I can't connect to Google Chrome, Google Search or Google voice-to-text.

I reset the APN to default as directed in the thread on mobile data issues with Android. It hasn't fixed the problem. I am so frustrated with not being able to search or browse. It seemed to come on gradually, with the voice-to-text being the first, then the search occasionally giving me an offline message. I can still access gmail, Google photos still works, and all my other data apps seems to work fine Facebook, for instance. I an NOT offline - but Google seems to think so. I did a very recent factory data reset and am NOT keen on going through all that BS again.
This shouldn't be so hard? WHY?