[Astraeus]

Hi,

A few of you may remember a post I made a couple of weeks ago struggling to connect to the internet using either IE7 or Firefox. After deleting the mass of anti-virus software (SuperAntiSpyware, Norton, Zone Alarm, CA amongst others), I'm still no closer to getting online with the Windows Diagnostic Tool telling me:

"Windows cannot connect to the Internet using HTTP, HTTPS, or FTP. This is prob caused by firewall settings.
Check the firewall settings for the HTTP port (80), HTTPS port (443) and FTP port (21)"

There is a connection to the router and MSN, iTunes, Windows Media Player and 4OD can all access the internet but neither browser will work. Does anyone have any suggestions for where to go next? Do I need to change registry entries or anything like that?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

[Iccz]

It could be a problem with your ISP's DNS servers...

If you know how, try changing the DNS server to that of:
OpenDNS | Providing A Safer And Faster Internet

That might help.


Try pinging a site from CMD first, say if you can't access google, try pinging google.com from there.

[pixelpixel]

Have you checked windows firewall also ?

[Astraeus]

Originally Posted by pixelpixel

Have you checked windows firewall also ?

How do you mean 'checked'? I've tried accessing IE and Firefox without Windows Firewall turned on to no avail so assumed it couldn't be a problem with that.

Iccz, I'll try that when I get to the computer this evening and see what happens. How do I ping a site from CMD (Command Prompt, right?)

[IPaintSara]

Never run two firewalls at the same time. Try cleaning the registry. Try booting in Safe Mode

[Iccz]

Originally Posted by Astraeus

How do you mean 'checked'? I've tried accessing IE and Firefox without Windows Firewall turned on to no avail so assumed it couldn't be a problem with that.

Iccz, I'll try that when I get to the computer this evening and see what happens. How do I ping a site from CMD (Command Prompt, right?)

Yeah command prompt:

Start -> Run -> CMD

Ping google.com

[Astraeus]

Originally Posted by IPaintSara

Never run two firewalls at the same time. Try cleaning the registry. Try booting in Safe Mode

Shall have a look. What do I clear from the registry - anything associated with Norton, CA etc. or the other anti-virus programs?

[DVD-Man]

wow wow wow hold up here, identify when this started happening and try a system restore to a date before then, this will show a change to the system has disabled the internet access.

Is your internet cable or adsl?

Is it just one pc or a small network? Can you get one using a wireless device? if aaplicable.

Liam

[Iccz]

Originally Posted by DVD-Man

wow wow wow hold up here, identify when this started happening and try a system restore to a date before then, this will show a change to the system has disabled the internet access.

Is your internet cable or adsl?

Is it just one pc or a small network? Can you get one using a wireless device? if aaplicable.

Liam

Why System Restore before trying to find/fix the problem?

[wormvortex]

Originally Posted by Iccz

Why System Restore before trying to find/fix the problem?

As it's a simple way to fix a lot of problems and doesn't run the risk of ruining Windows in the process.

[Iccz]

Originally Posted by wormvortex

As it's a simple way to fix a lot of problems and doesn't run the risk of ruining Windows in the process.

Yeah...
So Windows = Broken (It doesn't do internet), Attempt to fix - troubleshoot; common problems such as DNS, if for some reason you break Windows more, then System Restore.

To break Windows beyond a fixable state is quite an achievement, so even if you manage that trying to fix the problem the restore is still an option, and generally solving a problem is easier than a restore. Plus, personally, i've never been a huge fan of the whole System Restore thing myself, seen it mess up once or twice on other forums causing people more problems than they first had.
I don't see why it would be your first choice for any problem though?

[Astraeus]

I don't know if it has a System Restore point which wouldn't do more harm than it's worth. The computer is in a student house over a wireless ADSL network. There are eight other computers on the network which have encountered no problems and this suddenly stopped working over the Christmas period. Now that I think about it, it was when I wasn't at the house and a housemate told me the connection had been cut because the bill hadn't been paid - could it be that the ISP have changed settings since then?

I'm inclined to try the OpenDNS idea and clear out entries for the antivirus software but, just to help me out, I'm loading up a flash drive with the programs I'll need to use and can't download when I'm there - I've got AVG 8.0 to put on when I've cleaned it up - anything else I ought to take so I'm not stuck?

[Iccz]

Originally Posted by Astraeus

I don't know if it has a System Restore point which wouldn't do more harm than it's worth. The computer is in a student house over a wireless ADSL network. There are eight other computers on the network which have encountered no problems and this suddenly stopped working over the Christmas period. Now that I think about it, it was when I wasn't at the house and a housemate told me the connection had been cut because the bill hadn't been paid - could it be that the ISP have changed settings since then?

