Problems browsing web

[monel]

Hi, any advice much appreciated,

since installing a new router/modem, I'm having problems browsing and accessing the web.

Most of the time, I get 'looking up _______site' at the bottom window on firefox. Then I get the 'could not find server' message and I have to click 'retry' numerous times before sometimes getting lucky and accessing the webpage.

I have never had this problem before.

Running windows 7 64bit, and the same thing happens with IE.

Please advise, this is driving me nuts.

[Lyris]

Maybe you have an old proxy server entered in the web browser and/or OS?

[monel]

Well, I've got 'use system proxy settings' checked in firefox, is that a possible cause?

Thanks for replying btw.

[eastyy]

what about the dns number in network connections ?

[charlesr]

You have the correct proxy setting for normal use.

Try turning off the firewall on the router. If that fixes it then, see if there are multiple settings e.g. low medium high. And try going reducing it till it works properly.

[abigsmurf]

try changing the DNS servers in the router, use google's DNS or openDNS.

It's possible the old router was using decent DNS settings and the new one is defaulting to the ISP's.

O2's DNS servers are especially awful.

[monel]

Thank you for the tips.

I should have been clearer in my OP but it was quite late, it's not just a router, it's a combined modem/router.

The engineer did enter some stuff in network settings in windows which I reset later by mistake.

I don't think it has a hardware firewall but I'll check.

Also-is altering the DNS settings something people often do? I thought Open DNS charge you? Also, is it easy enough to revert back to the ISP's DNS?

[charlesr]

I use OpenDNS. It's free. To revert back, you normally just tick a "use ISP DNS" option on the router.

And it's probably impossible to buy a modem/router that doesn't have a firewall built in. It's the reason everyone should have one rather than just a modem.

If you think it's a windows problem, can you even access the router config page in your browser (normally something like http://192.168.1.1)? If not, perhaps your default gateway is set incorrectly (start/run/cmd/ipconfig to check).

[monel]

Thanks for your advice, I can access the router settings using IE, that's why I thought it had no firewall since I don't remember seeing one in the settings when I checked about a week ago.

Thanks again, it's appreciated.

[Spatial]

Sorry to jump in on your thread thread shinobi, but I'm having the exact same problem since yesterday morning. I can't access Console Arcade in any browser (Firefox, IE, Chrome) and it just keeps timing out.

Multiple people have confirmed the site is working for them, and so does downforeveryoneorjustme.com. I can access every other website but it will not for the life of me connect to Console Arcade. I can ping the bloody thing just fine, but no browser will open it.

I've tried flushing the DNS, flushing the IP, changing the MTU and thanks to the suggestions in this thread changing the DNS to the ones mentioned above and tinkered with the firewall settings. It's having none of it.

What's interesting is that if I use my phone on the wireless network, I can't get the site. Switch wireless off and just use the mobile network and it connects.

Could it possibly be a ISP issue? It's the only thing that's left I can think of.

[monel]

No problem (about jumping into the thread).

I did have a similar problem once, actually, I could not connect to a certain site at all. It turned out in the end that it was the router I was using at the time.

edit-meaning, as soon as I disconnected the router I was able to access said site.

[Spatial]

I've just pinged the website through the router rather than the Windows Command Prompt and that's going through fine.

I've even tried booting in safe mode so there's no firewall or anti-virus and it still doesn't work.

This is really baffling.

[Spatial]

Just found I can get to it if I use a proxy website though - what's that all about?

[Spatial]

ISP say it's nothing to do with them. So using Firefox I've put a proxy that was freely available on the internet to browse through and can access the site.

That's safe to do isn't it?

edit: not necessarily. Not happy about using one to be honest.

[EvilBoris]

It says the site is down for maintenance , I'd it meant to?