Internet Problems

[DimHalo]

I've been having trouble with my internet lately and I can't figure out if it is my router, my modem, or my browser. I know it isn't the computer because both computers are doing the same thing.

I'm using Firefox and I have cable internet. Everytime I try to open a browser window it gives me an error for the home page. Then when I click on the bookmark tabs it takes a few tries before the page will actually load. I keep getting "Server not Found"

Anyone got any ideas?

I've tried power cycling the router and modem.

[Krypton]

same thing happened to me, but all I did was get a new browser, at the time I was using IE and then upgraded to FireFox.

[Dyne]

Hmm, what's the homepage?

[Happydude]

hmmm, well the only thing i can think of that might be causing the problem is time-out...as in the browser has a default time-out setting and when the website can't be reached in that time limit it just tells you server not found.

you could try changing the settings...wherever they are.

or the next option would be a different browser.

if neither of those work, then i got no clue.

[Null]

my friend once had a virus/spyware that blocked out half his webpages. (which can multiply on differernt computers thro the network) if theres a browser like opera that you havnt already downloaded, then try it to see if it does it.

[Jason1]

While we are on topic, ive been having a little router problem of my own. When I try to click an online video link(especially one that uses Windows Media Player), my router will often shut down or whatever, forcing me to power cycle it. It only happens when it tries to load a streaming video, normal internet browsing is fine. I have contacted linksys, they have told me to change some DNS number garbage in the settings, this hasnt worked. Any ideas? Oh and im using IE.

[MuGen]

I don't know of any programs or internet activity that could possible overload your router causing it to shut down. But I'd say you have some sort of parasite in your computer.

For the initial problem at hand, it could be Spyware/Adware because it hijacks the algorithms in your browser to either log keystrokes or activity so you may want to run a sweep on that.

And if it were a Time out problem Firefox usually gives a 'Connection timed out'

[DimHalo]

I'm thinking now that it might have something to do with a firewall. I tried to play spades (the online version that comes with Windows) and it is saying that there is a firewall blocking it. I never had any trouble on other modems so it must be this modem. Any idea how I can change that?

PS: the home page on the desktop is Google Customized and the homepage on the laptop is Yahoo customized.

[MuGen]

if you have any kind of personal firewall that could be it too. Otherwise your router may have come built in with a firewall.

[GameMaster]

Don't all routers have built-in firewall?

[DimHalo]

Well I don't think it is the router specifically because I've been using it for many months and never had this sort of problem. In fact, when I was using at my mom's house a few days ago it was fine. But I come back to my apt and my new internet it gives me all these alerts.

I ran Spybot and Adaware and they didn't fix the problem.

[KillerGremlin]

I hate to say this, but go find your most network-savvy friend and have him come to your place and check out your stuff. There's a bajillion variables that could alter your internet connection, and if one minuet detail is tweaked, the whole connection could be thrown off. Don’t call any tech support though.

[DimHalo]

Well, unfortunately I am in a new city so I don't have many friends especially who have network knowledge. I talked to tech support online but they told me I needed to call the router company. I really don't want to.

[DimHalo]

sorry for the double post but ... yeah

Anyway, I called tech support for my router and first of all (no offense if anyone here works for them) but the guys are Netgear are jerks.

They won't help me because it has been 6 months since I bought the router. Now I don't know what to do but it is really pissing me off.

[MuGen]

if you brought it to your moms and used it there it may have adopted new Subnets and Gateways.... What OS are you on?

What you need to do is go into the router usually

http://192.168.1.1 or around there...

Use the default user and pass the router has which would probably be in the books and see what its calling. You may have to go into Windows network configs and release those settings and renew the ip's.

[DimHalo]

oh boy, i remember doing that when I first got it ... but i'm not sure I remember how to do it

[MuGen]

you best remember or refer to manuals. :D

[MrCoffee]

err yeah so my ISP is a wh*re and should burn...but i have an insanely good computer, and yet my ping is up in the 170's when i play a game of cs, why? because my ISP is to much of a bad thing...i called them and told them their modem is screwing me over and they said they have no PROOF that it is...screw'd while telling me that they are slowly phasing out my modem (which is almost 4 years old) because of a number of unspecified problems...

Ignore that, just saying, try hooking up directly through your modem and see if its better, if not then it could be your router =P

-GreetzCoffee