ubuysa
The BSOD Doctor
Ok, that might have been a bit of overkill but lets see how you get on with vanilla Firefox.
Internet connection issue
- Thread starter neillp
- Start date
Ok, that might have been a bit of overkill but lets see how you get on with vanilla Firefox.
Arrgh! I really hoped that would fix but unfortunately not, Firefox has just stopped connecting to websites
Not sure where to go from here?
SpyderTracks
We love you Ukraine
Arrgh! I really hoped that would fix but unfortunately not, Firefox has just stopped connecting to websites
Not sure where to go from here?
I would personally uninstall superantispyware and see if that makes a difference.
I have done that now but it has made no difference, to be honest I didn't expect it to as the issue was there before it put this on the PC.
Thanks anyway
ubuysa
The BSOD Doctor
Ok, lets take a step back.
1. We know you have Internet connectivity because you can ping Microsoft's web site.
2. Other devices using the same router continue to function ok, so it must be your computer.
3. You can't access websites from any browser approximately every 12 hours. How approximate is that? Do you work normally for 11 hours 59 mins and then lose connectivity or is it more random than that?
4. Is it only browsers that lose connectivity or do all TCP/IP applications lose it?
There are a few more things we can check...
We can reset the TCP/IP stack and that should clear any TCP issues you might have. Although ping works ok it doesn't use TCP (it uses ICMP) so you may still have a TCP issue. So, open up an elevated command prompt (so right-click and Run as Administrator) and enter the command "netsh int tcp reset" (without the quotes). The command should complete ok but you must then reboot, so do that. See whether that helps before we do anything else.
Assuming that doesn't help, when you lose browser connectivity open up any application that can check for updates on the Internet and then click the "Check for Updates" button. See whether that works whilst your browsers do not. If you have an email client (like Thunderbird) see whether that works when the browsers don't. I'm trying to establish whether your problem is a general TCP issue or just a browser issue.
It would also be worth opening up the Windows Task Manager and looking at all the active scheduled tasks to see whether you have one that runs every 12 hours. Also, there is a date and timestamp against each task that tells you when it last run, so see whether any task ran at the time you lost browser connectivity?
Also open up the Windows Event Log, although this can be tricky to read. What you're interested in are the Critical and Error sections, so expand each of those and see whether any errors were logged at the time you lost browser connectivity. If you find any take a screen image and post it up here.
If none of the above helps it would be worth stopping non-essential programs from starting with Windows, just in case it's one of those. How you do that depends on whether you're running Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 so if you let me know which I'll tell you how to do that.
1. We know you have Internet connectivity because you can ping Microsoft's web site.
2. Other devices using the same router continue to function ok, so it must be your computer.
3. You can't access websites from any browser approximately every 12 hours. How approximate is that? Do you work normally for 11 hours 59 mins and then lose connectivity or is it more random than that?
4. Is it only browsers that lose connectivity or do all TCP/IP applications lose it?
There are a few more things we can check...
We can reset the TCP/IP stack and that should clear any TCP issues you might have. Although ping works ok it doesn't use TCP (it uses ICMP) so you may still have a TCP issue. So, open up an elevated command prompt (so right-click and Run as Administrator) and enter the command "netsh int tcp reset" (without the quotes). The command should complete ok but you must then reboot, so do that. See whether that helps before we do anything else.
Assuming that doesn't help, when you lose browser connectivity open up any application that can check for updates on the Internet and then click the "Check for Updates" button. See whether that works whilst your browsers do not. If you have an email client (like Thunderbird) see whether that works when the browsers don't. I'm trying to establish whether your problem is a general TCP issue or just a browser issue.
It would also be worth opening up the Windows Task Manager and looking at all the active scheduled tasks to see whether you have one that runs every 12 hours. Also, there is a date and timestamp against each task that tells you when it last run, so see whether any task ran at the time you lost browser connectivity?
Also open up the Windows Event Log, although this can be tricky to read. What you're interested in are the Critical and Error sections, so expand each of those and see whether any errors were logged at the time you lost browser connectivity. If you find any take a screen image and post it up here.
If none of the above helps it would be worth stopping non-essential programs from starting with Windows, just in case it's one of those. How you do that depends on whether you're running Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 so if you let me know which I'll tell you how to do that.
ubuysa
The BSOD Doctor
Ok, so to disable programs from starting with Windows at the Run prompt enter "msconfig.exe" (without the quotes). That will bring up the Microsoft Config Utility. Click the StartUp tab and uncheck everything that you reckon you can do without at boot time. You might be able to get away with unchecking everything. Then reboot.
Lots of stuff won't work, because the programs they require didn't start, but Windows will work as should the Internet connection and your browsers. See whether the problem occurs then.
If it doesn't then it's one of the startup programs. To find out which one use a technique known as a binary search. Re-enable half of the programs. If the problem returns it was in the half you enabled, if it doesn't it was in the half you didn't. So re-enable half of the half in which the problem lies and try again. Keep re-enabling half of the ones in the failing half until you locate the problem. This is an excellent and fast technique for localising this sort of issue and you can apply it to many other situations.
Ok, lets take a step back.
