I can log onto my internet account, and get my e-mail, but I can’t surf. No matter what URL I type in, I come up with one of those error pages that tells me to make sure my settings are the same as my LAN’s. I don’t even really knwo what that means. My husband says he had the same problem, and after he logged on and off a few times, it started working again. What’s the problem? Is it my internet service provider, or is it in my computer? I’m using Internet Explorer.
possibly your dns numbers have been erased from your dialup networking connection (which are needed to surf). or maybe something has been done to your network tcp/ip settings (that network icon in the control panel). everything should be disabled there if you’re not on a lan.
also, if you go to your internet icon in the control panel (it’ll either say internet or internet options), there is an option in there that you can check or uncheck, and it regards a proxy server. once again, if you’re not on a lan, it should be unchecked.
but if you’re not sure what you’re doing or what i’m talking about, then this should be attempted with the help of a technical support representative from your isp via the telephone.
Lissa, I get this problem regularly with one of my ISPs.
I currently use three ISPs: one flat-fee deal from a cable company and two “free” ISPs (which I use to upload my website).
When I try to open a webpage from IE5, I get the same error as you did. I have no idea why. Cable London have no idea why. Microsoft might, but seem to want me to jump through hoops to reach their (US-based) tech support staff.
The only solutions I’ve found are as follows:
First of all, I set one of my other ISPs to be my default connection (using the menus in IE5). I unchecked all of the checked boxes for that connection in the “Advanced” and “Properties” options, hit “OK”, then went back in and re-checked them all. After closing down IE5 and re-opening it, for some reason I was then able to connect. I have no idea why this worked, but it did.
After a few months, even that stopped working. Rather angry, I ended up deleting IE and reinstalling it from scratch. No problems at all since.
If you can’t reinstall IE, it might be worth trying an alternative browser - I found that by using Netscape, Lynx (fiddly but fast text-only browser) or NeoPlanet (flashy IE clone) I avoided a lot of problems.
ISPs regulary update their equipment. That’s what happens, also sometimes things with the ISP get bleeped & they need time to fix it. The best things to do is call them or put a second free ISP on, like freeinet.com or something…then you can surf with one if not the other.