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Strange Computer Issue

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tony barnhill

tony barnhill

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
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The problem started on my recent trip...it's with my old Toshiba laptop that I carry all over the world - not this computer - & it's never stopped me from getting on the internet before - anywhere in the world! It has a Lynksys wireless card in it that I reloaded the driver for after the problem started in case the driver got corrupted.

On the trip, it wouldn't allow to get on the internet in Honduras at all; in Puerto Rico, I could receive & send email & get on the internet sometimes but most times, even though it showed that I was connected via wireless, I couldn't surf the interent.

Tonight I powered it up here at home....everything is good, it recognized my wireless network with a great signal...I'm receiving & sending email, but I can't see any websites...it says IE can't open the website.....I had Windows check my connectivity & it says I'm good to surf....but, no matter the URL, it says IE can't open.

So, I "pinged" yahoo.com & it was amazing how fast the signal got there & back...but when I physically type Yahoo's URL into my address bar IE can't open the page.

Then I called MEDIACOM, my ISP, & had them look at my computer from their end - they can't see anything wrong & say I'm connected to the internet & should be able to go anywhere.

What setting could make this happen?
 
Clear your cookies and run a scan with an updated version of Ad Aware. Also try Firefox so you will know if it's a browser problem or if the trouble lies elsewhere.
 
Ran a full scan while I was in Puerto Rico - also defragged, etc.

Earlier this evening I dumped all my cookies, history, etc...didn't help.

Just now, I hard wired it to the internet - same thing!

So, its not a wireless issue or a LAN issue - some setting in the computer is apparently blocking IE from showing the websites my computer is visiting!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]Also try Firefox so you will know if it's a browser problem or if the trouble lies elsewhere.[/QUOTE]
How do you try Firefox if you can't get on the internet?

And, if a 'ping' says the signal is getting to the website & back to my computer & the only way it can do so is IE, what other problem could it be than a setting?
 
Make sure "Work Offline" isn't checked in the "File" menu. I'd still recommend installing Firefox. It won't hurt anything even if you never use it, but would be a useful diagnostic tool right now.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]How do you try Firefox if you can't get on the internet?[/QUOTE]
You would have to download it elsewhere (like the computer you're posting from right now) and transfer it over to the laptop.

Also, computer networks operate outside of web browsers. Just because you have a network connection doesn't mean a web site can be displayed! It's probably something simple.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]Also, computer networks operate outside of web browsers. Just because you have a network connection doesn't mean a web site can be displayed! It's probably something simple.[/QUOTE]
Maybe I didn't make myself clear - <span style="font-weight: bold">NO</span> website can be displayed! Not google, not yahoo, not BCF, not theAutoist, not ebay, not abc...none, not a one!!

Oh, "Work Offline" is not checked.
 
What I'm saying is that you can have a network connection, whether LAN or WAN, but still not be able to bring up a web page in a browser. You're getting a reply to your ping request to Yahoo, which means you're seeing the outside world, which means the network connection is good. The issue is most likely settings in either IE, permissions, security or a third party application. It could also be malware or a virus but I'd suspect something far more simple first.
 
I'm in agreement with Steve. Sounds like a browser-only issue. The "ping" command is a couple layers below the browser and independent of it.

What O/S are you using, Tony? With that machine, I'd guess NT5? DO download Firefox with your desktop and ferret it across your LAN or sneakernet it with a CD to the Toshi and install. If that doesn't "see" a web server either then it will likely be a security setting or infection. If it does bring up websites the problem is with IE. You should be using Firefox anyway. :wink:
 
I thought they were in Honduras and Puerto Rico. Did Montezuma make it to the Caribe? :smirk:
 
Tony - on your flakey computer, start your browser and type this in the address line:

www.cnn.com

I assume you can't get to the CNN site. What message do you get from your browser? "Server not responding" "Page not found", etc.

Next, delete that entire cnn address and type this in the address line:

https://64.236.91.23

Then hit Return (enter).

(That's the direct internet address ("IP") for cnn.com)

If the browser reaches cnn using the numbers, you've got an isp "dns lookup" problem.

