Windows Vista Browsers not accessing Internet, everything else able to

[Navin]

I have a laptop running Windows Vista Home Premium, and I have a strange issue with Internet access. I have DSL from a wireless router.

Whenever I start the computer, there is no issue with Internet access - all applications are able to go online without a problem. However, after a while - anywhere between 30 minutes and three hours - browsers are unable to access the Internet.

All other apps are able to connect - FileZilla, Windows Media Player, Windows Update - and I am able to ping all websites.

However, no browser is able to connect - I've tried IE, Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Opera.

I have ZoneAlarm Pro, and have not been able to figure out anything with its settings. The situation persists even after I shut down ZoneAlarm Pro.

A restart resolves all of this, and I am able to browse - till the next time it goes 'offline'.

Anyone faced this issue before? Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong?

 

[Celestra]

Hi! Maybe this is useful: internet freezes momentarily while surfing - dslreports.com Well, it doesn't sound like a low memory problem, and it's not a firewall because you took your security offline. I'll keep checking to see what I can come up with........One problem recently bugging my browser "Flash Crashes". What about a DNS Registry problem?

 

[kemical]

I have a laptop running Windows Vista Home Premium, and I have a strange issue with Internet access. I have DSL from a wireless router.

Whenever I start the computer, there is no issue with Internet access - all applications are able to go online without a problem. However, after a while - anywhere between 30 minutes and three hours - browsers are unable to access the Internet.

All other apps are able to connect - FileZilla, Windows Media Player, Windows Update - and I am able to ping all websites.

However, no browser is able to connect - I've tried IE, Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Opera.

I have ZoneAlarm Pro, and have not been able to figure out anything with its settings. The situation persists even after I shut down ZoneAlarm Pro.

A restart resolves all of this, and I am able to browse - till the next time it goes 'offline'.

Anyone faced this issue before? Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong?

Have you scanned for virus's and spyware?

 

[Celestra]

If your scans for virus come out clean. Totally un-install Zone Alarm. For some reason some laptops have this kind of problem with Zone Alarm. Somebody said, "he had to completely un-install it to fix his connection".

 

[Navin]

Solved it! I was being an idiot and had overlooked the most basic of things - Internet Properties > Connections > LAN Settings!

'Automatically detect settings' was unchecked. After I checked it, I haven't faced the issue.

Thanks for all the answers - I know where to come if I have Vista questions