Member Avatar for zach

first thread....please be patient!! as not techy either...
I have Pipex broadband...and use the excite chat messenger...until 2 weeks ago...now it will not allow me to connect to this messenger..it hangs as 'waiting for internet connection'' then changes to 'disconnected' as though it doeant see that there is a connection there............all other messengers are ok..yahoo msn..aim..etc
If i disable broadband and connect to dial up ..via modem..there isnt a problem

I have reset the router by turning off..(connexant router) ....no joy...disabled firewall and pop up blockers...no joy..cookie acceptance...low....still no joy
i have contacted pipex..who seem confused..but are looking into it..not sure they will rush !!

please help anyone
zach

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Dani AI

Generated

Following , here is a focused troubleshooting checklist and what to look for in the router when a single application cannot reach its servers. These steps isolate whether the fault is the PC, the local router/NAT, or something upstream.

  1. Isolate the path
  • Temporarily connect one PC directly to the modem (bypass the router) and test the messenger. If it works, the router or its config is the likely cause. If not, the problem is higher up (ISP or messenger).
  1. Basic network tests (replace MESSENGER_HOST and MESSENGER_PORT with the values from the messenger provider)

  • Run:

    ping MESSENGER_HOST

    tracert MESSENGER_HOST

    (Windows) telnet MESSENGER_HOST MESSENGER_PORT

  • If ping/traceroute fail or telnet to the port times out, capture the outputs for support.

  1. Inspect router settings to find blocked IPs/ports
  • Login to the router admin page and examine: Firewall/Security, Access Control, IP Filtering, Port/Packet Filtering, Parental Controls, and DMZ settings.
  • Look for explicit block rules (deny entries), scheduled rules, or a global packet filter. Remove any rules that match the messenger host/IP or the port range it uses.
  • Check NAT/ALG/UPnP settings — some routers include application-layer gateways (SIP ALG, etc.) that interferes with nonstandard protocols; try toggling those.
  1. Logs and diagnostics
  • Enable or increase router logging, then retry the connection. Search logs for DENY/DROP entries with the PC IP or the messenger server IP and timestamp.
  • Use a packet capture (Wireshark) on the PC while reproducing the failure; filter by the messenger server IP to see whether packets reach the WAN or are replied to.
  1. If router shows nothing
  • Update router firmware, export/save current config, then try a factory reset as a last resort.
  • If the direct-modem test still fails, gather ping/traceroute logs and a short PC packet capture, and give them to the messenger provider or ISP for protocol/port verification.

Notes and cautions: do not leave a firewall permanently disabled; re-enable it after testing and add a specific exception if needed. Back up router settings before major changes. If protocol/port details are unknown, request them from the messenger service — they are necessary to test telnet/packet capture and to create correct router exceptions.

Member Avatar for systemsman

If you have access to the router, and I mean the setups, check the configuration for the firewall. It may be just the excite messenger ip address is block. Also check the setup in excite. You should have options to connect to the internet. I don't know about excite, but you may be able to e-mail them and then can send you instructions for accessing the web through a router.

Member Avatar for zach

i have access to all the router details...set up...on the net..is this what you mean? where would i check if an IP is blocked?..or the config for the firewall
as for excite..i emailed them and they didnt seem to care..just said 'disable firewall'

thanks for reply

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