Member Avatar for mikethebike

I have just set up cable internet broadcast over a linksys router. My Firefox browser works perfectly but everything based on IE does not work. It gives me "
The page cannot be displayed

". I havent changed anything since I had this set up at my old apartment. Got any ideas?


Mike Hamilton

  • 3 Contributors
  • 3 Replies
  • 125 Views
  • 3 Weeks Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by Adfaw

Dani AI

Generated

A pattern where Firefox loads pages but Internet Explorer 6 shows "The page cannot be displayed" almost always means a browser-specific setting or local Windows/network stack issue rather than a pure router problem. Firefox can use its own connection settings while IE relies on the system proxy/WINHTTP settings, and many personal firewalls or security suites apply per-process rules (allowing firefox.exe but blocking iexplore.exe).

A focused checklist that quickly isolates the cause:

  • Compare connection settings: IE's system proxy vs Firefox's connection configuration. A proxy or PAC set for Windows but not in Firefox explains the mismatch.
  • Check per-application firewall/AV rules for iexplore.exe and temporarily disable security software to test.
  • Test name vs IP resolution: if an IP opens but a hostname does not, the problem is DNS.
  • Inspect the hosts file for accidental entries.
  • Rule out add-ons/toolbars: launch IE without extensions or test under a fresh Windows user account or Safe Mode with Networking.

Useful command checks (run from an elevated command prompt):

ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
nslookup www.example.com
tracert www.example.com
netsh winsock reset

Notes and further isolation: as mentioned, router/modem power cycles can help, but that usually affects all clients and browsers. As touched on LAN settings, compare those directly to Firefox’s connection page — look for explicit proxy or automatic configuration differences. If the above diagnostics still point to IE, consider repairing/reinstalling IE components or checking security-suite logs for blocked attempts. Useful items to record when escalating: ipconfig /all output, firewall product and per-app rules, results of ping/nslookup/tracert, and a screenshot or transcript of IE’s LAN/proxy settings.

Recommended Answers

All 3 Replies

Member Avatar for mikethebike

So what kind of information do you guys need to help me figure this out? I thought somebody would be nice enough to try.

Member Avatar for 'Stein

Sorry about that, we've been backed up lately (for me, its school :)).

Have you looked at the security settings of IE?

Secondly, have you tried resetting the router? This problem happens alot to me when the hardware firewall built in blocks 1 but not the other.

Member Avatar for Adfaw

I think maybe I can help.

1. Go to internet options and click the connections tab. Then click lan settings and make sure the "Automatically detect settings" is checked. If it is than unclick and then click it again. That way maybe it will recheck when you reload the browser.

2. Reboot the router and the cable modem. Some people jsut never do this because it's always connected. Disconnect everything and then reconnect it. I don't think it's this though because you say that Firefox is working and IE is not. So don't worry too much about this.

3. Once you get IE working be sure to upgrade to Internet Explorer v7.0. It's a whole lot better and runs smoother. I'd reccomend doing it first, but you can't upgrade without using IE.

P.S. Let me know a littlemore about the problem and maybe what you've tried. Than maybe we can help out a little more...

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.