I'm inclined to try the OpenDNS idea and clear out entries for the antivirus software but, just to help me out, I'm loading up a flash drive with the programs I'll need to use and can't download when I'm there - I've got AVG 8.0 to put on when I've cleaned it up - anything else I ought to take so I'm not stuck?

Usually problems where you have connectivity to certain things which use an IP address but do not work with the domain name are DNS issues... which is why I suggest pinging google by the domain from Command Prompt and then trying OpenDNS.

You could try pinging the IP (Google - 209.85.171.100) or put it in your browser to see if a page displays, if you don't get a page with the IP then there is a problem that is deeper than DNS, possibly a configuration change by spyware or something, or maybe the problem lies in the router configuration, but it sounds to me like the DNS is playing up as things which rely on connection using an IP are working such as MSN etc. I'd be suprised if it's not a DNS issue.

Your ISP wont change settings or anything, and i'm assuming the router has had a reboot since then?

[DVD-Man]

I myself don't mind investigating but giving advice to an inexperienced user over the internet is never easy so it's better to do the whole sys restore or reinstall thing cos it's quicker than investigating.

So the pc is on wireless, other machines seem to be able to access the internet fine via the same ISP so it looks like a station specific issue.

What message does the browser give upon opening? back at Xmas seems some time for a sys restore so have you tried START>CONTROLPANEL>INTERNETOPTIONS>ADVANCEDTAB>RES ETINTERNETEXPLORER SETTINGS then uninstall firefox and reboot and try again.

Liam

[Singh400]

Start > Run > CMD

PING WWW.GOOGLE.CO.UK

And paste the results here.

[Astraeus]

I am at the computer now, and have pinged several sites with them all being returned in under 35ms but can still not load anything in either browser. The message says 'the connection was refused when attempting to contact...' in firefox and 'cannot display the webpage' in internet explorer.

I can't copy and paste anything as I'm having to write this on my blackberry. Any more thoughts? This is seriously getting frustrating now!

[pixelpixel]

How about this: this

[Mr Noble]

in CMD type ipconfig/all see if there is a problem with DNS

try plugging your computer in through the modem by ethernet (take away the router) may be a fubar'd port on your router that is causing you aggro (if it works with only the modem try resettting your router back to factory setting's If no joy still and you have are wary about doing a system restore try contacting your ISp and tell them that you have problems connecting to the tinterweb on your PC and get them to test your connection, i find ifi'm downloading films etc (i usually remove the router and just use modem as it goes quicker for me , when i reconnect my router back up i no longer get a connection to the internet through my router and usually have to reset it and re-secure

[sunnybacon]

Originally Posted by H3AD_SH0TZ

in CMD type ipconfig/all see if there is a problem with DNS

try plugging your computer in through the modem by ethernet (take away the router) may be a fubar'd port on your router that is causing you aggro (if it works with only the modem try resettting your router back to factory setting's If no joy still and you have are wary about doing a system restore try contacting your ISp and tell them that you have problems connecting to the tinterweb on your PC and get them to test your connection, i find ifi'm downloading films etc (i usually remove the router and just use modem as it goes quicker for me , when i reconnect my router back up i no longer get a connection to the internet through my router and usually have to reset it and re-secure

If there is a problem with your DNS you could always try using OpenDNS, I've been using it for about a year now and I love it

[Singh400]

Originally Posted by Astraeus

I am at the computer now, and have pinged several sites with them all being returned in under 35ms but can still not load anything in either browser. The message says 'the connection was refused when attempting to contact...' in firefox and 'cannot display the webpage' in internet explorer.

I can't copy and paste anything as I'm having to write this on my blackberry. Any more thoughts? This is seriously getting frustrating now!

Turn off any and all firewalls.

[Astraeus]

All of the firewalls were disabled (windows security alert) kept reminding me of that and, so far as I can tell, all of the anti virus suites were deleted though symantec still has loads of files for liveupdate etc in program files and in the registry.

I changed to opendns and, since doing so, 4od stopped working (giving an internet explorer cannot open this page fault when I loaded it) but MSN messenger still works. I installed spotify and that have me an error 101, asking me to change proxy settings.

What other options are left open to me now? When I'm next at the computer I can try that IPconfig command and see what it tells me, will connect via ethernet and will talk to some of the others in the house to see about rebooting etc. Oddly (I think), I can't even connect to the router thepigg typing 192.168.0.1 in internet explorer.

I have left the pc with avg installed just to protect it whilst the other anti virus programs are deleted and it is also running windows firewall.

