unusual access problem

[hurkle46]

I am running windows 98se - 512m of memory - amd xp2200+

when i boot up i have no problem accessing the web via ie6.1 and using google as my browser.
after using browser for a short time when i try to access a new page or to follow a link, the system shows detecting proxy settings and it simply freezes up until it times out and i get message that page is unavailable./

the only way to reconnect is to power down and then boot up again.

when this happens, i can still access my email, messenger or agent newsreader, i just can't access the web via the browser.

i tried to ping the browser and this works fine and have used tracert to check that the route is working and this always seems okay.

What is interesting is that sometimes after using tracert it seems to reset the problem and i can use the browser excessively for a day or two or three, or sometimes for only a few hours, then the problem resurfaces again.

i have down all the usual virus checking, pop searches, spybot, etc. and they all seem to show no problem.

i would appreciate any advice that you can give.

thanks

bill at specfile@cogeco.ca

 

[neovan]

go to tools -> internet options -> connections -> lan settings and uncheck all the boxes. see if that helps.

 

[hurkle46]

neovan: thanks for the suggestion - have tried this to no avail.