Browser doesn't recognise I am Internet connected

[KittenSize]

Hello

 

When I open Windows Internet Explorer on my PC it says it can't display the page, no matter what www. address I type in. I have Firefox installed on the desktop but that says the same thing.

 

What happened before this problem was this:

 

An Adobe Shockwave Update box appeared, notifying that an update was available. I clicked yes, do it, and left the room. A while later I returned to find my PC had switched itself off. When I started it up again I could not connect to the Internet although there is nothing wrong with my Internet connection (I am currently using the same connection via a wireless connection to my Orange Livebox with a brorrowed laptop).

 

What has happened and how do I fix it? Is the Adobe Shockwave update to blame or just a co-incidence?

 

I should also tell you that I am in France and that all my software is in French which complicates matters as I am not fluent.

 

Help would really be appreciated. Thank you.

[RandyL]

Open a command prompt. Type in "ping www.yahoo.com" without the quotes. Note the space after ping.

 

Press Enter. Were all the packets sent and received?

[KittenSize]

Help!

 

Thanks for your reply. Do you mean open Internet Explorer and put "ping www.yahoo.com" in the box at the top where you type a www. address? I did that but it still says it can't display the page.

 

Sorry to be a pain but I really don't know what I'm doing. When the PC works then I am fine doing the simple things I need as in emails, research on the web and so on but if there is a problem then I know absolutely nothing.

 

:confused:

[RandyL]

Command Prompt is in Accesories. Once you type the address in it press the Enter key.

[Poconos]

The Command Prompt Randy is referring to is a DOS screen, black background that works with text only. It is a very basic function. The Ping command sends a specific network request to the target, in this case the Yahoo server, and if set up to allow, the Yahoo server will return a ping response. This is a very basic network request to see if a path is alive. If the ping to Yahoo fails then try

ping 209.191.93.53

which is the IP address of the Yahoo server. By using the IP address instead of the name Yahoo you bypass whatever DNS server your ISP is using. DNS is the thing that converts a name to an IP address.

If this all fails then in that same command prompt window type

ipconfig

and you should see several lines returned and the one you are interested in is

ip address..............

 

This will tell you if your PC has been assigned an IP address by either your ISP or your router if you have a router. Let us know what you see.

You may also describe your setup such as are you using a router? and if so a make and model number.

Hope this helps.

Al

PS: Sorry...my French is non-existant.

[KittenSize]

Will try it tomorrow

 

Dear RandyL and Poconos

Thank you for your replies. I will try the instructions you have given tomorrow and will report back. I appreciate you simplifying said instructions because I have no idea what to do otherwise. :( Wish me luck, I'll let you know what happens.

[KittenSize]

I remember this test

 

I remember doing this test with an Orange Customer Services advisor. He said there was no problem with my Internet connection (true because it is this same Internet connection I am currently using to write this post on a borrowed laptop from a friend) but that it was a software problem and he could not help me with that.

 

I'm doing the test now, this is what I currently see:

 

When I type ping Yahoo!

 

It says:

 

Envoi d'une requete 'ping' sur eu-fp.wa1.b.yahoo.com [87.248.122.122] avec 32 oc

tets de donnees :

Reponse de 87.248.122 : octets=32 temps=69 ms TTL=52

Reponse de 87.248.122 : octets=32 temps=69 ms TTL=52

Reponse de 87.248.122 : octets=32 temps=70 ms TTL=52

Reponse de 87.248.122 : octets=32 temps=69 ms TTL=52

 

Statistiques Ping pour 87.248.122.122:

Paquets : envoyes = 4, recus = 4, perdus = 0 <perte 0%>,

Duree approximative des boucles en millisecondes :

Minimum = 69ms, Maximum = 70ms Moyenne = 69ms

 

I don't think you'll need the French translation but let me know if you do because I understand it. I'll post the next results when I've typed them in.

[KittenSize]

TEST 2

 

Incidentally, for Test 1 I typed what you told me to but when the post was submitted on the forum it changed it to "yahoo!" which I did not type....just so you know...

 

TEST 2

 

I typed ping 209.191.93.53

 

This is what it says:

 

Envoi d'une requete 'Ping' 209.191.93.53 avec 32 octets de donnees :

Reponse de 209.191.93.53 : octets=32 temps=195 ms TTL=48

Reponse de 209.191.93.53 : octets=32 temps=194 ms TTL=48

Reponse de 209.191.93.53 : octets=32 temps=192 ms TTL=48

Reponse de 209.191.93.53 : octets=32 temps=200 ms TTL=48

 

Statistiques Ping pour 209.191.93.53:

Paquets : envoyes = 4, recus = 4, perdus = 0 <perte 0%>,

Duree approximative des boucles en millisecondes :

Minimum = 192ms, Maximum = 200ms Moyenne = 195ms

 

Test Three coming up...

