I have no problem surfing the internet in general. However, I cannot access certain websites, including both secure and nonsecure zones. My initial reaction was to check whether there were any associations with the HOSTS file, but no trace of their IP is there to be seen. Since then I've done everything else within my power but so far came up emptyhanded. This problem, might I add, isn't IE specific, because those same web pages time out using Firefox as well. I have ZoneAlarm Pro, Norton AV, and Trojan/Spyware removal programs on my system. (Yes, I too thought the culprit might lie with those spybots, and have subsequently loosened the restrictions, but the problem remained.) Does anyone have an adequate explanation for this? Any help would be appreciated. :rolleyes:

Have you tried looking in advanced internet options? Maybe some HTTP or active X controls are secured?

Do you have any form of web filtering as in proxies??

Thx for the quick answers, but I would add that both suggestions are to the negative. However, I did find the real culprit to the problem. I have and still use ZoneAlarm Pro, which has a web filtering function. At the time of my initial post, I was tweaking around with ZA knowing that there may be a remote connection with it but nothing worked to solve the problem. Well, in the process I upgraded the damn thing from version 4.x to 5.x and guess what? The problem vanished! :cheesy: