Member Avatar for tamati

on xp, internet explorer is running very slow. will eventually (but not every time) open a home page but refuses almost always to link to other pages. i keep getting a message saying 'cannot connect to server' & message continues with advice that some browsers require 128 bit encryption which this browser has. anyone got any ideas on this please.

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A short, practical checklist for that builds on 's idea to try another browser. Internet Explorer 6 on Windows XP is obsolete and many modern sites and security standards no longer work with it, so testing with a current browser is a quick way to narrow the fault (Internet Explorer 6).

Try these targeted steps before deeper diagnosis:

  • Test with a modern browser on the problem PC (or copy an installer from another machine) to see if pages load normally (Firefox download).
  • Verify IE proxy/LAN settings: Tools -> Internet Options -> Connections -> LAN Settings; disable any proxy unless it is intentionally used.
  • Clear the browser cache and cookies from Internet Options -> General, and temporarily disable third‑party firewall/antivirus to rule out interference (re-enable them after testing).
  • Check the hosts file at C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts for unexpected redirects and rename it temporarily if suspicious.
  • Boot into Safe Mode with Networking to see if an installed program or add‑on is blocking connections.
  • Use simple network checks (ping a public IP such as 8.8.8.8) to separate DNS issues from browser problems.

If a modern browser works, prefer using that or, better, move to a supported OS/browser combination—XP and IE6 are insecure for everyday web use.

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Member Avatar for maui_mallard

Hey Tamati,

Have you tried to use a different web browser?

Try Mozilla Firefox.

This is not to replace Internet Explorer (Yet, if needed), but to help us understand why this is happening.

Download Mozilla Firefox and let us know how you make out!

Member Avatar for tamati

thanks maui_mallard, (kiwi ...hawaiian?) but won't be able to download as i can't get anywhere on any site. will try another pc, burn & transfer. can't do anything for a few hours but will let you know

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