Can connect to router, and can ping Internet, but can't see web pages or emails

[LadyJennivieve]

This is my first ever post (I am THAT desperate to find a solution to this problem!). Last night my computer was having trouble viewing web pages, as in I could see the text and a few graphics, but I had to right click on most pictures and click "show picture" where I really wanted to see it. I figured it was a bandwidth problem which would resolve overnight, as it seemed to get worse when I was trying to send emails. The Internet would drop in and out occasionally, but I'd be patient and keep refreshing where necessary. When it dropped right out at around midnight, I figured that was my cue to go to bed.

When I logged on today around lunchtime, and I couldn't get any Internet whatsoever. I use wireless connection to the ADSL router, as cable is impracticle at this time. When I look at Network Connections, the Wireless is connected (computer to router), and under Internet Gateway it says that the ADSL is connected to the Internet. I can ping any website, including the router, and my MSN Messenger has logged in. My emails won't download, and ANY website I view (including the router configuration site) comes up with "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage". I've been looking at my event viewer, and apart from my desktop and my husband's laptop having a biff over who should be master browser, there was nothing that I could really search on. Google and Tech Arena searches have revealed the same problem happening with Windows Vista, but nothing on XP. The only solution I've come up with is that the Winsock might be corrupted, but I'm uneasy about fixing it as all tests don't reveal corruption, and the results of fixing may be worse than the original problem as I don't know what (if any) applications would need reinstalling as a result.

BTW, my husband would like his laptop back soon. Does anyone have any suggestions?

System Restore - back to a date prior to this happening?

My router some time has similar problems.
it could be to do with the IP address lease running out (midnight is a clue
to) some mornings I can Ping the router and see other PCs on the network but
the internet isn't there

normally restarting (power off and wait 10 seconds) the router - and some
times the modem clears the problem. (you may have to do them in sequence
modem off - router off - modem on - router on

[LadyJennivieve]

My modem and router are one in the same. Nevertheless, I have turned it off and switched it back on after an unknown number of seconds (I waited a while). It hasn't had any affect on the problem computer.

I'm going to try restoring back to Sunday. I have of course created a restore point today in case it all goes awry for some reason. I'll let you know how it goes.

On a side note, while checking my event viewer for yesterday, I noticed that I have bad sectors on my hard drive. I guess I'm going to have to look at possibly investing in a new computer. After all, this one was born in 2003, so it is now 7 years old!

Okay, so I've restored back to a point two weeks ago, and I am still having the same problem. I guess this implies that it's not an XP problem, but more likely to be a firewall problem.

I've already scanned for viruses, and according to the IE explorer diagnostic tool it's a firewall issue and it tells me which ports to enable, but I've already got the right ports on my firewall enabled. However, earlier to rule out firewalls, I swapped from Trend Micro to the XP firewall, expecting an immediate recovery. Nothing changed. So now I'm really confused.

Perhaps it's a corruption in my profile. I guess I'll check that next. Any other suggestions?

I logged onto my husband's profile on the same computer, and he appears to be getting the same issue, although all the internet related programs that run in the tray are still working, except the antivirus can't update.

The diagnostic log on the connection diagnostic tool in IE is rather interesting. It appears that it can connect via HTTPS and FTP, but not HTTP. Edit: I have confirmed this by opening Microsft HTTPS and FTP sites. It also says that there are no DNS servers. However, when I run ipconfig /all, it clearly states the IP address of the DNS server (which is my modem/router). I have cross-checked this with the laptop and this is correct. Edit: Having re-read the log, the "No DNS Server" is a heading, with no notes so I don't believe it is relevant. It also verifies that the Winsock is correct.

So, in a nutshell, I guess there's something amiss in the connection between my computer and my modem/router, although all appears correct. Not sure of this diagnosis either now. I'll just keep playing and typing, and hopefully eventually I'll get an answer.

I have now reset the Winsock - no changes :-(

No can do. Unfortunately, I don't know any friends in the area who would allow me to take my desktop to their houses and connect to the Internet. However, my husband's laptop is on the same network, and works fine (it is the computer I'm making this post from).

According to LSP fix, 0 entries removed or renumbered and no problems found.

I ran the Winsock Fix, and after it did it's thing, the computer made a beep and wanted to restart (all this while the antivirus is telling me that it's a high risk program and do I want to unblock?). After restarting, OMG, it worked...ONCE, and there were no pictures, just red x's. I closed down IE and re-opened and then it bummed out again. When I ran the diagnostic, it said that there were problems with the Winsock. I reset the Winsock using the diagnostic and rebooted. I now have an error attempting to validate two Winsock base providers. I have seen this before when someone else on this forum was advised to run the Winsock Fix from that website, therefore I don't think that link should be advised to people. I was just desperate enough to try. :-(

I have run the "netsh winsock reset catalog" command. No change, still 2 Winsock base providers missing. Next I tried "netsh winsock reset". Again, no luck. It seems that I am now forced to reset Windows XP, thanks to two correct Winsock entries which were fine before I tried to "fix them". I'll let you know how that goes.

Restoring Windows to factory settings seems to have done the trick. :thumbup1: Now I just have to uninstall all the factory software and reinstall my software :crybaby:

Have you tried these two freeware programs?

<http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm>
<http://www.snapfiles.com/get/winsockxpfix.html>

[novice27]

Have you tried connection the computer to a friend or relatives line? It would at least tell you if it's a comp problem or your set up.

[JonBoyFishhead]

probably the first thing I would do is to delete all the "cookies". sometimes your cookies can fill-up and not allow you to view web pages. the next thing I would do is ipconfig /release, then ipconfig /renew in the command prompt screen. this should reset your ip address. hope this helps!