Any other thoughts, or anyone who has experienced (and solved) this problem in the past? The internet seems to throw up plenty of instances where this has happened but far fewer instances where it has been resolved.

[Mr Noble]

Originally Posted by Astraeus

All of the firewalls were disabled (windows security alert) kept reminding me of that and, so far as I can tell, all of the anti virus suites were deleted though symantec still has loads of files for liveupdate etc in program files and in the registry.

I changed to opendns and, since doing so, 4od stopped working (giving an internet explorer cannot open this page fault when I loaded it) but MSN messenger still works. I installed spotify and that have me an error 101, asking me to change proxy settings.

What other options are left open to me now? When I'm next at the computer I can try that IPconfig command and see what it tells me, will connect via ethernet and will talk to some of the others in the house to see about rebooting etc. Oddly (I think), I can't even connect to the router thepigg typing 192.168.0.1 in internet explorer.

I have left the pc with avg installed just to protect it whilst the other anti virus programs are deleted and it is also running windows firewall.

Any other thoughts, or anyone who has experienced (and solved) this problem in the past? The internet seems to throw up plenty of instances where this has happened but far fewer instances where it has been resolved.

Have you got the connection set to automatically detect setting's , via the connection tab in a browser window , if not and it's manual try the select the automatic option, see if this works , i've had this same problem but forgot how i sorted it out , will have a look on my laptop at my settings etc

[lee_d_m]

Have you checked to see whether your browser's have been configured to use a Proxy Server ?

If not, I would check this just in case.

To do this via Firefox, do the following:

Tools Menu........Options
Advanced Heading, Network Tab then click Settings button (in the Configure How Firefox Connects to the Internet) section
Select No Proxy (it's the top option)
Click OK twice.
Close firefox and reopen it. Try to browse.

If this doesn't work, and you can successfully ping Google and you can successfully ping your default gateway (router) then I would say that you most likely do have some kind of firewall software running

Hope this helps

Lee

[Singh400]

Originally Posted by Astraeus

All of the firewalls were disabled (windows security alert) kept reminding me of that and, so far as I can tell, all of the anti virus suites were deleted though symantec still has loads of files for liveupdate etc in program files and in the registry.

I changed to opendns and, since doing so, 4od stopped working (giving an internet explorer cannot open this page fault when I loaded it) but MSN messenger still works. I installed spotify and that have me an error 101, asking me to change proxy settings.

What other options are left open to me now? When I'm next at the computer I can try that IPconfig command and see what it tells me, will connect via ethernet and will talk to some of the others in the house to see about rebooting etc. Oddly (I think), I can't even connect to the router thepigg typing 192.168.0.1 in internet explorer.

I have left the pc with avg installed just to protect it whilst the other anti virus programs are deleted and it is also running windows firewall.

Any other thoughts, or anyone who has experienced (and solved) this problem in the past? The internet seems to throw up plenty of instances where this has happened but far fewer instances where it has been resolved.

Well you can connect to the internet because the ping results say so. Just that something is blocking your browser from doing so. Try something else that uses the internet. Like updating spybot with the built in updater. See if that can connect.

[Astraeus]

Originally Posted by Singh400

Well you can connect to the internet because the ping results say so. Just that something is blocking your browser from doing so. Try something else that uses the internet. Like updating spybot with the built in updater. See if that can connect.

Thanks for bringing that up - AVG's auto-update cannot connect to the internet!

So far, the programs that can't connect are: IE7, Firefox and 4OD (although it did previously), Spotify

Those that can connect are: MSN Messenger, Windows Media Player

lee_d_m, I will have a look at that when I'm next at the computer later in the week, thanks for the suggestion.

[Iccz]

Almost sounds to me like there are problems with certain ports, which would make me think that there is still some security software running and probably blocking access.

[Singh400]

Originally Posted by Astraeus

Thanks for bringing that up - AVG's auto-update cannot connect to the internet!

So far, the programs that can't connect are: IE7, Firefox and 4OD (although it did previously), Spotify

Those that can connect are: MSN Messenger, Windows Media Player

lee_d_m, I will have a look at that when I'm next at the computer later in the week, thanks for the suggestion.

Those results clearly indicate some sort of firewall is in place. Show us a screenshot of the running processes in taskmgr.exe.

[Astraeus]

Originally Posted by Singh400

Those results clearly indicate some sort of firewall is in place. Show us a screenshot of the running processes in taskmgr.exe.

I'll get a screenshot of it tomorrow/Tuesday and then show it but I thought that, if Windows is displaying an error message saying no firewall is running that it was a certainty that nothing is.

As for the proxy server issue, it isn't running on a proxy or set to and all of the settings are as they should be (defaulted or in connection with what has been advised in this thread).