Can't Access Certain Web Pages

[Steady Teddy]

I'm running XP Pro and Win 98 on a dual boot system. My default browser for XP is of course IE 6.0 and IE 5.5 for 98.
I cannot access some web pages/sights from either of the two browsers and I'm trying to determine what could be the cause of it.
I KNOW that the web sights I'm trying to connect to are NOT dead links. For instance, I've been trying to download an update for a game that I own off the publisher's (EA Sports.com) web sight. I can access the home page but when I try to open some windows from the main page, I get a blank screen or a "this page cannot be displayed" window. I've contacted EA and they said that there is nothing wrong from their end. I know this to be true because I've posted my problem in a thread for a gaming forum that I frequent and no one else is having any trouble accessing pages from this sight.

So i suspect it must be either my Internet Options settings or perhaps my ISP. I followed all the instructions from another thread in this forum since it appeared that individual was having a similiar problem: http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.p...threadid=32223

The directions given in that thread did not solve my problem. So then I suspected the problem might be from my ISP (Comcast Cable Modem service). I have a friend who also has service from Comcast. I asked him to try accessing the same web sight and he was getting a blank page as well. I've contacted Comcast repeatedly and have been told that they do not block access to any web sight(s).

My LAN connection settings for TCP/IP are "Obtain IP address automatically" and "Obtain DNS Server address automatically"
Comcast will not give me the DNS Server address in order for me to change these settings manually. I know what my IP address is but how can I determine my DNS Server if Comcast refuses to give me that info?


I'm not sure if setting my IP Address manually will solve my problem anyway but I'm willing to try anything.

I think the pages I'm having trouble with are Javascript. I've installed the Microsoft VM from Windows updates and have all three Java options (Java Console, Java Logging, JIT Compiler) enabled.
Is there a way for me to determine if it is indeed a problem with Java??

I've also been told that I could have a corrupt browser but I have a clean install of XP Pro and I had the same problem with XP Home edition and Win 98.

What else can I check for?? The fact that my freind (with Comcast service) cannot access these pages either keeps getting me back to thinking that there's a problem with the way my ISP connects.
It doesn't matter if I have my Firewall or Antivirus disabled, I still can't connect to these sights.


I will appreciate any help you could provide.

Thanks in advance.

[BFD Deadeye]

The likelihood of both of your browsers in seperate OSes being corrupt are pretty slim. I would blame the ISP at this point.

[mairving]

The first thing that I would try is to see if you can access the site via IP address. You can find the IP address by pinging the site. If you can access it by IP address, then more than likely it is a DNS (ISP) issue.

[Steady Teddy]

Originally posted by mairving The first thing that I would try is to see if you can access the site via IP address. You can find the IP address by pinging the site. If you can access it by IP address, then more than likely it is a DNS (ISP) issue.

I tried pinging the web sight using fifi.org

These are the results when I enter the name of the web sight in the "host name" window:

"Ping returned an error

Formatting failed

PING 193.12.120.248 (193.12.120.248): 56 data bytes

--- 193.12.120.248 ping statistics ---
1 packets transmitted, 0 packets received, 100% packet loss"

The particular web sight I'm trying to access is: www.easportsf1.com

Like I said, I know that there's nothing wrong with the web sight.

I tried accessing the web sight with the IP address given (123.12.120.248) and get a page telling me "Can't find your address". This is the first time I've ever tried pinging a web sight. Can someone tell me exactly what the information given above means? Is the information given from fifi saying that the web sight can't be found?

Since I can't even access the sight with the IP address (if that is indeed the correct IP address), does that mean that my ISP is NOT to blame??



Thanks again!

[Statica]

To check the DNS server addresses run ipconfig/all from a command prompt.

Also when in doubt, run a cross reference on a website that you cant get to:
you could do a series of tests like (as an example pcmech.com):
1) open up a command prompt and type (in XP)
nslookup www.pcmech.com
you should get the address associated with somesite.com
2) go to a site that will let you ping or trace like for example
http://www.above.net/cgi-bin/trace?www.pcmech.com
or go to visualware.com and run a demo trace;
if you can get results from other places but cant get on your computer, its likely time to get on the fone with them

[Statica]

Just read your post:
remember packet loss is NOT indicative of whether the site is functioning or not. I get a 100% packet loss, but can get to the website .. indicative of a good firewall.

[Statica]

Do you have the proxy server configured? Are you running any firewalls? how abt XP firewalling? Anything at all that might be impeding your surfing. Another way to check whether a site might be down, try loading it up using a webtranslation program, like the one at google and see if it works

[Steady Teddy]

In my Internet Properties/LAN Settings, the box next to "Use a Proxy Server for you LAN" is UNchecked.
I still can't access the sight with the Firewall turned off.

I tried nslookup in the command Prompt. It gave me an IP address ( the same one from my previous thread- 193.12.120.248) but it also says :
"Non-authoritatvive answer"

It also gives me the same response for web sights that I CAN access.

So what does "Non -authoritative answer" mean??

Comcast keeps telling me the same thing: "it's not our fault".

[aeroman10]

On your computer search for a file named Hosts
It doesnt have any extensions so its just named Hosts
Open up that file up with Notepad and delete all references to the webpages that do not work if they are in there.
You can also completely empty the whole entire document and save it.
Hope that fixes your problem.

Steve
http://www.webzila.com
Free pc tech support.

[Steady Teddy]

Originally posted by aeroman10 On your computer search for a file named Hosts It doesnt have any extensions so its just named Hosts Open up that file up with Notepad and delete all references to the webpages that do not work if they are in there. You can also completely empty the whole entire document and save it. Hope that fixes your problem. Steve http://www.webzila.com Free pc tech support.

Steve,
This is what's in my "Hosts" file:
# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host

127.0.0.1 localhost


Are you saying that I should delete "127.0.0.1" if it does not work??

[aeroman10]

What you posted is a sample hosts file (hosts.sam)
The one I was referring to doesnt have any extension.
You might not have it on your pc. If you dont then my solution will not work.