What's happened to Microsoft?

[#1]

I am unable to access any microsoft websites or check Hotmail since the new year. I am using Firefox and outlook express to check hotmail.
Whats happened?

[#2]

No problems here and I use FireFox

[#3]

Tried a boatload of MS sites, and they all appear to be working fine.
Have you run a virus scan recently, I seem to recall a virus some time in the distant past which blocked access to MS sites to prevent removal using a tool available from MS updates. Hopefully I'm wrong, but not a bad idea to do a full scan as a matter of course anyhow.

[#4]

Hi there,
Do you get the same problem when using Internet Explorer?
I do wonder whether Firefox has updated itself with some oddness and is subsequently not allowing you to access secure sites?
We haven't done anything that would prevent you from doing so.

[#5]

Are you able to resolve microsoft.com to an IP address?
Click Start > Run, type in 'cmd' (without quotes) and click OK.
In the command window type -

nslookup www.microsoft.com

And press enter. You should see something like the following -

Server:  125.structure.internal.plus.net
Address:  84.93.217.125
Non-authoritative answer:
Name:    lb1.www.ms.akadns.net
Addresses:  207.46.192.254, 207.46.193.254, 207.46.19.190, 207.46.19.254
Aliases:  www.microsoft.com, toggle.www.ms.akadns.net
          g.www.ms.akadns.net

If you can resolve the IP address from the host name but still can't get to the site then I'd recommend checking your router's/PC's MTU and RWIN settings. Have you recently replaced your modem/router/PC?

[#6]

Yea I've had a lot of problems over the past few weeks. It all started with BT doing some "repairs" in the street which cut the lines off one side of the street etc..........
I landed up with serious speed issues plus some people in the street still had no broadband, so I only had one PC connected to modem to resolve the problems. (But as if by magic the speed issues were resolved after another BT van spent one morning down a hole and neighbours broadband came on line about the same time!)
However I thought everything was resolved but this problem started
I have just reinstated the router, run the tests as you described and all seems OK. I have just tried again and am now able to access the microsoft sites and hotmail again.
It's still the same modem but now in bridge mode, connected with an ethernet cable to the router.
Ah well! but thanks to all who took the trouble to respond.