Single website won't connect

[algraff]

Two computers side by side running Windows 7 (64 bit), Firefox & MSIE browsers.

Computer 1 (my wife's) has been working fine but suddenly this morning it won't connect with a forum website she regularly uses (fanfiction.net). Firefox and MSIE both just sit there and say "connecting" but never get there. Both browsers connect with every other website I've tried with no problems. I have scanned her computer for viruses & malware, nothing found. Stopped all non-essential processes using the task manager, deleted browser history and cookies, updated plugins, disabled non-essential plugins, checked security settings, reinstalled Java, deleted and reinstalled Firefox.

Computer 2 (mine) connects to the forum with no problems, including logging in with her account info.

So what I know:

1. Forum website is online and functional, my computer has no problem with it, including accessing her account.
2. Not a local network problem, mine works fine.
3. Doesn't appear browser related, deleted browser (including local profile) and reinstalled. Firefox & MSIE have same problem.
4. Does not appear to be malware or a virus, scans of her system detected nothing at all.

I am of the opinion that it may be something with Windows 7 blocking a single website, but I'm not sure where to look.

Any ideas?

 

[goombawaho]

Can you try to ping the web site from your computer at CMD prompt, then try to ping it from her computer at the CMD prompt. Any difference?

Then put the IP address in her browser and your browser and see if it works via IP. Any difference between computers?

Give us the output of IPCONFIG /ALL at the CMD prompt for both computers
and
the content of the HOSTS file from both computers.
c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\

 

[guitarzan]

In addition to what goombawaho said, you can also boot your wife's computer in Safe Mode with Networking and see if you can or can't access the site

 

[goombawaho]

And I should have mentioned: Have you shut down the PC, unplugged your router and unplugged your modem then plugged them in/restarted them all in reverse order.

 

[algraff]

Ok, thanks for the ideas guys...working on it, will get back with you in a little while.

 

[linney]

What Firewall is your Wife using? If it is the Windows Firewall try turning it off and then testing. If it is a third party Firewall try uninstalling it and then testing.

Advanced startup options (including safe mode)

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Advanced-startup-options-including-safe-mode

How to perform a clean boot to troubleshoot a problem in Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/929135

If your Wife creates another user to test with do they have success?

If this fanfiction.net site is listed in the browsers Favorites, remove it, then just type in the URL in the Address Bar and see what happens.

 

[algraff]

Obtained the IP address by pinging site on my computer.
Pinged the IP address with her computer - address times out.
Entering the IP address in her browser gives a 404 error.
Ran IPCONFIG /ALL, results at the end of this post for both computers.
Ran MSCONFIG, disabled everything except Microsoft services. Rebooted. No change.
Started computer in safe mode with networking. No change.
Turned off Windows firewall & rebooted. No change.
Did system restore for 3 days ago, computer was connecting at that time. No change. No older restore points available, not sure why.
Rebooted router/modem and computer. No change.
Created new user, still unable to connect.

I HAVE noticed that MSIE will now occasionally connect to the home page of the website (maybe 25% of the time), but not reliably and if it does connect, it will not navigate to other pages on the site. Firefox still does not connect at all. Have noticed similar problems with their sister website fictionpress.com. Connection on my computer for both sites is fast and reliable, no problems at all with the website. Have inquired on website, no other users there report having trouble connecting.

Here are results from IPCONFIG:

=======================================================
COMPUTER 1 - CONNECTING RELIABLY
=======================================================
Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : SYX-PC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Mixed
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection 4:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network) #4
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1B-DC-04-36-B4
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCI GBE Family Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : BC-AE-C5-60-03-7A
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::d53a:e5ee:a543:ae49%11(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.3(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, April 11, 2013 11:34:36 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, April 19, 2013 4:40:52 PM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 264023749
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-18-35-0E-EA-BC-AE-C5-60-03-7A
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 209.18.47.61
209.18.47.62
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.{CDE6AF8F-0D94-48D1-AE5D-DB66583F8ED3}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{FFD2FE24-D1C7-4DA5-8ABE-3BD1AF4F7ECA}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:9d38:953c:89e:2553:e7e5:633f(Preferred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::89e:2553:e7e5:633f%21(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

