I'm running OS X v10.5.7 and BOINC 6.6.29 (had same problem in 6.6.20)

BOINC seems to be getting denied access to the Internet, and I suspect it has to do with the particular users that BOINC runs as (boinc_manager and boinc_project?) because I have complete access to the Internet running in my account, but BOINC doesn't. BOINC used to work on this machine, but I had a hard drive crash, and since the restore from Time Machine, it hasn't worked. I have reinstalled BOINC a couple of times.

Here's the debug messages I'm getting when I try to attach to a project:

Wed May 27 19:35:30 2009 Fetching configuration file from http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/get_project_config.php
Wed May 27 19:35:30 2009 [http_debug] HTTP_OP::init_get(): http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/get_project_config.php
Wed May 27 19:35:35 2009 [http_debug] [ID#1] info: Expire cleared
Wed May 27 19:35:41 2009 [http_debug] [ID#0] info: Expire cleared
Wed May 27 19:35:41 2009 [http_debug] [ID#0] info: Could not resolve host: boinc.berkeley.edu (Timeout while contacting DNS servers)
Wed May 27 19:35:41 2009 [http_debug] [ID#0] info: Closing connection #0
Wed May 27 19:35:41 2009 [http_debug] HTTP error: Couldn't resolve host name
Wed May 27 19:35:42 2009 [http_debug] HTTP_OP::init_get(): http://www.google.com/
Wed May 27 19:35:47 2009 [http_debug] [ID#2] info: Expire cleared
Wed May 27 19:35:47 2009 Benchmark results:
Wed May 27 19:35:47 2009 Number of CPUs: 2
Wed May 27 19:35:47 2009 2542 floating point MIPS (Whetstone) per CPU
Wed May 27 19:35:47 2009 10097 integer MIPS (Dhrystone) per CPU
Wed May 27 19:35:55 2009 [http_debug] [ID#1] info: Expire cleared
Wed May 27 19:35:55 2009 [http_debug] [ID#1] info: Could not resolve host: www.worldcommunitygrid.org (Timeout while contacting DNS servers)
Wed May 27 19:35:55 2009 [http_debug] [ID#1] info: Closing connection #1
Wed May 27 19:35:55 2009 [http_debug] HTTP error: Couldn't resolve host name
Wed May 27 19:36:07 2009 [http_debug] [ID#2] info: Expire cleared
Wed May 27 19:36:07 2009 [http_debug] [ID#2] info: Could not resolve host: www.google.com (Timeout while contacting DNS servers)
Wed May 27 19:36:07 2009 [http_debug] [ID#2] info: Closing connection #0
Wed May 27 19:36:07 2009 [http_debug] HTTP error: Couldn't resolve host name
Wed May 27 19:36:08 2009 BOINC can't access Internet - check network connection or proxy configuration.


Any ideas are much appreciated, thanks for the consideration.

You have not cleared BOINC through your firewall. The BOINC binary (daemon, client) must be able to use ports 80 and 443 to reach projects. Therefore you should add the client to your trusted zone in your firewall.

Additionally, when using a proxy server, you'll have to set it up through BOINC Manager->Advanced view->Advanced->Options.

---

I'm pretty sure that the firewall in OS X (and I don't have another one) doesn't block outbound connections - if it does, then I can't figure out how to change that, so any tips would be most appreciated. I really think it has to do with the user that BOINC is running as not having access to the Internet - does anyone know how to adjust permissions for a hidden user? They don't show up in the Accounts pane.

I just upgraded my PowerMac G5, OS X 10.5.7 from BOINC 5.something to 6.6.29 and I'm having what appears to be the same problem that's being reported here. I ran BOINC 5.x for ages without problems and only upgraded to the latest version after installing BOINC on a new machine and seeing the updated UI.

I have no proxy server set up. The previous version(s) of BOINC needed nothing beyond my login to connect and start working.

I'm surprised that BOINC 6.6.29 can't read what it needs from the existing BOINC preferences and "just work."

Any suggestions?

Ed

I'm running OS X v10.5.7 and BOINC 6.6.29 (had same problem in 6.6.20)

BOINC seems to be getting denied access to the Internet, and I suspect it has to do with the particular users that BOINC runs as (boinc_manager and boinc_project?) because I have complete access to the Internet running in my account, but BOINC doesn't. BOINC used to work on this machine, but I had a hard drive crash, and since the restore from Time Machine, it hasn't worked. I have reinstalled BOINC a couple of times.

Wed May 27 19:35:41 2009 [http_debug] [ID#0] info: Could not resolve host: boinc.berkeley.edu (Timeout while contacting DNS servers)
Wed May 27 19:35:41 2009 [http_debug] [ID#0] info: Closing connection #0
Wed May 27 19:35:41 2009 [http_debug] HTTP error: Couldn't resolve host name
Wed May 27 19:35:42 2009 [http_debug] HTTP_OP::init_get(): http://www.google.com/
Wed May 27 19:36:07 2009 [http_debug] [ID#2] info: Could not resolve host: www.google.com (Timeout while contacting DNS servers)

Check all your network preferences and interfaces. I suspect your crash/restore set something wrong. If it can't find DNS but isn't complaining about not being able to open a port then it has to have the necessary privileges to open the port or it would fail on that. Not finding the DNS server could be using an inactive interface. Turn off everything you aren't using e.g. Airport, firewire, blutooth.

Any ideas are much appreciated, thanks for the consideration.

I'm not having any problems with 10.5.7 and 6.6.20 so it will work. You may need to do a bit of preference scrubbing.

I don't think it is a firewall issue as outbound DNS isn't going to be closed by a sane firewall and if it was you couldn't surf from the machine.