PC can't connect to Internet

[kaphc]

Hi

 

Have a very strange problem with an ASUS EEETop PC which connects wirelessly to the network. The rest of the network connections are fine - it can print, access files etc. However, ever since I upgraded the browser from IE6 to IE8, it won't connect to the Internet. I just get the classic white screen saying cannot connect.

 

I've tried installing Google Chrome as well, that won't connect either and brings up a message saying it can't reach the proxy server. Now, we have just changed over the proxy server in the East Midlands, but the settings are correct with the new details and the all the other PCs in the building work fine - including an identical machine next to it.

 

I've uninstalled and resintalled IE8 again just to make sure, and have even downloaded it via Microsoft's website to make sure that we have a proper version.

 

I cannot for the life of me work out where I can go on this one and what else I can try! Any suggestions?

[chazzy2501]

checked proxy settings and dns settings?

[cpjitservices]

Is "Automatically detect setting" unticked ?

[kaphc]

The proxy settings are definitely there - they are pulled through from Group Policy. I'll double check the Automatically Detect Settings box when I'm next at that PC.

 

DNS and me are not good friends ... it's probably the area of network admin I understand the least. I know it shows up in the ipconfig /all command, but no idea how to verify whether it's correct or not.

[kaphc]

Ok, this is starting to drive me mad!

 

Have checked the Automatically Detect Settings box and that is unticked.

 

I ran ipconfig /all on both PCs - the one that works and the one that doesn't. The only difference was that the Node Type on the PC that can't access the internet was set to broadcast and the Node Type on the one that can was set to unknown. The DNS settings were exactly the same.

 

I've tried renaming the non-working PC so that it's back to the old name it had on the network when it worked, which is a shot in the dark, but that had no effect.

[chazzy2501]

if you ping "google.co.uk" do you get an ip address? (if you do the DNS is ok) does it ping? if it pings then its a browser setting issue (possible virus). if it doesn't ping then try pinging your gateway then your proxy servers.

 

Also is ipconfig is showing the correct gateway and dns servers?

[bicky]

what results do you get when you

PING 8.8.8.8

 

8.8.8.8 is google's public dns.

 

Can you also paste the results of IPCONFIG /ALL please.

[twin--turbo]

what's the default gateway showing as for the PC.

 

Rob

[kaphc]

Thanks, I'll run these diagnostics when I'm next at the PC - won't be on site till next Wednesday so if I'm quiet I'm not ignoring all the good advice on here!

[kaphc]

pc in class 1.bmp

pc in class 1.bmp

 

These are the screenshots from ipconfig /all (taken last Wednesday which is why the dates on the DHCP lease are last week) and the proxy settings. Am about to work through the suggestions.

[kaphc]

 

Ok, google.co.uk resolves to an ip address when I ping it, then times out as per the screen shot. Pinging 8.8.8.8 times out completely, but then it does on the identical PC next to it as well. Pinging the proxy server (webshield.embc.uk.com) times out on both the working and non-working PC as well.

 

I can ping both the default gateway (10.6.75.1) and the DNS server (10.6.75.11). So it seems to me that the network infrastructure is working OK and it's starting to look like something with the browser? I know it worked fine on IE6, but I wanted to get everything onto IE8 at least (which I know is out of date even now but better than IE6!). Even uninstalling IE8 and resintalling doesn't work, and neither does trying Google Chrome.

 

I wonder if it's some kind of underlying registry setting that's snarled up in the upgrade from IE 6 to IE8.

Edited November 28, 2012 by kaphc

[bicky]

Disable the wireless connection and try using your network card "JMicron PCI Express..." to connect to the router via Ethernet cable. Make sure this network card has TCP/IP properties to "obtain IP address automatically" and "obtain DNS server addres automatically"

 

Can you now ping 8.8.8.8 or google.co.uk ?

[kaphc]

Interesting - even on the wired network, I get time outs when I ping google.co.uk or 8.8.8.8

 

[twin--turbo]

ICMP will probably be blocked by your firewall.

 

Rob

[twin--turbo]

try firefox

[bicky]

can you disable the "Firewall State:" of Domain Profile, Private Profile, Public Profie.

http://www.askthecomputertech.com/images/windows-7-firewall-with-advanced-security.jpg

 

then ping 10.6.75.1 and 8.8.8.8

[kaphc]

I'll give it a go when I'm in front of that machine on Wednesday.

 

Been having a good long hard think about this one over the weekend (as you do lol!) and am thinking if I can't get this working pretty fast, I am going to reimage the PC from the one next to it that IS working. It's in a primary school where I only go 3 hours each week, so time is of the essence is getting this resolved.

[kaphc]

Well just to round this thread off I cloned the working PC yesterday and re-imaged the non-working PC. It worked on the internet fine. I am convinced that something screwed up in the registry or some obscure settings box when I upgraded from IE6 to IE8 but I will never know what.

 

Thanks to all who suggested diagnostics to try and pinpoint the problem - at any rate I've learned a bit more about DNS and what things to try if it happens again.

 

It was in a Reception classroom and the teacher was so pleased she gave me a sticker :-) Gotta love my job!

Edited December 6, 2012 by kaphc
sticker anecdote!

[mac_shinobi]

1. Reset the hosts file back to default ( hosts file afaik over rides DNS Settings ) --> How to Reset Hosts File to Default in Windows XP, Vista and 7? - Tweaking with Vishal

 

2. Reset Winsocks ( Windows Sockets ) to defaults which you can do using the Netsh command(s) -->Reset Winsock

 

Repair/Reset Winsock settings

 

3. Reset TCP/IP Stack --> How to reset Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

 

4. Update the network card driver for the relevant network adapter in question.

 

NOTE -- This can be done in any order and I am not saying do the items in the order I have posted them in. I know you have re imaged the pc already but just thought it may come in handy.

 

Also if none of the above resolves it then re imaging is generally the quicker option and easier.

[kaphc]

Will bear these in mind for the future, yeah it will always bug me that I never got to the bottom of this and if I encounter the problem another time, I'll check back for these resets.