boom29

I'm not really sure what the problem is, so I was just hoping somebody can point me in the right direction. Is this a possible denial of service attack?

When I try to access the internet on my computer, I keep getting the "page cannot be displayed" message. Now, on the other computer in my house, I do not have such a problem which tells me its not the connection. At times I can browse through 2 to 3 pages, but then the "page cannot be displayed" message appears if I try to keep browsing. I use a bittorrent client to download, however it is only recently that this has started to happen. It seems that I only receive about 1/4th of the packets that I send out. Nothing else is out of the ordinary, no pop-ups, no extra programs, no hijacks; my computer runs smoothly, I just cannot seem to be able to access the internet. Also, I do not currently have any virus protection/firewall otherwise I would run their diagnostics.

The problem is somewhat hard to explain, but if you have any ideas as to what it could be it would be greatly appreciated.

cyrnel

What's your net topology? Have you tried power-cycling the cable/dsl modem? Bt and other p2p thoroughly exercise everything connected. Many consumer routers run out of memory & behave in a brownian fashion.

__________________
There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

boom29

Net topology? Hmm...not sure what that means. But I'll definately try to power-cycle the dsl modem. Now, how would I go about doing that? I guess the weird thing is that both computers are connected to the same router, and only the one that uses Bt behaves this way. However, if the router runs out of memory shouldn't it hinder both computers' ability to connect to the internet. Thanks for your help.

cyrnel

Topology == layout. What's connected to what and how.

Tough to say what's wrong. I don't know anything besides you're on a shared connection, you're using p2p, and the p2p box has more connection problems.

Power cycle the modem by switching it off then back on, or just pull the power cord. Leave it off for 5+ seconds. If you have separate modem and router, do it to both of them.

The problem may be only on the p2p box, but I assume you've tried rebooting? It also sounded as if you sometimes have shades of the problem on the other system.

My consumer-router remark was a broad generalization about the nature of poorly developed protocol stacks. They work on paper, and with a limited amount of traffic, but wail on them with p2p and the number of connections eventually causes problems with leaks, race conditions, or whatever. The symptoms vary and can be limited to a subset of the systems connected to them. Anyway, there are usually workarounds. If kicking the router helps then you can start down that path.

__________________
There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

Glory's Sun

what version of windows are you running? It could be a winsock or lsp issue.

boom29

I am running Windows XP, Media Center Edition.

As far as my topology. The DLS cable connects to the modem, which then connects to a DI-624 router. The router then connects to the two computers using ethernet cables.

I am having no problems whatsoever on the second computer.

I know my problem is rather vague and hard to explain, but thanks for helping. I do believe that the Bt client has something to do with it, but I'm not exactly sure how/why. I've been using the Bt client for about seven months, but only recently has this problem began to occur. I will try the power-cycle thing to see if things change. Again, thank you all for your help.

Lasereth

BT programs really fuck over the DSL connection at my house. If any sort of BT client is running on any PC, websites load either slow as hell or not even at all on every computer. The shared media is being uploaded to other users. This results in every bit of upload bandwidth is being used to send files to other users. The way web browsers load websites is using your connection's upstream bandwidth to send a URL request to the server. If the BT client on a computer in the network is using all of the upload bandwidth to send files to other users, website URL requests will not work because there's simply no bandwidth left. To put it simply, BT clients will make web browsers cease to load webpages unless the upload bandwidth is capped.

That's the only issue that I can see happening here, even though it's odd that pages load on one computer but not the next.

-Lasereth

__________________
"A Darwinian attacks his theory, seeking to find flaws. An ID believer defends his theory, seeking to conceal flaws." -Roger Ebert

cyrnel

Two days to switch the power off and on? This could be a long one.

Since the other system is working fine it's less likely the DSL modem is responsible, but what brand/model? What was the last time it was powered off? (Be sure to catch the router as well.) Again, it's unlikely to be the cause, but a reset is fast and free.

Have you tried web browsing with your bt client stopped? Which bt client?

What else have you tried to fix the problems?

Let us know.

__________________
There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

boom29

I tried doing the power cycle, but it did not work. I'm not exactly sure what model the modem is, but I do know its the standard modem that comes with SBC/Yahoo DSL.

Even when the Bt client is completely stopped, I still cannot browse. The Bt client is TorrentStorm, I have meant to get a different client, but I'm not sure which one to get (and which one doesn't come with spyware).

It seems as if Derwood is having a similar problem to mine, where his computer can't connect to the internet, but another one at the same location can. I will try the suggestions given to him.

Thanks your all your help.

Martian

Bring up the cmd window and do three pings :

ping 192.168.2.1 (sub your router's ip address if this is not it)
ping 64.233.167.104
ping http://www.google.com

If the first one returns timeouts, the fault is local, either the NIC, cable or router. Up front, I'm thinking probably not because you said the appropriate lights are on, but it's still a possibility.

