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Bizzare internet access problem

Spark
Dabbler
Posts: 20
Registered: ‎22-09-2007

Bizzare internet access problem

This is a problem that already seems to have defeated the support team.  I
have a problem with internet access. I am running 3 desktop PCs and a laptop through a router. They have all worked fine for a long time. Internet access is fine on most of them, however, on the main desktop I use I have recently encountered a problem whereby it can connect fine for a few minutes, but after that it seems to only access a couple of selected sites, eg my world client server at work, or a site called comunified that I use for texting. In both cases these are sites that I have to log in to. 
Others, such as Google or BBC or Force 9 or the our bank, it just says it can't find the server. It is still connected to the net, because I can send and receive emails. Has anyone any ideas what might be happening?
The problem PC in question runs on Windows 98 and has AVG antivirus.  It's worth noting that one of the other PCs which is fine is also 98 with AVG.
36 REPLIES 36
orbrey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 10,540
Registered: ‎18-07-2007

Re: Bizzare internet access problem

It sounds like a DNS issue on the specific PC (just to guess), have you tried manually specifying DNS servers on this machine to see if that is the case?
decomplexity
Rising Star
Posts: 493
Thanks: 26
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Bizzare internet access problem

Acid test:
when you are getting 'page not found', try to access Google by typing 64.233.187.99 in  the browser address bar (or 212.58.240.32 for the BBC).
If it works, you do have a DNS problem. Either your access to a DNS server is failing (wrong or no DNS server address; access blocked by firewall; ...) or your DNS cache is corrupt. Although the cache is supposed to be flushed automatically, you can try to force a flush with (from the Run... command line):
        ipconfig /flushdns
(I think this is valid on Win98 but my Win98 experience was a long time ago)

Zen from May 17. PN Business account from 2004 - 2017
Spark
Dabbler
Posts: 20
Registered: ‎22-09-2007

Re: Bizzare internet access problem

Thanks chaps.  I have tried these things and neither works.  The plusnet support guys got as far as saying they thought like it wasn't a problem with either DNS or the router.  Hence calling the problem 'bizarre'.  Any other suggestions will be gratefully received though.
Spider
Grafter
Posts: 1,100
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Bizzare internet access problem

One possibility is if the Router is assigning the IPs for each machine is that there is a conflict between the IPs. I currently have 3 PCs connected to the Router via cables. Before I manually set each IP for the PC, occassionally one of the PCs would show similar symptoms to yours. When I did some error checking it came up with an IP conflict. Since manually setting the IPs I have not encountered the problem.
Spark
Dabbler
Posts: 20
Registered: ‎22-09-2007

Re: Bizzare internet access problem

Thanks Spider.  I've just tried that but still no luck I'm afraid.  Any other ideas anyone?
Spider
Grafter
Posts: 1,100
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Bizzare internet access problem

One additional thought. Jave you tried different browsers to see if it is browser related?
Spark
Dabbler
Posts: 20
Registered: ‎22-09-2007

Re: Bizzare internet access problem

Thanks for the thought, but yes, I've tried Firefox and the problem is the same.
MikeWhitehead
Grafter
Posts: 748
Registered: ‎19-08-2007

Re: Bizzare internet access problem

If you boot into Safe Mode with Networking and try connect via the browser, does it work?
I remember having this problem before and it would work fine in safe mode, but can't remember off hand what the solution was.
God
Grafter
Posts: 1,112
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Bizzare internet access problem

I have had times like this where it turned out to be over zealous security software (sometimes after an update). It is worth shutting down your AV and spyware programs and trying the known safe sites you couldn't access and see if they are now available.
paulby
Grafter
Posts: 1,619
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎26-07-2007

Re: Bizzare internet access problem

In addittion to what God said, are you running a software firewall (Zone Alarm, Kerio, etc) on that particular PC?
If you are, try disabling that too.
Have you also tried a factory reset of your router - usually a pin-hole somewhere that will reset all to default (it'll mean putting all your PN details in again) - just in case it's a router config issue somewhere?
Spark
Dabbler
Posts: 20
Registered: ‎22-09-2007

Re: Bizzare internet access problem

Thanks for all the suggestions.  Running in safe mode doesn't work - in fact I can't get online at all.
I use AVG anti-virus and have tried with it switched off and even de-installed it without any luck.
I don't run a separate firewall, but just use the one built in my router which is a Netgear DG834PN - I have tried turning that off, but still get the problem.
I've also tried the factory reset of the router now - I hadn't thought of that, so thanks - but still no luck.
I appreciate the help that's being offered.  Any more suggestions will be gratefully received because this problem is giving me a serious headache.
paulby
Grafter
Posts: 1,619
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎26-07-2007

Re: Bizzare internet access problem

When you set the IP address to static IP did you do all of the following?
1. Make sure the address was outside the range dynamically assigned by your router (i.e. outside the pool size).  Assuming it's a router with addresses in the range 192.168.0.x then something like 192.168.0.200 should be safe (and avoid conflicts). Enter 255.255.255.0 as the subnet mask.
2. Enter PN's DNS servers manually on the DNS Configuration tab
Servers are 212.159.6.10 and 212.159.6.9
3. Enter your router's IP address (i.e. 192.168.0.1 if that's what your router uses) as the default gateway on the gateway tab.
This page may help. (BTW Don't enter anything in the domain name field when entering DNS servers - leave it blank.  The Host field can be your PC's name.)
Apologies if I'm telling you stuff you've already done but I've seen many people forget about the default gateway!!!
If you've changed the IP range used by your router away from the defaults (e.g. to 10.0.0.x) you'll need to substitute the appropriate values above.

Edit: Router default gateway IP and default IP range after checking router manual for DG834PN on Netgear site.
Spark
Dabbler
Posts: 20
Registered: ‎22-09-2007

Re: Bizzare internet access problem

Paul, thanks, you're a helpful man.  I had missed the gateway.  I've tried this and it still doesn't seem to work.  One thing different to what you suggest though is that the range on the router runs from 01 up to 254 and I can't set an IP address outside that dynamic range.  However, I have reserved an address of 211 on the router for the pc that's giving the problem, so I don't think there can be a problem with conflicts.
The only other thing I can think of is whether I need to assign static IP addresses to the other 3 computers on the network too... what do you think?
Or any other ideas?
God
Grafter
Posts: 1,112
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Bizzare internet access problem

My Netgear router seems to hand out address from 02 upwards from low to high. If I ever set one static address I use 200+ to keep it out of the way of others, so 211 should be fine.
I have no hard theories as to what is wrong Spark but my next move would be to back up the PC drive then roll back the PC with system restore to a date well before the problem appeared and see if it magically goes away.
If it does that might give some clues, an OS update or an application change or addition.