Browser freezing up

[SantiClaws]

My browser has within the last week suddenly started freezing up when trying to open sites. It just sits there, with "looking up..." in the bar. Most of the time it gets there, other times I get an error message. This happens using Firefox or IE. I haven't made any significant changes to the system recently. Running Vista.

Any ideas why this is happening all of a sudden? More importantly, how do I fix it? Could it be a problem with the actual DNS server my machine is pointing to? Should I try a different one, and where do I find a list of available DNS servers?

Thanks

 

[mechBgon]

What DNS servers is it using now?

 

[SantiClaws]

The one my ISP (yahoo dsl) provides automatically to my router

 

[mechBgon]

You might want to check to confirm that your PC is actually using them first, then ping them to make sure they're working.

To see what DNS servers your PC is using:

Start > cmd in the Search box, press ENTER. A command-line window opens.

In the command-line window: ipconfig /all and press ENTER. It should show your DNS servers' IP addresses, among other things. Compare these to what your router has, to make sure they're the same.



Now ping each of them by using the command

ping 4.2.2.4 (using your servers' IP addresses where I put 4.2.2.4)

and do they reply?


If their IP addresses start with an 85.something, your PC is probably infected with a DNSChanger trojan. But hopefully not

 

[SantiClaws]

Yep, they're the ones my machine is using, but, they're working intermittently - respond to pings here and there. I've confirmed that I can ping yahoo using the IP while my browser is hanging.

 

[mechBgon]

That's interesting. If you would like to try some alternate DNS servers, I believe 4.2.2.4 through 4.2.2.6 are some of Verizon's. I've used them on occasions when my ISP's DNS servers were being weird, since those IP addresses are easy to remember.

It might also help to cycle your modem, if you haven't done so already; just unplug its power cord for ~10 seconds.

 

[SantiClaws]

OK, the Verizon DNS servers seem to be working fine. Thanks!

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: SantiClaws
OK, the Verizon DNS servers seem to be working fine. Thanks!

:beer: