Hi,I'm running a computer connected wirelessly to an ADSL modem. There are three other computers also connecting wirelessly to the same ADSL router and they work fine.The problem machine runs Windows XP SP2 with automatic updates enabled. The computer connects to the Internet and works OK until it installs XP SP3. After reboot from installing SP3, no normal connection to the Internet can be established with any browser. I have tried Internet Explorer, Firefox and Google Crome. I just get an error page (Internet Explorer cannot display the web page) when trying to connect to any web page by name. I can connect to a website via the IP address only. I can ping by IP address, but not by name.I have reinstalled XP SP2 now for the seventh time, left it to run automatic updates and every time after installation of SP3 the connection problem starts. I have not installed Norton or any other anti virus programs on the machine, still have the same problem. I have disabled the Windows firewall even! No protection, nothing but the operating system on the machine and still cannot browse the Internet when XP SP3 is installed. When I stop automatic updates before installing SP3, I can browse normally without any issues.I have searched through a lot of websites for a solution and have tried all the possible and impossible solutions offered: network settings reviewed, winsock fixes, nothing seems to solve the issue.Any help will be appreciated.John1 person needs an answerI do too

Dont know what exactly you tried but please try the following >Make sure no ie windows are open click start click run then type cmd and then press enterthis should bring up a windows with black background and white writing. In this window type ipconfig /flushdns then press enterit should give you a message saying dns flushed. Close the window and then try the internet again and see if it works. MyPcHealth

Hi Chunks_,Thanks for the reply. To list everything that I have tried over the past months is way too much to remember. I have now re-installed XP SP3 on the problem machine from the Microsoft Update website. After reboot all internet access was immediately stopped as before. I flushed the dns as you suggested, no difference. Internet access still not possible through any browser. I still can ping ip addresses and browse websites by ip address, but I cannot browse by name.Any other suggestions?John

Here is what I always check (especially after a malicious software infection /cleanup). Even though your system may not be infected, it is a good checklist.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. Let's verify your network connection properties.Some malware will tamper with these settings and your anti malware software can't tell if you changed them or malware changed them so after removing any infections, it will just leave the settings as it finds them (this is usually a good thing) but may leave your Internet access disabled. Click Start, Run and in the box enter:inetcpl.cplClick OK to launch the Internet Properties control panel applet, choose Connections, LAN settings. Or, from Internet Explorer click Tools, Internet Options, Connections, LAN Settings.These settings control your Internet access for all browsers.(If you make any adjustments, write them down so you can undo the adjustments if you need to)On most non corporate environments, there will be a check in Automatically detect settings and the other boxes are (like Proxy server) are UNchecked. Automatically detect setting = checkedUse automatic configuration script = UNcheckedUse a proxy server for your LAN = UNcheckedMake any adjustments and click OK, OK to save the settings.Check your settings for the way your network adapter obtains it's IP and DNS settings. On most home systems, these settings should be set so the system will obtain the settings automatically.If you have another system on your network that is working, you can compare those settings with the settings on the system that is not working and make adjustments.Click Start, Settings, Control Panel, Network Connections and select your current network connection.On the General tab, click Properties.In the drop down list in the middle, locate and highlight the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) selection andclick Properties.In the Internet Protocol Properties window, the usual selections are to obtain the IP and DNS settings automatically. Enable the following two options:Obtain an IP address automaticallyObtain DNS Server address automaticallyThe rest of the options in the screen should then be grayed out/unavailable.Make any adjustments and click OK, OK to save the settings.Restart your computer and test your connectivity.If it still doesn't work, verify your adjustments are still in place after a restart and then release and renew the IP configuration settings from your network device.Click Start, Run and in the box enter:cmdClick OK to open a command prompt window and then type in the following commands:ipconfig /releaseipconfig /renewexitIf it worked with SP2 and then quit after installing SP3, you might want to look at your network drivers and Internet settings (and write them down), then install SP3 and if it doesn't work, review and adjust. It could be that you are accepting an offered update from Microsoft for your network hardware which is sometimes not always a good idea (accepting their hardware driver updates). I never accept hardware driver updates for anything from Microsoft since I think I would rather go to the hardware manufacturer WWW site and get what they tell me is the latest version.Another thing you can do is call your Internet Service Provider (ISP) for help. You don't have to tell them so many details about what you have been doing so far so that they don't want to help you - just tell them you can't get connected to the Internet - their Internet and will they please help you. Make sure if you go through an automated system, that you press the right buttons on your touch tone phone to get to the Internet connectivity group of humans.Since you are a paying customer, it is their obligation to help you get connected. They have people that sit around all day long and all they do is to help people get connected to the Internet. That is what they do all day long and some of them really seem to like to do it. They already know all the "tricks" you may not think of. It is their job to get you connected - you are paying for it.If you don't get satisfaction from one support person, politely terminate the call (they keep notes) and call back and talk to somebody else. You need to find the "right" person and they will often be able to help you instantly with no "trying" things.When you do get connected, be sure you shutdown, power off and restart your system to make sure it still works on a power up reboot before you disconnect the call to technical support. You don't want to say "It's working now!", hang up, reboot later and find it broken after a reboot and start all over again.While you have them on the phone, that is also a good time to ask them what your download speed is supposed to be and how do you check it. You want to check it using whatever method they use so what method do they recommend?Let's say they check your account and tell you that you are paying for 60MB download speed and you go to their recommended testing site and it says you are only getting 48MB. That is a problem since you are not getting what you are paying for. You want them to either have a good explanation, fix it right now or give you free HBO for a year.Comcast came out to my chalet and replaced every connector, piece of wire and equipment from the pole down the street to my computer (and they seemed happy to do it). Now I get a little more than what I am paying for instead of less.Do, or do not. There is no try.I decided to save up points for a new puppy instead of a pony!

This problem definately stinks of a dns issue as your internet appears to be working (ping and surfing by ip)Also check this please -Click Start, Settings, Control Panel, Network Connections and select your current network connection. On the General tab, click Properties. In the drop down list in the middle, locate and highlight the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) selection and click Properties. There should be a DNS tab. Please make sure the following options are selected :Bullet point in append primary and connection spefific dns suffixes and a tick in append parent suffixes of the primary dns suffix and also a tick in register this connections addresses in DNS.On the WINS tab check that enable LMHOSTS lookup is ticked and use the default setting for netbios. Now ok out all these windows. If you changed any of those settings in post above or here please let us know.I would also give the router a reboot if you have not done that. it maybe having a funny 5 minutes, but we have to root out all possible causes till we get to a solution. Also it maybe worth setting your interent explorer back to its default settings as other browsers do "share" the settings this maybe worth a go. To reset IE settings (assuming you have ie7 or 8) following this guide -http://www.mypchealth.co.uk/Win7Explorer.phpI see you can use ping so what happens when you try and do a command - ping -a <ip address> ?? That should resolve the name of the IP address your pinging.... i suspect it wont work but worth giving it a go. Also when your in a commpand prompt window type Ipconfig /all and see if gives you an ip address for your dns.MyPcHealth