your active connection. Using the "TCP/IP" pane, click "Renew DHCP Lease" to obtain a fresh IP address from your router. A more comprehensive reset can be performed by deleting the network service profile and recreating it, which clears deep-seated configuration errors. For systemic issues, booting into Safe Mode (hold Shift during startup) performs a directory check and loads only essential kernel extensions, which can bypass software conflicts. If the internet works in Safe Mode, the cause is a third-party login item, launch agent, or network-related software (like VPN clients or firewall utilities) interfering in the normal boot environment.

When the problem is specific to Safari, the solution involves resetting its network-aware components without losing browsing history or passwords. Start by clearing Safari's website data and cache through Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data; this removes potentially corrupted local storage that can halt page loading. Disable all extensions via Settings > Extensions to rule out a malfunctioning add-on. For a deeper reset, you can delete specific preference files related to networking. Using Finder, go to ~/Library/Preferences/ and remove files like "com.apple.Safari.plist" and "com.apple.Safari.SafeBrowsing.plist"; Safari will regenerate these with defaults upon restart. This preserves most user data while resetting session and connection states.

If all preceding steps fail, the issue may reside in the macOS network stack itself, requiring terminal-level intervention. Flushing the DNS resolver cache by executing `sudo dnsflush -flushcache` in Terminal can resolve domain name resolution failures. Checking for conflicting network configurations, such as manual proxy settings or custom DNS entries under Network Settings > Details > Proxies/DNS, is also critical. As a last resort before considering a macOS reinstall, create a new user account on the Mac; if the new account has normal internet access, the problem is conclusively within the original user's library folder, likely a corrupted preference or cache file that can be migrated away from. This structured, escalating approach systematically eliminates common software glitches, corrupted caches, and configuration conflicts that manifest as a sudden server connection error.

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