1. We know you have Internet connectivity because you can ping Microsoft's web site.
2. Other devices using the same router continue to function ok, so it must be your computer.
3. You can't access websites from any browser approximately every 12 hours. How approximate is that? Do you work normally for 11 hours 59 mins and then lose connectivity or is it more random than that?
4. Is it only browsers that lose connectivity or do all TCP/IP applications lose it?
There are a few more things we can check...
We can reset the TCP/IP stack and that should clear any TCP issues you might have. Although ping works ok it doesn't use TCP (it uses ICMP) so you may still have a TCP issue. So, open up an elevated command prompt (so right-click and Run as Administrator) and enter the command "netsh int tcp reset" (without the quotes). The command should complete ok but you must then reboot, so do that. See whether that helps before we do anything else.
Assuming that doesn't help, when you lose browser connectivity open up any application that can check for updates on the Internet and then click the "Check for Updates" button. See whether that works whilst your browsers do not. If you have an email client (like Thunderbird) see whether that works when the browsers don't. I'm trying to establish whether your problem is a general TCP issue or just a browser issue.
It would also be worth opening up the Windows Task Manager and looking at all the active scheduled tasks to see whether you have one that runs every 12 hours. Also, there is a date and timestamp against each task that tells you when it last run, so see whether any task ran at the time you lost browser connectivity?
Also open up the Windows Event Log, although this can be tricky to read. What you're interested in are the Critical and Error sections, so expand each of those and see whether any errors were logged at the time you lost browser connectivity. If you find any take a screen image and post it up here.
If none of the above helps it would be worth stopping non-essential programs from starting with Windows, just in case it's one of those. How you do that depends on whether you're running Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 so if you let me know which I'll tell you how to do that.
The issue happen roughly after 12 hours, I first noticed it if I had left the PC on overnight but have since noticed that if I turn it on first thing it will drop out when I try to use it in the evening.
It looks as though only browers loose connection but I don't really use anything else (I can try a few bits in Lightroom next time it goes down).
I have reset the TCP as suggested and turned off unrequired start up (not all just yet), I will wait and see it this works and let you know.
Cheers
Neill
Everon
Enthusiast
Guys has anyone asked him to check his lease time through ipconfig /all? This sounds like a lease renewal issue to me.
Dont have time to post how to go through telling him how to change it in the router etc as im on phone in the car. Im sure one of you guys can go into more details to show him how to do it.
Cheers, Ever.
Dont have time to post how to go through telling him how to change it in the router etc as im on phone in the car. Im sure one of you guys can go into more details to show him how to do it.
Cheers, Ever.
Last edited:
ubuysa
The BSOD Doctor
The DHCP lease is a renewable lease, when 50% of the lease time is remaining the DHCP client (his computer) will contact the DHCP server that issued the IP config info (his router) and request a renewal of the lease. This will always be granted unless there is contention for IP addresses (i.e. the address pool is running low). That will never be an issue for a home user so DHCP lease time is a non issue. Good thinking though!
BTW. If the DHCP server that issued the lease does not respond the DHCP client will keep trying until 30% of the lease time remains and then it will broadcast the DHCP renew request looking for another DHCP server on the LAN that can renew the lease. DHCP is a very robust and flexible protocol.
OK the PC has now been working correctly for 20 hours! I will leave it until tomorrow then start turning things back on in the start up menu. I think (hope) it was the TCP reset that has resolved the issue.
I will contine to report back to confirm exacty what the result is.
Many thanks for everyones help.
I will contine to report back to confirm exacty what the result is.
Many thanks for everyones help.
ubuysa
The BSOD Doctor
In general (and for the future) it's wise when troubleshooting to change only one thing at a time. I understand you're trying to save time by resetting TCP and preventing startup programs at the same time, but the problem there is that you'll not be sure which one fixed it. It would have been better to reset TCP and then see whether it was fixed, only if it wasn't should you then try disabling startup items.
Anyway, fingers crossed that the TCP reset did the trick.
tysonsspero
New member
Hi there
First test router problem, if OK test PC
1. Check on PC open IE -> option -> Internet Options -> Connections -> Lan setting Uncheck all box.
2. Start -> Run -> CMD Ctrl + Shift + Enter, -> command: netsh int ip reset resetlog.txt enter
netsh winsock reset catalog -> enter
netsh firewall reset -> enter
Reset windows
First test router problem, if OK test PC
1. Check on PC open IE -> option -> Internet Options -> Connections -> Lan setting Uncheck all box.
2. Start -> Run -> CMD Ctrl + Shift + Enter, -> command: netsh int ip reset resetlog.txt enter
netsh winsock reset catalog -> enter
netsh firewall reset -> enter
Reset windows
In general (and for the future) it's wise when troubleshooting to change only one thing at a time. I understand you're trying to save time by resetting TCP and preventing startup programs at the same time, but the problem there is that you'll not be sure which one fixed it. It would have been better to reset TCP and then see whether it was fixed, only if it wasn't should you then try disabling startup items.
Anyway, fingers crossed that the TCP reset did the trick.
I totally agreed! My job used to supporting engineers diagnose faults on complex catering equipment and would always go one step at a time. I was just being impaitent.
Anyway the PC is still working so I have turned back on all the start up menu and will report back after 12 hours.