IE won't connect

I've got a machine with an internal Qwest Intel Pro 2200 DSL modem. It's a dialup type DSL modem.

The modem diagnostics indicate that the machine initializes the modem and connects to the DSL line and the ISP OK.

However, after connecting to the ISP, IE and Opera time out when trying to surf any web site.

I can ping 127.0.0.1 but I can't ping anything else. I can't "tracert" any sites either. When I run the tracert command I don't even get the DNS resolution, it just sits there with the blinking underscore.

Any suggestions of what to try or what might be the problem?

Running WindowsME on this machine and I've scanned for viruses and spyware.

Are you running a firewall and, if so, is it McAfee's? McAfee has been having problems with its firewall exactly like what you are describing.

Thanks Miz, but there's no firewall on this machine. At least not yet.

Did it ever work? If not, call the ISP and have them go through with you whatever troubleshooting steps they do.

If it did work at one time, the first thing to try is to run LSPFix to see if repairing changes made to winsock by spyware is the culprit. It's a small file that will fit on a floppy. Copy it from the floppy to the affected computer; don't run it from the floppy.

Miz, after some more research, I'm also beginning to think it's a winsock problem.

I d/l'ed a winME winsock fix but I'll also grab that LSPFix file you've linked.

However, I ran SpyBotS&D but didn't find any spyware except for some benign tracking cookies. "Hitbox" etc. So it doesn't look like any winsock corruption resulted from uninstalling any spyware.

"Did it ever work?"

LOL, well that's the story I'm getting from the owner and his secretary. I was asked to install a wireless network and the first thing I did was to try to connect the main machine to the internet. Had to try about 10 times before success, after that it was no go.

So basically, according to the owner, it worked until I sat down in front of it.

Going to try pinging some IP's instead of domain names tonight and go from there.

Just got back from the problem machine.

Because I'm not getting any DNS resolution when I ping a domain name, I tried pinging msn's IP and google's IP without any luck, which made me believe it's not a winsock problem. Tried the winsock fix anyway. No joy.

Next step is to call Qwest for a little support. Find out if they can see the machine connecting. I might get a clue from that.

A little more info on this problem:

To eliminate the Qwest/MSN ISP, I tried connecting with the dialup AOL installed on this machine. So:

Switched ISP's

Switched modems.

Same problem remains. I can connect with the ISP but I can't get anywhere on the net. The reason I know I'm connecting to the ISP is that I can do certain things on AOL. I can recieve email and AIM works for incoming. (don't know about outgoing yet)

However, no IE or Opera page loads, they time out. Also can't ping or tracert anything except 127.0.0.1. A ping or tracert of anything else takes a long time to time out probably because it never gets the initial DNS resolution.

I'm guessing this has something to do with DNS resolution.

I've tried:

Switching ISP's and modems

Uninstalling/Reinstalling TCP/IP

Running a Winsock fix

LSPFix

Uninstalling/Reinstalling DUN

And a DNS fix prog from the web.

So far nothing's worked or done any harm.

Any suggestions?

Hi, I wonder if the host file is corrupt might be worth a check do a search for hosts and open in notepad.

My guess is the same as Jenae. I heard a similar case with a friend of a friend who said he got a virus and can't do much with his internet connection. I'm interested to hear how you solve this to see if the friend X2 can solve the problem in the same way.

jenae and usil, the HOSTS file exists but is completley empty.

Plus, even when using the IP address instead of the domain name I still can't ping or surf with a browser.

Have you scanned for viruses?

Yep, I've scanned for viruses and have run SpyBotS&D. Neither one showed any problems.

Hi, this is what an empty Host file should look like:-

# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host

127.0.0.1 localhost


If you maximise the screen(notepad) you may discover other entry's at the bottom. These entry's should be removed. I was concerned when you said it was completly empty.

jenae, thanks for the help, I'm stumped so far.

That's what the "hosts.sam" looks like on this machine but the "hosts" file is completely empty. Absolutely nothing in there.

I ran across this site and followed the instructions to remove "communications" and WinSock from the machine and reinstall.
No joy:

http://support.earthlink.net/mu/1/ps.../5289.psc.html

Hi at this stage I would delete all connections and reinstall ME over the top. Then make new connections. Hosts is essential for internet connection and if yours is empty then after trying what that link suggested ( I thought that should have worked) then I hope a reinstall fixes it . Your host file should have the common OS release date (like for 2k 12/7/99 ) . Your sam hosts should not look like your hosts file. I am sorry I ran away from ME when I first saw it and it is not an OS in my expertise. I now wonder how corrupt the OS is. We need the ME boys on this one NIX et al... where are you. In addition have you thought of reverting to an earlier version of IE ( again I do not know what this is in ME) but should be accessible from add/ remove. I would love to see this one resolved.

Have you tried reinstalling tcp/ip?

Hi, Usil that was in the link that DVOM 's last post suggested , like I said I thought it might work.

Oops, didn't open the link.
I think it has to do with all the viruses that are going around recently, as DVOM is not the only one on the forums that has this problem. I'm stumped!

Finally got back the the problem machine.

Found that "ipconfig" shows the IP and Default Gateway as the same. That's true for both AOL and NetZero. That's not going to get me anywhere on the internet.

With AOL it's showing the DHCP server as 255.255.255.255
And NetZero is showing the DHCP server as 255.0.0.0

This is on a line where my other machine doesn't have any problems.

Any possible solutions? TIA

I got one more chance... :)

Try deleting "127.0.0.1 localhost" in your host file.
A colleague of mine had the same problem, I deleted that in her host file and it worked. She could not surf on the web, but was connected to the internet. If you have the same problem, try it.

I had exactly the same thing happen to me about an hour ago. All of a sudden I couldn't get to any web sites. After checking anything and everything that could be blocking my attempts to use the internet, I just re-booted and now everthing is normal. Have you tried re-booting?

usil, originally the "HOSTS" file was completely empty so I don't think that's the problem.

DuaneB, yep the machines been rebooted several times in the last week.

I tried NetZero on my personal machine and found out the the IP and default gateway being the same is normal. I also found out by using the "pause" key with ipconfig that the problem machine is in fact getting DNS servers assigned.

So I'm out of ideas and short on time so I'm going to try reinstalling ME over itself (if that's possible) and if that doesn't work I'll put w2k on it.

Do you have a good System Restore point that you can try?

DuaneB, there weren't any good restore points when I started working on this machine.

w00t!! Installing ME over itself fixed it.

Now I can get on to what I was originally going to do, install a wireless network.