Member Avatar for galaxy2jake

Ok, I am really dumb when it comes to this sort of stuff, so please help. Here is the problem.

I have DSL with a 2wire network. One computer is hooked up directly to the router, and then my computer is hooked up through a wireless usb adapter. I recently installed service pack 2. Now on some websites, not all, I get a, "This page cannot be displayed" error. So, I think, oh, the website must be down. But, on the other computer, the one hooked up directly to the router, it can go to that page without a problem.

So, I have been looking on forums and stuff for a solution, but I don't understand what they are talking about more that half the time. Can someone please help me?

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Dani AI

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Because the wired PC can reach the same pages, the problem is local to the wireless machine — not the router or the sites. Likely causes are DNS resolution differences, a modified hosts file or proxy, or a damaged network stack/LSP from adware. 's edit about that spyware URL makes the LSP/hosts possibility more likely.

Run these quick checks on both machines and compare results (open a Command Prompt and run the same commands on each):

nslookup example.com
ping example.com
tracert example.com
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew

If nslookup on the wireless PC fails or returns a different IP than the wired PC, it is a DNS problem: try ipconfig /flushdns and set the wireless adapter to use the same DNS servers as the wired PC (or use public DNS like 8.8.8.8 or 1.1.1.1) in Network Connections -> Properties -> TCP/IP. If nslookup returns the same IPs on both but the browser still fails on the wireless PC, check the hosts file at C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts for malicious entries, and verify IE's proxy settings via Tools -> Internet Options -> Connections -> LAN Settings (malware often sets a proxy). Also try a different browser — if Firefox/Chrome works, the issue is IE-specific.

If the hosts/proxy look clean, reset the network stack and Winsock (then reboot):

netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset

After reboot, run the tests again. Finally, scan the wireless PC with an up-to-date anti-malware tool (Malwarebytes or similar) to remove any LSP/hooks. If none of the above fixes it, reinstalling/updating the wireless driver (as suggested) is the reasonable next step.

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Member Avatar for Danniboy

mabe if its a wireless thing try and move it closer? i guess thats just common sense and u probbly tried that the first time, lol but another thing you could try is disable the firewall in service pack 2 by going to control panel etc..
and if that doesnt work then try to re-install the wrieless usb drivers u have orr updte it, use windows update if u havnt already and see if there are driver updates hope thats helped :)

Dan

Member Avatar for galaxy2jake

Well, I'm pretty sure it can't be any of those things because some websites work. In fact most websites work. Just some of them don't work, for instance,

Thanks anyway.

Member Avatar for DMR

Sorry for editing out that URL, but we don't link to sites know to be associated with "Spyware", and that site was definitely one. :eek:

SP2 makes some changes to IE's security settings; have you tried altering any of those in your Internet Options control panel? Compare your settings with the ones on the "working" computer.

Also- since you used a site known to be linked to spyware in your example of unreachable sites, have you installed any anti-spyware type utilities which might be (rightfully) blocking those sites?

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