Connecting to the Internet problem

Factual Questions
1

Win 98SE
Intel hardware 56k modem
Mozilla 1.7
IE 6.0

I can connect to my ISP via dial-up but that’s it. I can’t access web pages or get email via my browser. Mozilla (default) and IE both report that no web sites can be found. Also ICQ can’t connect.

I’ve talked to tech support of the ISP and they weren’t any help.

Why can I connect to the server but not the internet? I’ve checked all the settings in Mozilla and IE and nothing has changed since the last time I connected with no problems.

2

Firstly I’m assuming you’ve done a full spyware check with Adaware, Spybot etc?

Just to check whether you really cannot connect to anything:

Go to Start - Run - ‘cmd’

Type “ping 216.239.36.10” - that tests the connection, by making contact with a Google server. If you get replies, then you’re connected to the internet. If you get timeouts, then the problem is definitely localised.

Try that, and report back…

3

Pinging (DOS) the IP you posted shows that I am connecting. However, neither browser will connect.

4

try “ping www.google.com”

If you can ping it by number but not by name then the problem is with your name resolver (DNS). This could be an incorrect setting in your network properties, but more likely it’s that some bit of spyware/malware has hijacked your DNS services.

5

I ran Ad Aware and Search and Destroy. Neither came up with any spyware.

I tried to ping www.google.com and it came back “Unknown”. So I assume the problem is in my DNS. Any idea how to fix this short of reformating and reinstalling the OS? Thanks.

6

Go to control panel -> network and click on your TCP/IP properties. Click on the tab for DNS settings. If DNS is disabled, enable it, put in your computer name for the host name, and put in the IP addresses of the DNS servers your ISP wants you to use (this will usually be either in the paperwork they gave you when you signed up, or on the tech support section of their home page).

If you do have DNS enabled, check with your ISP that you have the correct DNS servers listed.

While you are at it, search your drive for a file called “hosts”. I don’t recall exactly where windows 98 sticks it, possibly in a couple of places (one of them likely a directory called “etc”). Most people don’t have any real use for a hosts file. Get rid of it.