Tony: "On the trip, it wouldn't allow to get on the internet in Honduras at all; in Puerto Rico, I could receive & send email & get on the internet sometimes but most times, even though it showed that I was connected via wireless, I couldn't surf the interent."

That sounds like intermittent wireless connection problems, common (for me at least) when traveling. BUT, using different isp's around the world might have reset some of your internet protocol configuration "ipconfig".

Try this: Start/Run/CMD
type: ipconfig /all (note the space before the / mark)

You'll see several lines appear. What numbers show up on the last two lines after "DNS servers"? We can trace which DNS (domain name server) you're using with those numbers. I'm betting your DNS has been "reset" by those multiple isp's you used when traveling. Contact your isp and verify that those two DNS numbers are what you're supposed to have. The DNS is supposed to be provided by your isp; it *may* have been replaced during your trip.

By the way, you can get out of the "command window" by typing EXIT, then hit the enter key.


Tom
 
Tony:
I`v had I.E. do that very same thing to me before, {among some other very nasty stuff} I ended up having do do an uninstall. When you do I.E. will ask if you`d like to repair, you can try. {But it didn`t fix my issue with I.E. I ended up having to uninsatll and then reinstall The whole banana!}
Eventualy I got sick of I.E. and went to FireFox, glad I did and i`ll never look back EVER!
As far as i`m concerned I.E AND O.E. are disasters waiting to happen!
Just my opinion.
Kerry
 
Tom beat me to it. Put the actual IP address of yahoo or google in and see if the webpage comes up. I specify the DNS server(s) my laptop uses. There are several "universal" DNS servers, this website has a few to start with.
 
anthony7777 said:
tony, quote. what setting could make this happen? answ. setting it down in a place "tinster" could get hold of it! :jester:
Click to expand...

aw c'mon - it's not powder coated yet is it?

T.
 
NutmegCT said:
anthony7777 said:
tony, quote. what setting could make this happen? answ. setting it down in a place "tinster" could get hold of it! :jester:
Click to expand...

aw c'mon - it's not powder coated yet is it?

T.
Click to expand...


It was only after he tried to <span style="text-decoration: underline">remove</span> the powder coating.
 
Tony - did you try any of my suggestions? those would really help diagnose the problem.

Tom
 
Tom...I'm having to run back & forth between the 2 computers....just tried it...when I do cnn.com, it says "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage".

...when I try 64.236.91.23, I get the CNN homepage with lots of red "x's"...when I try to click on one of the topics on the CNN page, I get the "cannot display" message.

...but, I opened my website directly from my server by going through the software I use to build/manage my site.

Does anybody know any other website IP numbers I can try?

Okay, the 2 DSN Numbers I have are 204.127.203.135 & 216.148.225.135

I'll telephone MEDIACOM right now.
 
aha! now we're making progress.

Try these: 8.12.96.67 (FoxNews)
and 137.99.25.178 (Univ of Connecticut)

Let us know the results again.

And one last DNS test:

Try this: Start/Run then type CMD <enter> to start up a Command window.
Then type: ipconfig /all <enter> (note the space before the / mark)

You'll see several lines appear. What numbers (groups of four) show up on the *last two lines* after "DNS servers"? We can trace which DNS (domain name server) you're using with those numbers. I'm betting your DNS has been "reset" by those multiple isp's you used when traveling. Contact your isp and verify that those two DNS numbers are what you're supposed to have. The DNS is supposed to be provided by your isp; it *may* have been replaced during your trip.

By the way, you can get out of the "command window" by typing EXIT, then hit the enter key.

T.
 
oops - ya beat me to it! I'm really thinking either you've got incorrect DNS numbers, or Mediacom's DNS is flaking out on you.

Ask Mediacom if those two numbers you got are the correct DNS numbers for you.

I tried tracing both those DNS numbers, and got a timeout after "step" 13 or 14.

If the DNS numbers are correct, there's some major sticky wicket along the line.

If the numbers aren't correct - ask Mediacom to talk you through putting the correct numbers into your internet setup.

If they dont' want to do that, we can help you do it. Just FYI - I use 4.2.2.2 and 4.2.2.3 for DNS.


Tom
 
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