[KittenSize]

TEST THREE

 

Noooooo, the phone rang and I was so long that all the information I have since typed in was lost because I had timed out. Nooooooooooooo! Now I have to start again..

 

TEST THREE

 

I typed "ipconfig"

 

This is what it says:

 

Configuration IP de Windows

 

Carte Ethernet Connexion au reseau local :

 

Suffixe DNS propre a la connexion. . . : home

Adresse IPv6 de liaison locale. . . : fe80: :d27:1da0:9f4c:781d%8

Adresse IPv4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.10

Masque de sous-reseau. . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

Passerelle par default. . . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

 

Carte Tunnel Connexion au reseau local* :

 

Statut du media. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : Media deconnecte

Suffixe DNS propre a la connexion. . . . : home

 

Carte Tunnel Connexion au reseau local* 6 :

 

Statut du media. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : Media deconnecte

Suffixe DNS propre a la connexion. . . . :

 

Okay, I hope that you can deduce something from all that. Deconnecte means disconnected by the way, just in case you need to know. If you need translation help with some words just let me know.

 

Oh, my set up here is an Orange Livebox; my pc is plugged into that.

 

Thanks again, I really, really need help, I've no idea what I'm doing here. :confused:

[PseFrank]

Noooooo, the phone rang and I was so long that all the information I have since typed in was lost because I had timed out. Nooooooooooooo! Now I have to start again..

 

 

 

Here's a helpful tip when wanting to Copy & Paste details from the command prompt.

 

 

Note: Some details repeated to make it easier for forum users to....yes you guessed it...Copy & Paste!!...Lol

 

 

• Hit the Flag key + R
  
• Type "cmd"........without the quotes. Press Enter.
  
• Right click anywhere in black space. Click on Mark from the dropdown menu.
  
• Press down and hold the Shift Key. Click on the first letter of the text you want to copy.
  
• With the Shift key still pressed left click anywhere below and to the right of the text you wish to copy. ( It will turn white )
  
• Hit the Enter Key.
  
• Open up Word or Notepad or whatever your favourite text editor is.
  
• Click where you want the text to begin.
  
• Hit Ctrl + V on your keyboard.
  
• Hit Ctrl + S to save the file. ( Just a bit of insurance )
  

Now you can navigate to your forum post and when you hit Ctrl + V again this will paste your text into the forum post.

 

 

Note to Admins: Hope it was ok to post this information here in this thread. It could go somewhere where all forum users could see it?

Edited February 22, 2010 by PseFrank

[RandyL]

If my French is correct it recieved all 4 packets which means you have a connection. It is strange that both IE and Firefox can't display a page. You could try using System Restore to go back to a date before you had this problem. When running System Restore you may need to check the box to show more dates.

[RandyL]

That's a good tip Frank. Maybe it should go in Tech Tips and Tricks in the same thread from Plastic Nev The art of copy and paste. I think it would be perfect there.

[Tootech]

It is most probably a firewall issue.

 

If you use a security package, remove it, reboot and try again.

 

Disabling it is not enough, it must be removed.

 

If the problem is then solved, reinstall your security package.

[KittenSize]

Here's a helpful tip when wanting to Copy & Paste details from the command prompt.

 

 

Note: Some details repeated to make it easier for forum users to....yes you guessed it...Copy & Paste!!...Lol

 

Thanks Frank but I was using two different computers. I was running the tests on my PC but writing to the forum on the laptop so I couldn't Copy & Paste.

[KittenSize]

Firewall

 

It is most probably a firewall issue.

 

If you use a security package, remove it, reboot and try again.

 

Disabling it is not enough, it must be removed.

 

If the problem is then solved, reinstall your security package.

 

Hello Tootech. What do I need to do to remove the security package? I know this is basic knowledge for others I'm sure but I've never done this before so some tips would be very much appreciated.

[RandyL]

As usual Tootech is probably right. I'll try to answer for him until he gets back. Just trying to help expedite things.

 

Since you're just going to reinstall it later I think the normal method will suffice although it might be helpful if you can tell us what you have. Norton or Mcafee are two common ones on computers from major suppliers.

 

Since you are using Vista you need to go to Control Panel which is probably by Start>Control Panel.

 

There are two different views of Control Panel. Control Panel Home or Control Panel Classic View.

 

Control Panel Home.

Start>Control Panel>Uninstall Programs. Click to highlite the suite then at the top click Uninstall.

