Anyone help? Both Explorer and Firefox think there is no net connection (on another machine)

[Fletch456]

Hi,

Any IT experts.....

I've two laptops beside me at the mo (one work, one personal) and whilst both are connected to the net one has decided that I cannot browse it. It's connected- I can sign onto msn messenger and ping a website. Yesterday Firefox stopped working, today Explorer joined it.

The error message is "Unable to connect. - The site may be unavailable. - Check your computer's network connection. - Make sure Firefox is permitted to access the web through any firewall."

None of these apply when your browser was working up until 24 hours ago and you've confirmed you are connected. I've looked through Tools>Options and proxy settings and selected various options but no change. I've also checked security settings and they are at medium or similar. Though I am short of sleep at the mo, causing my memory to not be it's best, I don't recall changing anything that would alter either browser.

All ideas welcome especially if you've seen similar before; it's got me stumped.

Thanks

Craig

 

[ian turner]

Are you using a software firewall aside from the standard Windows one ?
I suspect a dodgy update has been installed and either blocked the browser or the network address
range by forgetting previous settings.
Try pinging a website then take the resolved ip address and stick that into the browser and see if
that brings the page up though as ping works I suspect not

 

[SavageHoutkop]

turn off any firewall / antivirus, see if you can then connect, and then remember to turn firewall/antivirus back on possibly needing to unistall/reinstall the offending item.
Usually my problems with this are firewall or antivirus.

I take it both computers are connecting using the same network etc?

 

[2Loose]

Restart the router. It sounds like it (rather than both laptops) has stopped handling tcp/ip traffic properly.
MSN Messenger and the Ping command use UDP rather than TCP, so this could explain why they work but not either of the browsers'.

Firewall issues as suggested above 'could' also be to blame...

 

[ian turner]

After rereading I'm tempted to suggest browser based malware as it's only one of two pcs so not the router and a firewall update would have hit both.
Do the ip address in browser test though.

 

[rh100]

from the command line type:

ipconfig /flushdns

it may help

 

[SavageHoutkop]

only one of two pcs so not the router

agree

a firewall update would have hit both.

...only if the two PCs are identical software wise, which they might not be as one's personal and one's work.

 

[2Loose]

After rereading I'm tempted to suggest browser based malware as it's only one of two pcs so not the router.

I agree that sounds most likely, but having lost 1 of 3 connections temporarily once before due to a router 'getting its knickers in a twist', rebooting the router takes half a minute and rules it out of the equation easily. As does temporarily turning off firewalls.

 

[ian turner]

...only if the two PCs are identical software wise, which they might not be as one's personal and one's work.

Not two Pcs. Two browsers on the same pc. The other pc is okay
Had it been the router then it would take both browsers out.
Hmm might be an add on instead of malware so also try running IE without add ons (programs->accessories->system tools-> IE no add ons)