Can't access web sites on Lap Top

[GOAT]

Need some help guys?

I used my Lap Top the entire time that I was gone to Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, 10 Feb - 19 Feb. I used it every day and it worked fine until last night 18 Feb when we stopped in a motel in Wildwood, FL and I logged on to their wireless access. I had previously accessed the internet on this wireless on the night of 10 Feb at which time it worked fine. So last night I logged on to check my mail and the mail on outlook express came through fine and checked each and every piece of the 217 e-mails that I received. I then tried to access my home page and received the following page content:

Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage

Most likely causes:
. You are not connected to the internet.
. The website is encountering problems.
. There might be a typing error in the address

What you can try"

. Diagnose connection problems

^More Information

There is a lot more on there after yiou click on more information but to much to type on here.

As for the first part:
I was connected to the internet,
The website was not having any problems
There was no error in the typing of the address.

I tried it when I got home on my Desk top and it worked fine but it still won't work on my lap top? I didn't make any changes on my Lap Top other than, here goes, downloaded and installed a bunch of windows updates. I can't even check on the updates that I downloaded because I can't access that web page either. So far as it goes I can't access any web pages at all on my lap top so one or more of those updates have changes something on my lap top and I need to change it back, I think? All ideas and suggestions greatfully accepted.
Please don't hesitate to answer!

[Comet241]

I found your problem: you "downloaded and installed a bunch of windows updates"......

microsoft is funny. if you consider these sorts of things funny.

see if you can uninstall any updates, go back step by step until you are home free.

[GOAT]

I'll try Comet but I can't even get to that web page anymore,lol! I guess it's not a laughing matter, but I'll try like hell!

[Heenalu]

Need some help guys?

I used my Lap Top the entire time that I was gone to Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, 10 Feb - 19 Feb. I used it every day and it worked fine until last night 18 Feb when we stopped in a motel in Wildwood, FL and I logged on to their wireless access. I had previously accessed the internet on this wireless on the night of 10 Feb at which time it worked fine. So last night I logged on to check my mail and the mail on outlook express came through fine and checked each and every piece of the 217 e-mails that I received. I then tried to access my home page and received the following page content:

Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage

Most likely causes:
. You are not connected to the internet.
. The website is encountering problems.
. There might be a typing error in the address

What you can try"

. Diagnose connection problems

^More Information

There is a lot more on there after yiou click on more information but to much to type on here.

As for the first part:
I was connected to the internet,
The website was not having any problems
There was no error in the typing of the address.

I tried it when I got home on my Desk top and it worked fine but it still won't work on my lap top? I didn't make any changes on my Lap Top other than, here goes, downloaded and installed a bunch of windows updates. I can't even check on the updates that I downloaded because I can't access that web page either. So far as it goes I can't access any web pages at all on my lap top so one or more of those updates have changes something on my lap top and I need to change it back, I think? All ideas and suggestions greatfully accepted.
Please don't hesitate to answer!

Goat you can always do a system restore back to the day before you did the updates...so if you can remember that date...go to start menu, all programs, accessories, system tools, system restore, and pick your day

[Comet241]

^^^^^^^^^^ What he said. I suppose i should have left directions to what i meant.....

[Ninja]

Goat, please tell me your firewall was turned on.

I'm not positive it was the updates that caused the problem rather it may have been the lack of updates. Microsoft just pushed a bunch of patches recently. Many of which were for 0 day exploits. Have you run a virus scan yet?

The problem with public access is that everybody else can see your computer and catch it's traffic unless you encrypt it. Even worse is an open wireless access point. Now not only can everyone at the hotel see your system but anyone else who happens to be in the area.

Does your browser open any links at all or just not your homepage?

[Shopvac]

I've heard that there were a lot of problems with Windows Explorere 7. I wonder if that created the connection errors. The other thing is that when you were looking at Outlook Express, you may not have actually been connected (I don't know). If you have Outlook set up the right way, you can view those emails offline. You might take a look at that, and decide if you need to go even further back in your system restore.

Good Luck Goat, and hurry back virus free!!!

[McFeely]

From what you describe it sounds like a connectivity issue that I don't think installing MS Updates would cause. It is easy to blame that but it is possibly a hardware configuration error. Don't do a System Restore yet, if you have spyware it will still be there after a System Restore. Work on making a connection first. This may sound stupid, but do you have a physical switch on your laptop that turns off and on the antenna? It gets pushed and some people never realize what the switch is for or that they had one. The Antenna light should be lit if it is on or your wifi icon will have a red x on it. Another thing, most hotels give you an access code written on a card or default homepage to log in with your room number the first time. Did you get any of that information or steps when you first logged in? The most important thing would be the hotel homepage. I haven't been to one that did not throw that up when logging on.

If you did get all that information or all your switches are in order then you should first manually connect wirelessly to your router at home. Right-click your wifi icon, select properties. Select tcp\ip, then properties. (Check with your router on what addresses it is assigning through the DHCP.) Usually your router default ip is 192.168.1.1, it would be safe to manually enter 192.168.1.4. Your subnet mask is 255.255.255.0. Your default gateway is the ip of your router (ex. 192.168.1.1) . To find out your DNS server address. Go check the status of your Desktop connection click the Support tab then click details. You will see the DNS Server address which is the address your ISP gives you. Enter those addresses as your DNS. Save all that and see if you connect. If not, try a physical connection to your router with a cable.


You can try this as a last resort. Just create a Restore Point before using. I have used this and it will clean up your TCP\IP stack. It is a very powerful program so be careful. Read the information and comments regarding it's use. http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html



PS. I can't believe you came down here again without calling me. I live about 20 minutes from where you were.

[Squad57]

Goat- If all that fails..... take a big freakin hammer and apply the face of the hammer to your laptop over and over and over again, really really hard!!! That should help fix it.

[GOAT]

Ninja= Yes my firewall was on as a matter of fact I have two firewalls!

Mac I couldn't find that antenna light you were talking ablout so I couldn't check that out, but yes I did get all that stuff to log in with from the motel that we only stayed overnight at. I did run Spy-Bot and ad-aware plus Norton internet security (which is the only norton that I have) and did have some trash on ad-aware but nothing came up on the others after I ran the ad-aware. I tried all of the other stuff you recommended but no luck so I went for the sytem restore after making another restore point. After using sytem restore the computer is up and running like nothing happened? I do think that I will give it to a friend of mine who knows a lot more than I do about these things and let him take a look at it?

I want to thank everyone for their input as it is greatly appreciated and always will be! Mac the first reason I didn't contact you is that I lost your number and the second reason was because the wife was haviing a rough time as she is worrying about her surgery tomorrow morning for a complete knee replacement. I know that it's not to bad after talking to others but I'm not the one having it and you always have a lot of apprehension before surgery regardless. I promise next time we are down that way I will contact you.

[McFeely]

No worries Goat. I could have taken you to the hockey game on Sat. The Panthers beat the Lightning 5-4 in Overtime. Great game.