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IE9 fails to connect

TedL
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎05-08-2011

IE9 fails to connect

New Plusnet user.
All my computers were running nicely on Plusnet through wireless network.  Smiley
However today I tried to add an additional laptop, running Vista, but although it can access the web (e.g. Windows and AVG updates work fine) Internet Explorer IE8 and now IE9 won't connect to the web. Sad
Have tried rolling back to IE8 and reinstalling IE9 but no success.
Settings on IE are same as for other Vista machine. I have done IE reset and the other ideas on the IE Help Screen.
Driving me mad!  Crazy
I'm sure it is something pretty simples, but can someone suggest what it is?
Many thanks!
12 REPLIES 12
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: IE9 fails to connect

I wasn't sure whether to move this to Windows or Routers but for the present can you try the following.
Can you see the router through IE9 - if it is a Plusnet supplied router try this http://192.168.1.254
Can you try Firefox http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/new/
The only other thing I can think in IE9 is to go to Tools then Internet Options and see if it is the same as this
matt_2k34
Grafter
Posts: 1,300
Registered: ‎09-07-2007

Re: IE9 fails to connect

what id do:
Update back to IE 9 if you can
hit start, type cmd, press enter.
in command prompt, type "ipconfig /flushdns"
(to rule this out)
Reboot. Try now.

if thats still not happening
hit start, type cmd, press enter.
type "ping ntp.plus.net" and press enter.
Hopefully this will resolve to the ip address (if it doesnt, we've got a DNS problem, and the IP isnt being resolved, to see if my theories right, type "ping 212.159.6.9" and press enter, if that returns successful (4 returned packets) and the other returns 0. Change your DNS settings Smiley is it possible someone has set DNS settings on the laptop, and it therefore it isnt 'grabbing' them from your router when it connects - quick google on changing dns settings in vista, its pretty simple but quite long winded to post here.
Regards
TedL
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎05-08-2011

Re: IE9 fails to connect

Thanks, both of you!
The Plusnet Router showed "Unable to make connection".
I didn't need to do the DNS things because on checking Internet Options I had omitted to look at LAN Settings.
I have attached the "before" and "after" screenshots.
Once I altered these, I went to "Setup" (internet connection) and got a message “You are already connected”
Clicked on that message and IE9 started.
Now functions properly!
Would be interested to know what the problem was - I don't understand the meaning of "DNS"
Best wishes & thanks for your help!
Cheesy  Smiley  Cheesy
HPsauce
Pro
Posts: 6,998
Thanks: 146
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: IE9 fails to connect

It was having a proxy server defined which is unusual, except in a corporate environment.
Often a sign that some malware has been messing about.  Shocked
TedL
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎05-08-2011

Re: IE9 fails to connect

Quote from: HPsauce
It was having a proxy server defined which is unusual, except in a corporate environment.
Often a sign that some malware has been messing about.  Shocked

Right, AVG scan was OK but I'll do a thorough McAfee screen. Thanks, that's great!
matt_2k34
Grafter
Posts: 1,300
Registered: ‎09-07-2007

Re: IE9 fails to connect

Its not *just* malware tho chap, ive seen those settings 'appear' for no valid reason after a bundle of MS updates (your config doesnt get put back after install) Also worth noting with it ticketed and the box "blank" it quite often works regardless (does not try to proxy the data), obviously that didnt work in this case (i assume when this happens, it sends the proxy info to the default gateway (your router) and some routers (e.g. Netgear) allow you to do this.

Glad your sorted TedL
Quote
Would be interested to know what the problem was - I don't understand the meaning of "DNS"

a quick "whats what" to DNS...
The "Domain Name System" - is basically a system where you can take an easy to remember domain (e.g. www.plus.net) and point it to an IP address (obviously, when your computer 'talks' on the internet, its talking to other IPs, not other domains...)
So you open your browser, and type in www.plus.net - this request is sent to a DNS server (which responds with the IP your PC needs to communicate with) in this case 212.159.8.2 (catchy and easy to remember eh ?  Roll_eyes )
You machine will then cache this response (so the next time you go to plus.net - it wouldnt have to "ask" what the IP is.
Many people run DNS servers (ISPs, Big companies like Google, OpenDNS etc.) which all have their ups and downs (e.g. if someone wants to change where their domain points to, once the record has been changed it can take 1-2 days for it to take affect (yet on some servers, you might find the change to the new IP is almost an instant...  Shocked )
Hope that makes it a little clearer Smiley
Regards
HPsauce
Pro
Posts: 6,998
Thanks: 146
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: IE9 fails to connect

Quote from: Matt_2k34
Its not *just* malware

Indeed, which is why I said "often".  Wink
DNS - in simple terms, the Internet Telephone Directory.
TedL
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎05-08-2011

Re: IE9 fails to connect

Right, I see.
So these groups of digits mean a computer.
So why does McAfee keep warning me that the following computers are accessing my network? (I am in a rural area, no neighbours, it's midnight, and all computers except this one are turned off)
192.168.1.65
192.168.1.253
How can I find out?
Huh
matt_2k34
Grafter
Posts: 1,300
Registered: ‎09-07-2007

Re: IE9 fails to connect

yes they do.
192.168.x.x is an internal "IP address" though (so is probably harmless)
Basically an IP is like the "telephone number" for your internet enabled device, they're all unique - and this is how we can direct traffic to diff devices (e.g. when u browse google, your really going onto an IP address, rather than www.google.co.uk!)
I'd expect its possibly a phone? or another similar device? devices ending in .1 or .254 are normally the router... if you log into the router you can normally see the "DHCP Lease" information (what the name of the machine/device is that has the IP)
Regards
spraxyt
Resting Legend
Posts: 10,063
Thanks: 674
Fixes: 75
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: IE9 fails to connect

192.168.1.65 will be the internal network IP address which DHCP on the router has assigned to your computer.
192.168.1.253 is sometimes used by the router for a particular service the router offers (eg access to network storage). My TG585v8 responds to ping 192.168.1.253.
David
TedL
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎05-08-2011

Re: IE9 fails to connect

OK!
So now I have gone into the Thomson router advanced settings as explained on page 14 of the "Getting started with your wireless router", clicked on 'Home Network' and I can see what these addresses refer to. Now I just have to go through each device in the house turning it on & off, and telling McAfee what they are.
192.168.1.65 was an iPod
I will assume .253 is part of the router's activity - thanks for that information.
Many thanks indeed - this is great help!
Smiley
spraxyt
Resting Legend
Posts: 10,063
Thanks: 674
Fixes: 75
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: IE9 fails to connect

From product descriptions, it looks like the TG587 router has a USB port which can be used to plug in a memory stick, or perhaps a USB printer. It seems that device/port would be addressed as 192.168.1.253 on the internal network. I suspect the firmware on the TG587 and TG585 shares common code, but the TG585 lacks the port to make use of it. However the address remains 'live' and broadcasts its presence to other devices.
David