Browser connection timing out; possibly DNS related issue

[Jerry_03]

Hi, I've been having an internet connection problem.

First though, My Computer Specs:
-Gateway 510 Series
-WinXP SP1
-Pen 4 2.80Ghz
-512mb RAM
-NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200
-Adware/Spyware/Virus Protection used regularly are Ad-aware, Spyware Doctor, AVG, NOD32 and COMDO Firewall Pro
-Cable Modem: Scientific Atlanta Webstar DPC2100 Series

I am able to browse websites for the first couple of minutes I turn on my computer and the browser.  Then after a x amount of time I get the "Problem loading page" error. the times varies, but usually within 10 minutes of when i turn on my computer, which is why I believe it is a DNS timing out issue.

the only way to browse the net again is to restart, but the cycle repeats and after a x amount of time it times out again. sometimes i dont have to restart my computer but close firefox and wait a coupleseconds then open it up again. but then the timing out cycle continues.

I'm sure its not Firefox as i've tried reinstalling it and this happens in IE as well.

Furthermore some programs and some games can connect to the internet like battlefield 1942, World in Conflict and instant messagers.  While others can't like, Steam (Half-Life 2) and Battlefield 2.  I'm guessing the programs that i cant get online with uses the DNS servers.

I've had this problem before but never fixed it and just lived with it. then my old hard drive crashed back in July and i got this new one with a clean install of windows and i didnt have this problem, til a couple weeks ago.

I'm pretty sure it aint my cable modem or net connection per se, just the DNS servers. I've disabled my firewall and it still happens. I've scanned for viruses and i dont have any. I tried my ISP tech support but they were no help. I've tried different DNS servers, using OpenDNS, but that didnt work either.

I dont know what else to do to try and fix this, any help would be appreciated. thanks in advance.

[dairyman]

Go to Start > Control Panel > Network and Internet Connections > Network Connections. Right click on the connection with the problem and click on Properties.

On the "General" tab, click on "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" and click on Properties.
Click on "Optain the IP address automatically".
Click on "Obtain DNS server address automatically".

Click OK, and click OK again.

Any change?

[viking]

It seems to be a virus/spyware problem. They could appear even if you are up to date with antivirus-antispyware virus.
But  I think that your cable modem could have something to do with. To check your cable modem please try with an alternative operating system, like Knoppix or Ubuntu (Linux run from cd). Browse for "a while" (one-two-several hours) on the internet with Knoppix or Ubuntu and see if the problem reappears. If it does than it may be a computer hardware problem, a modem's problem (also at your ISP it might be something out of order). If the problem does not appear than it is clear: your Windows is compromised.
To check if it is a computer hardware problem you have to check the network cable between your computer and modem. Another test would be to bring at your home a laptop, try to do the same operations from laptop and see if the problem occurs again (this last test skips the necessity of an alternative operating system and in fact it's a better test).

[Jerry_03]

Go to Start > Control Panel > Network and Internet Connections > Network Connections. Right click on the connection with the problem and click on Properties.

On the "General" tab, click on "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" and click on Properties.
Click on "Optain the IP address automatically".
Click on "Obtain DNS server address automatically".

Click OK, and click OK again.

Any change?

it is and always has been set to "Optain the IP address automatically".
and "Obtain DNS server address automatically".

It seems to be a virus/spyware problem. They could appear even if you are up to date with antivirus-antispyware virus.
But  I think that your cable modem could have something to do with. To check your cable modem please try with an alternative operating system, like Knoppix or Ubuntu (Linux run from cd). Browse for "a while" (one-two-several hours) on the internet with Knoppix or Ubuntu and see if the problem reappears. If it does than it may be a computer hardware problem, a modem's problem (also at your ISP it might be something out of order). If the problem does not appear than it is clear: your Windows is compromised.
To check if it is a computer hardware problem you have to check the network cable between your computer and modem. Another test would be to bring at your home a laptop, try to do the same operations from laptop and see if the problem occurs again (this last test skips the necessity of an alternative operating system and in fact it's a better test).

im pretty sure it aint a virus or spyware as ive had this hard drive only for 2 months and ive runned AV/Spyware scans everyday this week and came up with nothing.

ill try operating the cable modem under another operating system. and ill check for hardware problems, but i just got this cable modem back in July.

