Browser Problems..

[gtd2000]

I have a couple of notebooks that I use regularly, a Gateway 6860 FX and a Dell Inspiron 9300.

Now the Gateway runs Vista and is perfectly stable and runs without any drama until fairly recently when I find Internet Explorer (7 at the time) appears to stop working after a period of time. Everything else continues to function - Messengers, Skype, VOIP, gaming online etc.

When the IE7 problem reared its head I switched to Firefox which works fine normally.

So, I assumed that the problem was a corrupted IE7 install so I upgraded to IE8 as a test.

Well last night both IE8 and Firefox refused to connect...?

The problem can be resolved by rebooting the notebook and then IE runs for a period of time then fails to connect but everything else works.

What could be going on that allows me to be online with other software but not access my browsers?

 

[MrChad]

Do you have a firewall / antivirus installed?

 

[mbshinde78]

It is related with DNS resolving I think. Could you check whether you can tracert and ping to www.yahoo.com or any other website and see where it stops getting 'request time out"

 

[gtd2000]

Originally posted by: MrChad
Do you have a firewall / antivirus installed?

I have the windows firewall and AVG Free installed.

 

[gtd2000]

Originally posted by: mbshinde78
It is related with DNS resolving I think. Could you check whether you can tracert and ping to www.yahoo.com or any other website and see where it stops getting 'request time out"

I did see a message about the DNS server not responding or suchlike now that you mention it!

 

[gtd2000]

I just did the "tracert" command via the command prompt and it got through fine - even although my IE8 browser is not connecting:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6001]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Gavin>tracert www.yahoo.com

Tracing route to www-real.wa1.b.yahoo.com [87.248.113.14]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 12 ms 98 ms 99 ms speedtouch.lan [192.168.x.xxx]
2 33 ms 66 ms 31 ms 129.190.242.6
3 32 ms 30 ms 43 ms 213.75.64.149
4 31 ms 31 ms 32 ms 213.75.64.149
5 34 ms 33 ms 34 ms ge-1-3-0.pat1.ams.yahoo.com [129.69.145.110]
6 35 ms 35 ms 35 ms ge-0-2-0.pat2.ams.yahoo.com [66.196.65.71]
7 39 ms 40 ms 38 ms so-3-1-0.pat1.the.yahoo.com [66.196.65.67]
8 49 ms 62 ms 54 ms so-0-1-0.msr1.ird.yahoo.com [66.196.65.33]
9 51 ms 51 ms 51 ms gi-1-1.bas-b1.ird.yahoo.com [87.248.101.1]
10 52 ms 51 ms 49 ms f1.us.www.vip.ird.yahoo.com [87.248.113.14]

Trace complete.

C:\Users\Gavin>

I'm doing this reply on Firefox which is working fine as is Yahoo/MSN Messenger but IE8 is not connecting...

 

[rasczak]

open a command prompt

start > run > cmd

ipconfig /flushdns - enter
ipconfig /registerdns -enter

see if that helps any

 

[gtd2000]

Originally posted by: rasczak
open a command prompt

start > run > cmd

ipconfig /flushdns - enter
ipconfig /registerdns -enter

see if that helps any

I'll check that out when I get back from work tonight:thumbsup:

I'm curious why the problem mainly affects IE (although intermittently) and not the other programs though? I would expect that everything would be affected?

 

[theprodigalrebel]

I usually lose my connection once every 2 days or so. Running Network Diagnostics fixes it right away. You can launch it in IE's Tools menu listed as Diagnose Connection Problems. In XP, it's located at WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic; I beleive it doesn't have its own executable in Vista. It's loaded by rundll32.exe IIRC.

The Net Diag tool seems to restore connectivity when the usual 'right-click network icon and click on Repair' routine doesn't work. Unfortunately, I don't quite know what all the utility does.

I'm pretty sure it's something to do with my ISP. My sis never has a problem at her home with her Internet connectivity but she always has the issue when she's over at my home for an extended period of time. She uses Vista, I use XP - we both routinely do this. Ditto with my Mom's Vista notebook.

 

[rasczak]

Originally posted by: gtd2000

Originally posted by: rasczak
open a command prompt

start > run > cmd

ipconfig /flushdns - enter
ipconfig /registerdns -enter

see if that helps any

I'll check that out when I get back from work tonight:thumbsup:

I'm curious why the problem mainly affects IE (although intermittently) and not the other programs though? I would expect that everything would be affected?

i do too, however, IE is just plain wierd in general, and whenI've had issues with internet access I just run those commands and I'm back up and running. you may want to see if IE somehow turned on a manual proxy by accident as well.

 

[gtd2000]

I'm posting via Firefox here:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6001]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Gavin>ipconfig/flushdns

Windows IP Configuration

Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.

C:\Users\Gavin>ipconfig/registerdns

Windows IP Configuration

Registration of the DNS resource records for all adapters of this computer has b
een initiated. Any errors will be reported in the Event Viewer in 15 minutes.

C:\Users\Gavin>Text

Well as you can see Firefox is still working but IE won't go to any websites...I'm not even getting a timeout message?

Windows Network Diagnostics reports that "Windows did not find any problems with your Internet connection"...

 

[gtd2000]

Originally posted by: theprodigalrebel
I usually lose my connection once every 2 days or so. Running Network Diagnostics fixes it right away. You can launch it in IE's Tools menu listed as Diagnose Connection Problems.

Do you lose all network ability on the Internet or just your browser capability?

Network Diagnostics doesn't find any problems for me...


The Diagnose Connection Problems in the IE Tools menu for me is grayed out..

Hmmm...