Computer Hope

Microsoft => Microsoft Windows => Windows XP => Topic started by: pleh4help on October 01, 2008, 03:30:09 AM

Title: Can ping & browse by IP, can't ping or browse by URL
Post by: pleh4help on October 01, 2008, 03:30:09 AM
Hello,
one of my friend has had this tough little problem for close to a week now, the title sums it up.
OutlookExpress cannot find servers (I haven't tried but suspect replacing servers name by ip would fix it temporarly
He's running XP pro sp2* standalone on a cable modem, the ISP use dynamic IP & DNS, the only connection listed is LAN

I have already spent close to 2 hours on the phone trying to help fixing it, & I am pretty much out of ideas
Here's what I've tried already:

Firefox

IE7 without addons

(regular) IE7 reset advanced settings

Was running no proxy, so tried auto detect

Safe mode w/networking

Msconfig: disable all non-MS services & startups

Netsh winsock reset catalog

Ipconfig /flushdns

Tried disabling avast a/v; could not because of a password request, resolved to uninstall avast

SFC /scannow

Compared all properties of TCP/IP to my working computer

Tried OpenDNS instead of default blanks

Disable/enable LAN

Repair connection (XP report all's fine)

Disable/enable network card tru device mgr

Tried to use System Restore, but it was turned off...;o(

Used Spybot LSP tool to compare with my comp; only difference found: he's got an extra NS PROVIDER line about Bonjour service (Apple Ipod related)

I am now at the point where I will ask him to bring the computer over to me
Any ideas welcome

XP pro sp2*: windows update downloaded sp3, but failed to install successfully days prior to the URL problem
Title: Re: Can ping & browse by IP, can't ping or browse by URL
Post by: jamesj2001 on October 01, 2008, 09:29:43 AM
Is the DNS set to static or automatic?
Title: Re: Can ping & browse by IP, can't ping or browse by URL
Post by: Graymatter on October 01, 2008, 03:59:09 PM
Looks to me as if the Domain Name Server used by your ISP is not resolving the URLs. This would explain why you are able to browse by ip address but not by URL. I know 3 different causes for this situation, all of which have happened to me in the past:

1) The ISP has changed the DNS address without telling you.

2) Your settings for DNS have been lost for some reason. This happened to me with a Netgear router once.

3) Your ISP's DNS servers are down. A little unlikely if this has been happening for more than a few days.


A call to the ISP should confirm the addresses for the DNS and they can probably confirm whether option 1 or 3 has happened. For option 2 you need to find where the DNS server settings are held for your particular setup.

Hope this helps a little.


Graymatter
Title: Re: Can ping & browse by IP, can't ping or browse by URL
Post by: pleh4help on October 01, 2008, 05:25:23 PM
Hi,
my friend's ISP is the same as my ISP, & I happen to work for the ISP; nothing whatsoever happens on our side with DNS (trust me, I would know, being in tech support dept), & the ISP we both use is using automatic IP & DNS.
Also, my friend's pc is standalone, no router
My TCP/IP is set for auto dns as well as him; I had him try manual with OpenDNS just for the sake of it
On my pc, both automatic & manual (OpenDNS) works fine

I have nothing suggesting a problem on the ISP side at this point
 ???
Title: Re: Can ping & browse by IP, can't ping or browse by URL
Post by: Graymatter on October 01, 2008, 06:24:16 PM
Ok, it looks like you have all the bases covered there.

I have done a couple of google searches on this topic and a common thread seems to suggest that you may have a Winsock corruption.  Have a look at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811259 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811259) and see if that helps at all.

Graymatter
Title: Re: Can ping & browse by IP, can't ping or browse by URL
Post by: pleh4help on October 02, 2008, 04:03:37 AM
Ok, it looks like you have all the bases covered there.

I have done a couple of google searches on this topic and a common thread seems to suggest that you may have a Winsock corruption.  Have a look at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811259 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811259) and see if that helps at all.

Graymatter

That looks very promising, I am getting the computer later today to bring over to my place
Will keep you posted
Thanks !
Title: Re: Can ping & browse by IP, can't ping or browse by URL
Post by: pleh4help on October 06, 2008, 04:11:21 PM
No joy...
I have tried other steps afterward, to no avail

The OS is being reinstalled as we speak

Tks anyway for posting the KB

Later
p4h
Title: Re: Can ping & browse by IP, can't ping or browse by URL
Post by: Siscorskiy on October 06, 2008, 04:24:55 PM
No joy...
I have tried other steps afterward, to no avail

The OS is being reinstalled as we speak

Tks anyway for posting the KB

Later
p4h


shame is has to come down to that  :'(