[dairyman]

Set the Firefox timeout limit:

Type "about:config" in the FF-address-bar.
Filter on "timeout".
There you'll find values for "network.http.keep-alive.timeout",
2network.proxy.failover_timeout", and so on.
Doubleclick a value and set it higher.

[Jerry_03]

ill try that, but i doubt it would work cause i get this in IE too. my only lead is that its a DNS timeout issue, ill try to contact my ISP about it.

[Jerry_03]

i just contacted my ISP and like i said they were no help...

[dairyman]

Take a look at this article:
Changing the DNS query timeout in Windows XP

Just don't go crazy with REGEDIT. The registry contains important information for Windows to run properly. Make sure you backup the registry first.

[viking]

Take a look at this article:
Changing the DNS query timeout in Windows XP

Just don't go crazy with REGEDIT. The registry contains important information for Windows to run properly. Make sure you backup the registry first.

Useless action if the DNS resolver has a bigger refresh period.

[Broni]

How are you doing with Windows updates, and security check? What security programs did you run recently?

[Jerry_03]

ill take a look at that article dairyman, thanks.

all of windows updates are up to date except for SP2. ive held back on installing it cause last time i did it caused more problems with my internet connection and i had to reformat.

The security programs ive ran recently are Ad-aware, AVG and CCleaner.

ive also posted about my connection problem on a few other forums; so far the problem could be any one of these:

-AV/Security Programs running in the background cutting the connection (i doubt it cause in task manager none of them are running)

-Virus/Trojan or Spyware (doubt it because ive been running scans all week and ive had the HD for only 2 months)

-Bad Network Card

-Bad Modem (doubt it as ive just got this in July) but ill try running it on a different computer and operating system

im also gonna run traceroutes, pings and nslookup when the net is working and when its down to make sure it is in fact a DNS issue and not something else. and ill also try a system restore.

[dairyman]

-Bad Network Card

-Bad Modem (doubt it as ive just got this in July) but ill try running it on a different computer and operating system

These could be causing the problem. I would replace these items and try to connect to the internet again.

all of windows updates are up to date except for SP2. ive held back on installing it cause last time i did it caused more problems with my internet connection and i had to reformat.

When you installed Windows XP Service Pack 2, did you turn off your antivirus and antispyware software?

SP2 contains many security updates. Ever received a message from the Messenger Service? Well SP2 will turn it off for you.

[Jerry_03]

im gonna try using a different network card later this week, and ill see if ill be able to replace the modem this weekend.

i havent installed SP2 since the reformat. but when i did install it i dont think i disabled my AV/spyware programs....maybe thats what caused it to mess up 

[Jerry_03]

i ran the traceroutes and it works both when the browser connection is on and when its not on. the pinging also works when the connection is on and not on, with 0% packet loss. i also tried nslookup and it also works when the connection is on and not on.

however when i input the ip address in the browser when the connection is down it still cant connect to the webpage, so it might not be a DNS issue after all...

[Jerry_03]

i just tried system restore, restoring it to a point prior to having this problem and it didnt work either.

my next option is it might be the hardware, NIC or modem.

however i forgot to mention that my modem is connected via USB, so it is in fact not connected to a NIC but to the mobo through a USB port. ive tried connecting it using Ethernet but thats a whole other problem. when i do that in my local area connection under network connections, the status of it all says <invalid> (status as in ip, subnet mask, default gateway, ect). my modem was connected via ethernet at one time a while ago (talking 2003, 2004). but i changed it to usb when my comp crashed and i started getting the <invalid> thingy.

but still ill put in my spare NIC and try connecting it that way. now assuming i still dont get the <invalid>, ill see if my browser's connection doesn't time out.

[Jerry_03]

im using my spare ethernet card now but im still getting the DNS error. at this point i dont know what else to do, theres a small chance it might be the cable modem so ill see about getting a new one from my ISP.

[dairyman]

Click on Start, Run and type in cmd.
At the command prompt, type in:

ipconfig /flushdns

...and press Enter.

Type exit and see if it works now.

[Jerry_03]

doesnt work.

[Jerry_03]

Well i finally "fixed" it. not exactly a fix but more of a trick. i installed Microsoft's .NET framework 1.1 which creates a login prompt at the login screen instead of automatically logging you in. here i just wait for about 10 minutes and after i log in there are no connection errors. even the programs that never used to work now can access the internet without a problem like BF2 and Steam.

so thanks to all who replied and tried to help me fix this problem.