 

Control Panel Classic View

Start>Settings>Control Panel>Programs and Features. Click to highlite the suite then at the top click Uninstall.

 

If you happen to have some versions of Norton/Symantec you might see two different things listed there. If that is the case you need to uninstall them in the correct order.

[KittenSize]

I'm looking at the Control Panel!

 

Hello Randy

 

It's in French which is SO very annoying. Okay, here's what I see...

 

I go to Control Panel (Panneau de configuration)

I've chosen Control Panel Home not Classic View

 

Okay, I see Deinstaller ou modifier un programme. This is right!

 

Now I see a list, it's in English, YES! That's me being excited.

I'm scared to uninstall everything on the list in case I can't get it back (like my Printer information). So, question for you: If I do unistall everything will the information to reinstall still be available on the Control Panel afterwards?

 

This is what the list says:

 

Adobe Flash Player stuff

Adobe Reader stuff

Adobe Shockwave stuff

Windows Live connection assistance

Orange Parental Control

DHTML Editing stuff

Google Toolbar for IE

HP Advisor

HP customer stuff

HP Deskjet software

HP easy setup - frontend

HP imaging device

HP on screen cap/num lock

HP photosmart stuff

HP solution centre

HP update

HPSSupply

Jave stuff

Logitech Quickcam

McAfee Agent

McAfee Security Scan

McAfee VirusScan Enterprise

Microsoft net framework

Microsoft office ent.

Microsoft Visual C++ stuff

Microsoft Works

Module Linguistique Microsoft

Mozilla Firefox

MSXML 4.0 stuff (appears 4 times on list)

muvee auto producer

myphotobook

Navigateur Orange

Netgear

NVIDIA Drivers

Orange - Logiciels Internet

Diagnostic Tools from PC Doctor Inc

RealPlayer

Realtek audio driver

Roxio creator stuff (lots of these)

Skype stuff

Solution de clavier multimedia ameliore

spelling support for Adobe reader

Turbo lister

Windows instller clean up

Windows Live stuff - installer, mail, messenger, toolbar

 

That's all of it. I don't want to lose webcam or printer stuff as I didn't install these and the person that did is no longer here.

 

Hope you can help, I really do appreciate it. Thanks. :)

[RandyL]

McAfee VirusScan Enterprise is the suite that has a firewall. If you uninstall it you will need the means to reinstall it later as it is not free. This is not usually meant for a home computer so I'll ask if you subscribe to it.

 

Don't uninstall everything. Once you uninstall something you will need to download it or reinstall from a disk. You can reinstall Mcafee that way if you have a paid up account with them.

 

I also see that you have Orange Parental Control. Is it possible that you have blocked yourself with that?

[KittenSize]

McAfee & Orange Control

 

Hello Randy

 

Yes, I'm told I can reinstall McAfee; my ex boyfriend created an account for me although I didn't know that without asking! I have two websites but he takes care of all technical issues normally. He's usually the one that would help me with all this but I need to learn to manage by myself...with your kind help of course.

 

1. Shall I deinstall all three McAfee items on the list?

 

2. Do I need to deinstall them in any particular order?

 

Regarding Orange Controle Parental, I always deactivate it after a restart because it's a nuisance. It's always been on there. I should be glad to get rid of it (I don't have children) so can I deinstall that as well?

 

Is there anything else you think would be worth deinstalling?

 

Thanks again, I do appreciate this.

[KittenSize]

Genius!

 

RANDY, YOU ARE A GENIUS!

 

Even though the Orange Contrôle Parental was deactivated I decided to deinstall it anyway because it always annoys me when it activates every time after a shut down or restart. So I deinstalled it; did a restart and IT WORKED! I am now typing on my own PC keyboard, now being able to access the Internet on this PC for the first time in TWO MONTHS!

 

No friends have been able to work out the problem, even Orange couldn't help me but YOU did!

 

I disabled my security settings before I began to post on here. Should I enable them again or should I deinstall and then reinstall again? What do you think?

 

Wow, it's so brilliant to see this on my own screen and not the small laptop. YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

 

I'm super happy, thanks Randy!

[RandyL]

Yes Kitten. Get your security turned back on. I'm sure glad it's working for you again. Two months is a long time to wait. Happy day.

[KenB]

Nice one Randy - most of us would have missed that one :)

[RandyL]

Thanks Ken. I was awake that day.

[KittenSize]

Nice one Randy - most of us would have missed that one :)

 

I know, none of my friends thought of it and even Orange didn't think of it and yet I can't be the only Orange custumer this has happened to, hence it really was a brilliant thought Randy had.

 

My PC works, I am so happy. All hail the Genius!