Windows 7 Windows 7 - Valid Internet Connection but won't load pages.

[workit]

We have our Server running Windows Server 2003. We have 2 other desktop computers running XP and a laptop also running XP connected. We replaced one of the XP computers with a brand new Windows 7 computer. I am connected to the LAN just fine and when you click on "get online," it's says that there's a working connection but when I try to load ANY page I get the "page cannot load" error. Yesterday, the issue was intermittent but today I have been unable to get online at all. I've tried restarting the server and the new computer as well as the router. I've also tried disabling and enabling the LAN. I also tried a "repair winsock" option I found on the forums. All other computers running through the server are working fine so I know it's not the ISP. We didn't change the router so I know it can handle the number of computers we have. What do I need to do? I've been working on it for two days and am super frustrated. BIG THANK YOU in advance!

 

[Trouble]

Well you say that you have a 2k3 server but you don't say if it's an AD domain controller that may be also running DNS and resolving fully qualified domain names for your client machines. If it isn't then the fact that it is present at all isn't really pertinent.
Basically on the problem Windows 7 machine, you need to determine what it has for an IP addressing scheme including default gateway to get to network resources outside you subnet and then what it's looking to for name resolution. Either your DNS server, your router, or an external DNS server like google public DNS servers.
Actually try using the network trouble shooter in the network and sharing center and see what it says.
Then take a few steps to clear
your arp tables
and
your dns cache
keep us posted and welcome to the forums. Post back if you need any additional help with the above.
Regards
Randy

 

[workit]

Thank you so much for your quick reply. I will try to answer your questions to the best of my ability.
I believe that our server is running DNS.
When I try running the network trouble shooter it says that there may be a problem with my DNS server.
I am unaware of how to clear the arp tables and dns cache.
Thanks again for your help!!

 

[Trouble]

OK...
Open an elevated command prompt and type
netsh interface ip delete arpcache
hit enter
type
ipconfig /flushdns
hit enter
type
ipconfig /registerdns
hit enter
Additionally use ipconfig /all and see what the machine is actually using as DNS server (preferred and or alternate), compare that information to another machine on the network that seems to be working fine and see if there is any differences.

 

[workit]

Thanks again for the help! Here's what I've found:
The windows 7 computer lists the DNS server as preferred in the command prompt. Under connection-specific DNS suffix it lists our network name. The XP computer that is working fine is blank on that line. And the physical address is different for both. The Default Gateway and DNS Server information under Ethernet Adapter Local Area Connection is the same on both computers. I've done the arp cache and flushdns and registerdns with no change. On Tuesday when I changed out the computer, it would intermittently allow me access to the internet but now it doesn't allow it at all. What do I need to do now?
Thank you again for your patience with me and all your help!

 

[Captain Jack]

Hello there!

I'm sure Randy will be assisting you soon meanwhile you can check this article Link Removed - Invalid URL

 

[Trouble]

Thanks Captain, I haven't tried the hard setting of the physical address (MAC address) in the the adapter properties for a while, so I forgot to mention it, thanks for the reminder.
Setting OpenDNS as the DNS servers manually might help to some extent but will probably mess up his local domain connection since I think he's in a MS AD Domain with his own DNS servers, but it's still worth a try just to see what happens and easily set back to auto if it doesn't seem to help the problem.
Additionally @workit
Can you please advise as to your initial problem

but when I try to load ANY page I get the "page cannot load" error

what browser are you using?
can you ping 64.233.169.99
if yes
can you copy and paste that same IP address into your browser's address bar and hit enter?
what happens.
We should also probably take a look at the browser connection settings and make sure that it isn't looking for some non-existent proxy server and we should also probably look at your hosts file to make sure that there isn't any spurious entries.
Thanks again to Captain Jack for the helpful reminder of things I sometimes forget.

 

[workit]

I am using Explorer; it's currently the only browser installed on the computer. I can ping 64.233.169.99. If I put that in the browser's address bar I get a generic google search page that doesn't work when any buttons are actually clicked on. The browser connections list automatically detect settings under LAN connection. I also opened up the hosts file and it lists an IP address then local host and the next line is ::1 then localhost.
I haven't tried the recommended link by Captain Jack. I read through it and wasn't sure which computer I needed to try those steps on. The router is connected to the server.
The issue I'm having is that the new Windows 7 computer is replacing an old Windows XP computer that had been in our network before. The new computer shows an active internet connect when you click on "get online." However, if you open explorer it shows the "cannot display the web page" error message. If I try to diagnose the problem, it suggests a problem with the DNS server.
Thanks again for your help. This seems to be the only leftover issue I'm having with the computer. Our company software is working as are all the shared printers and other software but I cannot seem to get this kink worked out.

 

[Trouble]

On the problem machine (Windows 7) Try the link that Captain Jack referenced above, but just the suggestion regarding the application of the MAC address / Physical Address of the actual adapter you are using into the properties of the adapter under the configure button advanced tab.
It goes something like this
Open a command prompt and type ipconfig /all and hit enter
identify the adapter that you are currently using and having problems with and locate the entry titled Physical Address it will be a 12 digit hex number with dashes.
Write it down or copy and paste it into notepad, whichever, we don't need or want the dashes just the actual 12 digits.
Now that you know that
type
ncpa.cpl into the search or run box and hit enter
select the adapter that you are using but currently having problems with then right click it and choose properties.
In the resultant dialog box click the Configure button near the top right and then select the advanced tab in the resultant dialog box
in the left "Property" column select "Network Address"
In the right "Value" column change the radio button selection from Not Present to the other one next to the blank text box, this will allow you to enter the 12 digit value that you determined earlier.
OK your way back out of there and reboot the machine.
See if that helps.
And regarding your hosts file, can I assume that all lines present were preceeded by a hash symbol # if not please clarify what you have for entries that are not.

 

[workit]

I tried that last suggestion with no success. Any other ideas? I just can't seem to figure this one out. Or why it was working intermittently on day 1 and now will not work at all. Thanks again!!

 

[Trouble]

OK, the fact that you can ping an external ip address with no issue and the fact that you can paste an IP address into your browser's address bar and it will open a web page indicates as we've suspected all along that your problem is with DNS name resolution so....
type ncpa.cpl into the search or run box and hit enter
select then right click the problem network adapter and choose properties
Uncheck IPv6
Highlight/select IPv4 and choose properties
Select the radio button that says "Use the following DNS server addresses:"
and enter the following
Preferred DNS server: 75.75.75.75
Alternate DNS server: 75.75.76.76
those are comcast dns servers and it looks like you're a comcast customer so give that a try and let us know if that works.

 

[workit]

Eureka!!!! This was exactly what was needed. Right after entering in the info, I'm on the internet with no problems. Posting this reply from said troublesome computer. THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I was so frustrated. You guys are great!

 

[Trouble]

Well that's certainly good news. I was pretty sure in my intitial post

and then what it's looking to for name resolution. Either your DNS server, your router, or an external DNS server like google public DNS servers.

It seems that your router or whatever you were getting through DHCP was not forwarding properly, so...
you may want to follow up on Captain Jack's original link which suggested updating the firmware on your router (assuming that was providing DHCP information) and you may want to phone up your ISP and obtain from them the actual DNS servers for your region, the ones I supplied are for Comcast here in Chicagoland, your's out there in Modesto or where ever you are might be different and prove to be more efficient and a bit faster.
So now that you have your internet issue resolved, are you still able to communicate with other nodes on you private network without issue?

 

[workit]

Yes! All the other computers seems to be working just fine and the original problem machine is also functional. Thanks again for all your help!