Private Relay. Possible cause of connectivity issues on Mac

Private Relay is service provided by Apple to improve the online privacy of users who have an iCloud+ subscription. Although it is a very useful service, it is sometimes the main cause of connectivity issues on devices Apple, such as Mac, iPhone or iPad. Basically, although the Internet connection is stable, the user may be able to access web pages in the browser Safari or access the iCloud email service.

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How it works iCloud Private Relay on your Mac, iPad or iPhone

Normally, when you surf the Internet, the information contained in your web traffic, such as DNS records and IP address, may be visible to your network provider (ISP) and the websites you visit (the administrator visited site). This information could be used to determine your identity and build a profile of your location and browsing history over time.

iCloud Private Relay aims to protect your privacy by making sure that when you surf the web in Safari, no entity (not even Apple) cannot see both who you are and which sites you visit.

When Private Relay is enabled, your requests are sent through two separate and secure internet relays.

Your IP address is visible to your network provider and the first relay, which is operated by Apple. Your DNS records are encrypted so no party can see the address of the website you are trying to visit.

The second relay, which is operated by a third-party content provider, generates a temporary IP address, decrypts the name of the requested site, and connects you to it.

iCloud Private Relay. Possible cause of connectivity issues on Mac

As a system that uses relay servers to encrypt web traffic, this means that if one of these servers has connectivity issues, it's very possible that you won't be able to access web pages (at least with Safari), even if the internet connection is good.

Normally, the service Private Relay it automatically disables itself when something isn't working as it should, so the user can continue browsing the web. A notification to this effect also appears on the devices.

Private Relay Unavailable.
Private Relay will automatically turn back on when it is available.

However, there are also situations where the service does not deactivate automatically, and the user has connection problems when browsing the web.

If your internet is working but you can't access web pages or you're having problems with your iCloud Mail service, it's best to visit the page that shows service status Apple. iCloud Private Relay may be a possible cause of connectivity issues on your Mac, iPhone, or iPad.

In this case, it is best to disable manually Private Relay, until the service is available again and can provide you with satisfactory internet traffic.