Browser not resolving certain Top Level Domain names 1

[kausikdatta]

Please help! Both my browsers (IE6, Firefox 1.0.6) are suddenly unable to resolve certain website names with India-specific top level domains! All I am getting are DNS errors. This is happening with my PC and my laptop - all on a sudden!

1. It is happening with URLs ending with .co.in and .nic.in - I can still reach the site if I use their IP address.
2. If the site has a pop-up secondary secure area (such as banking sites) to be reached by logging into a secure server with the same IP, I am unable to reach that login page, because the pop-up page would not load and show a DNS error.
3. I checked my hosts file thoroughly, and could not find any mention of these IPs or corresponding URLs.
4. The problem is not occurring if I use the same URL in my wife's Mac Safari browser (though connected to the same network).

I am going nuts over this problem, because I could not find any apparent reason for its occurrence. I would be obliged if someone could shed some light on this.

Sincerely,

Kausik Datta

 

[htmlman]

Have you scanned for ad ware? It is possible that that type of spy ware is blocking you.

 

[htmlman]

thread608-869083 security issues... cant access secure sites
thread608-854853 IE 6 won't connect to https sites; works with http sites

 

[kausikdatta]

Thank you, htmlman, for your kind reply. Actually I have been to all these threads before I posted in this forum, and none of them applies to me!! Both my computers' date and time are both correct, my IE6 is of the latest version with 128 bit encryption, and I have no spyware-adware-malware on my system (Please trust me on this). The problem is not restricted to secure servers, but is limited to .co.in and .nic.in domains, but does not affect academic .ac.in domains.

As I mentioned, I can still access those sites if I use the IP address instead of the URL.

Hope someone can help me.

 

[htmlman]

When you visit the sites look at the bottom of the pages at the status bar. Does it show as a restricted site. Circle with a line through it.
Loot in the internet explores security for sites restricted. Or some software like spy blaster has sites restricted. The host file may have them restricted.

 

[kausikdatta]

LOL!! I do know what a restricted site icon looks like! :-D
Thanks a lot, htmlman, for trying to help me with this irritating problem. The restricted site icon does not show up in the status bar. Actually, I have checked and re-checked the hosts file, or the restricted-sites list of all my browsers and anti-spyware programs, but have not seen even once any mention of the particular URLs that are giving me this trouble. That is what is perplexing me to no end, because to me it seems that it has occurred suddenly.

I don't know yet what to do...

 

[Sympology]

Have you tried an Ipconfig /flushdns in a CMD window and see if that resolves it?

Stu..

Only the truly stupid believe they know everything.
Stu.. 2004

 

[kausikdatta]

StuReeves, I bow to your knowledge. Yes, this is one thing that I did not try, and flushing the DNS cache resolved the issue. Thanks a lot to you.

What still troubles me, though, is that fact that this problem started occurring with only a few specific URLs... I guess I do not know enough of the DNS architecture to understand why this should be. I would be happy if you would care to elaborate a little on that...

Take care, man! You have been a great help!