===========================================================
COMPUTER 2 - NOT CONNECTING
===========================================================
Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Patsy-PC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 74-DE-2B-D7-D4-FD
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 38-60-77-A8-E7-0C
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::f581:accc:f5fb:2fe2%12(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.4(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Friday, April 19, 2013 10:54:41 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, April 19, 2013 6:12:06 PM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 423125111
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-16-56-6B-8A-74-DE-2B-D7-D4-FC
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 209.18.47.61
209.18.47.62
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 802.11n Wireless LAN Card
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 74-DE-2B-D7-D4-FC
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{D64F56D0-A82F-4B29-BA6C-0A4215FE2022}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{79983990-9817-4D5F-9FAA-D0D4EA5147EF}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{D4E284DF-F45C-4E85-81F6-A4BF82630C60}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #3
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:4137:9e76:1062:c90:e7e5:633f(Preferred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::1062:c90:e7e5:633f%13(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

 

[goombawaho]

The good news: you did everything everyone asked you to do. Amazing. Most people only do 1/3 of what is asked and then don't explain it in a concise manner. The bad news: I don't see ANY reason why the second computer is not working.

Just for giggles, can you flush the DNS cache on the non-working machine.
RIGHT-click on Command Prompt
Select Run As Administrator
In the command window type the following and then hit enter: ipconfig /flushdns
You will see the following confirmation:
Windows IP Configuration Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.

If that doesn't work, I do see ONE difference between the two PCs but doubt it will make any difference. The NODE TYPE setting. Change the non-working computer to MIXED


Run the registry editor and open this key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Netbt\Parameters
Delete the DhcpNodeType value if it’s present.
If the NodeType value isn’t present, create it using type: DWORD.
Set NodeType to 4 (Mixed) INSTEAD of 8 (hybrid).

REBOOT and test again

 

[algraff]

None of the solutions here seemed to help a bit (sorry folks, you usually do a great job) so I tried the last resort fix and did a fresh install of Windows, finishing up at 3 a.m. last night. I pulled up MSIE and...the problem was still there. You can understand my exasperation at that point. Sitting there staring at the evil machine, it dawned on me that if it wasn't the computer, it must be in the network somewhere. My wife's computer came equipped with both an ethernet card AND a wireless card. I reached behind the tower and unplugged the ethernet cable and EUREKA! That seems to have fixed the problem. She's been using it for nearly a year without any problems, so I'm still not sure why this happened just now and why it only affected a single website...but it appears to be fixed. She's happy and I'm relieved. Thanks for all of the suggestions anyway!

 

[goombawaho]

sorry folks, you usually do a great job

Yes, we are highly paid by those asking questions so our answers are of high quality.

so I tried the last resort fix and did a fresh install of Windows

Ouch, comes under the heading of throwing the baby out with the bath water. Would not have recommended that yet, but I understand your frustration. That would fix 99% of non-hardware problems but..........................

Are you saying that you are using wireless for her computer now or that you switched network cables?

 

[algraff]

Goombawahoo: Are you saying that you are using wireless for her computer now or that you switched network cables?

Going wireless. Only thing I can figure out is that maybe the website was getting two different IP's for her system and got confused. She doesn't do much that requires blazing speed so she should be satisfied with the wireless.

 

[goombawaho]

Well, YES. You should always disable wireless if you're plugged into the ethernet part of your router. Have you tried testing the ethernet after disabling the wireless adapter in device manager just to see if that was the issue. Everyone is curious.

 

[algraff]

As I said, connection speed isn't a big issue with her, so I'm going to stick with wireless for the present. If it isn't broken now, I see no need to "fix" it further. Plus she's preparing to move the computer across the room for the summer so we can put an air conditioner in the window behind her current desk. I'm kind of lazy and don't really want to string ethernet cable if I don't have to

 

[goombawaho]

What about finding the source of your aggravation - doesn't motivate you any?
FYI - Connection speed with wireless IF browsing the internet is not compromised at all. Even wireless G speed is 54Mbps which is faster than almost all internet connections. If you're copying files between computers, then yes, it will be slower. But for internet browsing/downloading - no difference in real world speed between wired/wireless.