I am having some strange problems connecting to the internet on windows xp. A while ago i could connect to the internet through a few things. I used both the Opera and Firefox web browsers and occasionally internet explorer. I also have yahoo widgets that I use a weather forcast widget that gets its info from weather.com. It has been a while since my problems began, so i dont remember when, but all of a sudden firefox claimed that there was no internet connection, yet all my other options were still functional. For a while i only used opera. Then a few weeks ago I tried internet explorer and found that it too had gone the way of firefox. Well then i wanted to see if it was Opera that was doing it, so i uninstalled opera and tried both, but they didnt work. Then I reinstalled opera and found that now IT didn't work. The reason i wanted this fixed is because my creative zen mp3 player isnt working and i got a recovery tool to try, which needs the internet, but was also not finding it. At this point the only thing that seems to be able to access still is the widget for some reason...I am really stumped. I am using a wireless card, and tried swithing to LAN, but that didnt work either. Any help is appreciated.

First off, google and install IE7pro which turns I.E. into a safer browser with add-ons like Firefox's.

What's your security software? Try disabling the firewall as a test. Then, start, run, cmd, enter "ping www.google.com". Any loss?

Ok, I don't have any security software on this install running. i have avg, but it is always off. The defualt Windows firewall is usually up, but has exceptions for these web browsers. I tried turning it off, but i still had the same problem.

when i tried ping www.google.com, i got this:

Pinging www.1.google.com [64.233.167.104] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 64.233.167.104: bytes=32 time=24ms TTL=244
Reply from 64.233.167.104: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=244
Reply from 64.233.167.104: bytes=32 time=18ms TTL=244
Reply from 64.233.167.104: bytes=32 time=24ms TTL=244

Ping statistics for 64.233.167.104:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 18ms, Maximum = 24ms, Average = 22ms


...so no loss....why can't i connect?

Sounds like your browsers have been Hijacked by some kind of Adware, Spyware, Trojan or malware. First thing I would do is look at Ad/Remove Programs and see what programs don't belong (My Cool Websites, My Freeweb) stuff like that. Since you are not running any Security software (AVG being off doesn't count), I am going to assume you are not that computer savvy. Take your computer to a tech and have your registry scanned for the malware causing your ills and get them removed.

Next thing invest in a decent firewall and Strong Antivirus (AVG won't cut it) There are good (not great) free options out there. Zonelabs firewall and Avast Anti-virus for personal use. Try that and good luck.

You said you don't have security software, but Windows Firewall is. AVG 8 has Safe Surf. Try disabling that or uninstall AVG & get Antivir.

You do need a good antivirus in place cuz a PC w/o security software is a honey pot.

Google cureit from dr. web and do a quick scan and then custom c: drive scan. You can do it in safe mode by tapping F8 at boot. If the malware is good, it can hide itself in normal mode.

Restart to normal mode. Uninstall your NIC, restart pc, reinstall NIC. Create a new account in Windows as a test. Try another web browser.

I do alright with computers. If you tell me what to do i can get it done. When you say uninstall my NIC, do you mean software, because i am using a wifi card that is build into the motherboards I/O, so i cant take it off...

Oh, and the express dr.web scan came up with nothing(in safe mode). Im doing a complete scan now.

Edit: Finished the scan, it found 4 files that i couldn't get rid of in the program or in safe mode, so i rebooted and deleted them in normal mode, but its still doesnt work....what do you suggest?

Sorry, wasn't clear on this. I mean driver.

If ping returns 0% loss, do this & post result: start, run, cmd:

tracert www.google.com

Generally speaking, if you can ping the Internet, but not browse the Web, your DNS is wrong. If your DNS is hardcoded in router/windows, change it to auto. It should be auto. Power off & on the modem & router.

tracert www.google.com yeilded:



Tracing route to www.l.google.com [64.233.167.104]

over a maximum of 30 hops:



1 1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 10.0.1.1

2 7 ms 7 ms 15 ms 73.115.162.1

3 162 ms 199 ms 145 ms ge-9-2-ur02.shoreview.mn.minn.comcast.net [68.85.166.205]

4 7 ms 7 ms 5 ms te-8-3-ur01.shoreview.mn.minn.comcast.net [68.87.174.125]

5 8 ms 7 ms 7 ms te-0-4-0-2-ar03.roseville.mn.minn.comcast.net [68.86.91.138]

6 19 ms 18 ms 16 ms te-0-2-0-4-cr01.chicago.il.ibone.comcast.net [68.86.91.137]

7 77 ms 15 ms 15 ms xe-9-3-0.edge1.Chicago2.Level3.net [4.71.248.21]

8 215 ms 333 ms 231 ms ae-21-54.car1.Chicago1.Level3.net [4.68.101.98]

9 54 ms 17 ms 35 ms GOOGLE-INC.car1.Chicago1.Level3.net [4.79.208.18]

10 527 ms 505 ms 455 ms 72.14.232.53

11 463 ms 364 ms 65 ms 64.233.175.26

12 26 ms 21 ms 18 ms py-in-f104.google.com [64.233.167.104]



Trace complete.