If the second returns timeouts, your connection may be a bit shaky. Call up your ISP and have them check your synch rate, they'll be able to tell if there's any physical faults on the line.

If the third one returns "Unable to resolve host : http://www.google.com/" then the issue is DNS. You can also try switching your TFP bookmark to http://209.50.251.11/ and see if it clears up on that site, that'll clinch it. If that's the case, switch DNS servers (I use 4.2.2.1 primary and 4.2.2.2 secondary) see if that helps. If not, the problem's local and requires a regfix. I know the ISP I work for will walk you through it, but that will vary from one to the next. Messing around with your registry can be both daunting and dangerous, so if this is the result you get it may be time to call in the big guns (ie your local guru).

EDIT - Excuse my tired and insensible posting from last night in which I assumed you're using DSL service. If it's cable they can't check your synch rate because you won't have one, but the rest applies.

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

simonrex22

Sounds like a HiJacker to me. I had the same problem a few months ago. How did you conclude this could not be it, if you have no spyware or virus protection. I would suggest downloading free versions of Spybot and maybe Ad-Aware. I use both of them and they seem to fix most problems other than viruses. I would definitely look into getting some kind of virus program. And scan anything you download.

I knew someone who didnt have any virus protection. After a couple years his computer wouldnt work anymore. We put a virus program on there and there were like 300 viruses on his pc. We decided it would be best to just throw the thing away because our friend looking at it just got done getting his degree in computer science and networking and all that good stuff so its not like he didnt know what he was doing.

simonrex22

This may be stupid but you could check to see if your parental controls are on and your security settings arent set to high.

killeena

Also, check the proxy settings in your web browser. In Firefox, click Tools > Options > Connection Settings and make sure it is set to Direct Connection. For Internet Exploder goto Tools > Internet Options > Connections > LAN Settings and make sure the proxy box is not checked.

__________________
Freedom would be not to choose between black and white but to abjure such prescribed choices. - Theodor Adorno

jujueye

Hey Martian - great post. Textbook quality!

I would also add: switch cables at the modem/router. Just swap the one that's not working with the one that is and recheck.

Also, see if your network activity lights are working on the machine that has no net connection. Do you have blinkies? If you hvae blinkies, then it's likely software. No blinkies? Likely machine hardware.

And while I would suggest downloading Spybot like simon says (LOL) we are forgetting that the 'net connection isn't working at that machine. Otherwise, I woudl head out to http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ and try a virus and spyware scan. It's FREE, ladies and gentlemen.

Xazy

It is hard to say, it could be the internet, or it could be spyware that hijack your system. I would try first to determine if it is your hardware, if it is hijack it is much harder to fix!

boom29

Thank you all for the replies. I will try them all out once I get home. I do at least run Ad-aware weekly to see if I have spyware, but I get a maximum of 2 items, with over 250,000 items scanned. I am in the process of buying virus protection, probably Norton since they have some specials going on.

I do know for sure that at times when I'm not using my computer, and the other computer is also not being used, the "activity" light on the modem blinks. Yesterday, I saw the "activity" light blinking, despite the fact that I wasn't running anything at all, I proceeded to disconnect my ethernet cable (to my computer) from the router and the light stopped blinking. When I connected the cable back into the router, the light started blinking again after a while. Interesting...

Thanks for all your help.

simonrex22

Ad-Aware is good, Spybot is better. But use both!!

other things:

If you see Cool Web Search, get the CWS Shredder
If you see ezula, go to their website they have an uninstaller
Its always good to google a trojan or whatever, they can tell you what to do

boom29

I have tried the 3 pings listed by Martian:

ping 192.168.2.1 - request timed out
ping 64.233.167.104 - ok
ping http://www.google.com - It said that it could not "find local host," not could not "resolve local host," so I'm not sure if its the same or not.

I switched the DNS servers, and it worked for a bit, but then it went back to the "cannot display page." It seems like everytime I do something different to the computer, it will work fine for a bit, but then it reverts back to not working.

Since I have this weekend off, I will commit myself to finally buying a Virus/Firewall/etc program. Is the Norton Systemworks/Firewall a good combo? I will try the housecall.microtread free scan once I get the other to work for a bit.

Once again, thanks for all the input and help.

spived2

When doing a ping on an address, do not include the http://.
ping www.google.com instead. (Although I doubt it's a DNS issue...)

Do like killeena said and ensure you don't have a proxy address added for some reason.

Are you the only one that uses the computer? If not, ask whoever else that uses it if they made any changes to it that might affect connectivity.

It may be an issue with your router. You could possibly be getting an IP conflict with your other machine. If you know how to, log into it and check to see how you have it set up. Most likely you have DHCP set up. Just make sure that your computers both have different IP addresses in the range that is set up in the router.

__________________

"This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is it vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished, as the once vital voice of the verisimilitude now venerates what they once vilified. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose vis-à-vis an introduction, and so it is my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V." - V