internet problems

[TEAK36]

my internet disconnect me after about 5 minutes, but my email and p2p downloads continue to work as normal.

Any help would be most appreciated.

[ChuckFickens]

your internet isn't disconnecting then

what makes you think it is?

[Buenchico]

Aaagh! Yet another DNS problem! (There have been loads of them lately).

Your internet connection appears to drop because your web browser can't receive data through your ISP's DNS (domain name server). email and P2P services are independent of the DNS so they remain normal. (Loads of people, including myself, have experienced problems with DNS 'lock ups' lately).

Disconnect from the internet and go into your internet connection settings. Look for 'TCP/IP Settings' (It should be within 'Networking'). Click to place a dot alongside 'Specify name server addresses'. Enter these numbers alongside 'Primary DNS':
208.67.220.220
Enter these numbers alongside 'Seconday DNS':
208.67.222.222
Leave the other lines unchanged.
Click 'OK' twice.

Reconnect to the internet and everything should be OK.

Chris

[ChuckFickens]

errrr... email doesn't normally operate independent of DNS.

unless the OP happens to be getting their email using an IP address rather then a server name then I doubt it is a DNS issue.

if you put the server name in outlook of (for example) mail.btconnect.com then DNS is used to resolve that mailserver name to an IP address.

TEAK, if you think your internet has disconnected when viewing a web page then try another page as it's a good chance it's just the site your viewing.

[TEAK36]

Hi CF, sorry my question was a bit vague, i wanted to make sure i was able to send my message before i had problems again.
I typed this message into notepad before pasting it into answerbank because i just knew i would not have the time
before the problem ocurre again.

When i am surfing the web it semms to be ok for about 5 minutes, but when i refresh a page of type in a different address,
i get the usual page not found message. I know that my connection is ok because my downloads and email are still working.I
have also contacted my ISP who confirmed my connection was good, and they even got me torun a oing for 20
minutes, which confirmed everything was ok.I thought it might be an internet explorer problem, but i have got firefox
as well and get the same problem. i have checked my internet settings and all looks ok, but i am no exert on these things.

Any ideas what the problem might be?

[ChuckFickens]

by all means try setting the DNS as outlined by Chris above and I hope that solves your problem, it certainly won't make things worse and may improve the time it takes to first load a page (when it is working!)

an easy way to check if it is DNS is next time it stops working click on start and the run, type cmd into the run box and hit enter

Then in the black window type "ping www.google.com"

if the next few lines that appear say reply at all then it's not DNS

if it says something like unable to resolve or locate the host then you do have a DNS problem.

[TEAK36]

I must be doing something wrong here. i followed Chris' instructions (i think). I went into my connections and
the TCP/IP setting and both my ip and DNS addresses are obtained automatically, and they have always been this way.
I tried entering the 2 IP addresses Chris mentioned, but I still get the same page not found error.

[TEAK36]

Hi CF, I tried the ping again and it was ok, so it does not seem to be a DNS problem.

I am completely stumped as I cannot see anything in any settings that ae not normally there.

My son messed around with my laptop and somehow managed to uninstall my zone alarm, but I cant imagine this would have anything to do with my problems.

Yours and Chris' help is most appreciated.

[Buenchico]

Now you're really getting me confused.

A further DNS test (when you can't access any web pages) is to enter 91.186.31.12 (instead of a 'www' URL) into your browser's address bar. That bypasses the DNS and routes your request directly to AB's home page. If you can see that, it's definitely a DNS problem.

The DNS details I gave you are for a public DNS, which anyone can use. If that doesn't work, try my original suggestion again but using the DNS details for your own ISP. You can find these on the support pages of your ISP's website but it might be quicker to look here
http://www.kitz.co.uk/isp/dns.htm
or here
http://www.idl.uk.com/email/isp_settings.htm

If entering 91.186.31.12 into the address bar doesn't take you to AB's web page, then your firewall would seem to be the most likely cause of the problem. You state that Zone Alarm was uninstalled but you've not said whether it (or another firewall) is currently running. (If you've got any 3rd party firewall running, it's important to ensure that the Windows firewall is disabled). Go into the Task Manager and close any active firewall, together with anything else which you don't currently require, and try again.

Chris

[TEAK36]

Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Chris, you are a true superstar, I have now been surfing for about 25 minutes without any problems. I tried entering 91.186.31.12 into my browser, but I just got a message saying the address was invalid. I then entered my ISP DNS as shown on your excellent link, and since I have rebooted everything has been fine. I have definately never had any DNS addresses enetered in the 7 years I have been with my ISP, so I am a little bemused as to why I needed to enter them this time, but I dont care as I am chuffed to bits that it does work.

Many thank for your help, it is most appreciated.