Peculiar Internet Issue

JasmineWarrior · Aug 9, 2009

For the past few months I have been suffering from an unusual internet issue, and I have attempted a wide variety of solutions in an effort to remedy the problem, but so far they have been to no avail.

Basically, after a certain period of time browsing (anywhere from 1-5 hours) I am unable to access the internet with any browser. (I have tried Chrome, IE, Firefox)

All other functions which require internet access (messenger, windows update, ect.) still seem to operate properly, and as far as the windows networking diagnostics are concerned any issues with, for example, connecting to a webpage through a browser are server side only, which is clearly not the case. I am even unable to access my router or another networked computer, as the browser simply returns the same error as it does when attempting to connect to any other webpage.

I have tried multiple solutions, everything from clearing all relevant browser data to fully reinstalling my networking drivers multiple times, but still the problem persists. I have disabled all non Microsoft services and all unnecessary startup applications, even run in safe mode until again the problem arose. I have discovered that if I run in Splashtop (mini Linux OS) the issue does not arise, and no other computer on the network seems affected in any way. As previously mentioned, all browsers I have used produce the same error. (Something along the lines of "Unknown Error") This leads me to believe that it is an issue with windows.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

griffinia · Aug 12, 2009

I have had the exact same problem on on 2 new machines running Vista 32 bit and 64bit respectively. You are not alone - run a Google search on the issue and you will get hundreds of similar posts on various forums. I tried several of the suggested fixes passed along by users and none worked. Last night, I installed SP 2 on the 64bit OS plus a new driver for my Realtek network adapter and not only did this problem seem to abate - but the long startups and shutdowns that occurred after installing all of the updates between SP1 and 2 also ended. I am not 100% sure that the browser problem is actually gone, since it would occur anywhere between 5 and 40 minutes after starting a session, but I suspect so.

Interestingly, most of the posts on this subject around the net are from before 2008, so I suspect that SP2 may have finally ended the problem for many people.

Aside: Firefox 3.5 is really broken for Vista, esp. 64 bit, so I have switched to IE 8 until Mozilla gets it together.

Let us all hope Windows 7 obviates the curse of Vista.

JasmineWarrior · Aug 12, 2009

I recall "repairing" the problem for a month or two quite a while back, and I believe that was due to reinstalling the network adapter drivers as you suggested, but for some reason the problem resurfaced. Sadly whatever causes this problem (if it indeed runs out of the same roots) seems to run deeper, as one of the first things I attempted was reinstalling my adapter drivers.

If necessary (and it looks as if it may very well be so) I can wait until the end of October for 7's release, but it is still an immense inconvenience. I too also hope 7 suffers from none of Vistas issues, as I have been using windows for years and (until vista) have found it a good deal more intuitive and useful than other OS's.

griffinia · Aug 12, 2009

Well, IE8 did it to me tonight after about 40 minutes. What a pain.

griffinia · Aug 13, 2009

Jasmine,

I found thus recent suggestion here:

Internet browser stops working regularly - Tech Support Guy Forums

and did it yesterday right before I shut down. Still too early to tell if it solves the problem, but it did not cause any weird behavior so far.

On the page that the link takes you, scroll down to TerryNet's reply post of August 10, 2009.

JasmineWarrior · Aug 14, 2009

Thank you, I shall try this and see if functionality is restored

edilee012 · Aug 16, 2009

griffinia said:
Jasmine,

I found thus recent suggestion here:

Internet browser stops working regularly - Tech Support Guy Forums

and did it yesterday right before I shut down. Still too early to tell if it solves the problem, but it did not cause any weird behavior so far.

On the page that the link takes you, scroll down to TerryNet's reply post of August 10, 2009.

Ok after 2 months of the same problems I tried this and after a very few limited minutes I can tell my web browsing is much faster. I will know by the end of the night if my problem was fixed by this since it presents itself very oftem when I am browsing sites.

If you have this same issue do the method described in the link and I will update a little later if this in fact has worked for me if so then this needs to be made a permalink by an administrator since I have seen this same problem mentioned in so many posts described in different ways.

JasmineWarrior · Aug 17, 2009

I attempted the fix a few days ago, and after a successful restart and a few hours browsing, I have found the issue is still not resolved, although it has at the very least diminished significantly. There was also a noticeable speed increase, and even though it does not seem to have fully repaired the problem it has at the very least diminished it.

For this I am grateful, although a more complete fix is still something I would greatly appreciate.

edilee012 · Aug 17, 2009

edilee012 said:
griffinia said:

Jasmine,

I found thus recent suggestion here:

Internet browser stops working regularly - Tech Support Guy Forums

and did it yesterday right before I shut down. Still too early to tell if it solves the problem, but it did not cause any weird behavior so far.

On the page that the link takes you, scroll down to TerryNet's reply post of August 10, 2009.

Click to expand...

Ok after 2 months of the same problems I tried this and after a very few limited minutes I can tell my web browsing is much faster. I will know by the end of the night if my problem was fixed by this since it presents itself very oftem when I am browsing sites.

If you have this same issue do the method described in the link and I will update a little later if this in fact has worked for me if so then this needs to be made a permalink by an administrator since I have seen this same problem mentioned in so many posts described in different ways.

Ok after browsing last night and a little bit today I will have to agree with jasmin that this diminishes the problem a little bit but something is still not right. Now I get random IE8 slow starts and if it opens slow the browsing is also slow for that session. If it opens normal browsing is normal for that session but I have yet to experiences total loss of connection with my network connection icon in the tab showing connected as wells as my modem and router.

I have sent feedback to MS and do the error reports when the option is there so maybe a fix will be presented soon!!

griffinia · Aug 17, 2009

Same news here, but another "solution" to try

I also found that the issue had not disappeared since I followed TerryNet's advice. Hard for me to say whether I have seen an increase in browser speed - my new desktop smokes compared to my old one anyway. I did, however, find yet another fix, and applied that yesterday. So far (knock on wood), I have uninterrupted browsing.

What kills me is that despite reams of web posts detailing this or similar issues with Vista since its inauspicious debut, Microsoft has barely weighed in on the problem (like we should be surprised :sleep:?).

edilee012 · Aug 17, 2009

griffinia said:
I also found that the issue had not disappeared since I followed TerryNet's advice. Hard for me to say whether I have seen an increase in browser speed - my new desktop smokes compared to my old one anyway. I did, however, find yet another fix, and applied that yesterday. So far (knock on wood), I have uninterrupted browsing.

What kills me is that despite reams of web posts detailing this or similar issues with Vista since its inauspicious debut, Microsoft has barely weighed in on the problem (like we should be surprised :sleep:?).

OMG unbelievable! A while back I think and I stress the word "THINK" I disabled the autotuning feature via the tutorial on this site....not totally sure I actually did it but it was set to "highly restricted". I did exactly what this guys link said to do but I enabled my autotuning by setting it to "normal" and also noticed my chimney offload was disabled when it was suppose to be enabled by default and I am positive I did not change that.

To make a long story short...it appears to be fixed!!!!!! I browsed solid opening many many sites and not one lock up and pages seem to load faster and browsing seems to be back to what it was a few months back. I highly recommend looking at those settings to make sure you are set to exactly what they show in that link with either autotuning enabled or disabled. Worked great for me!!! I can browse again!!

griffinia · Aug 18, 2009

Me, too

Edi,

I had the exact same experience as you did - the settings in that area were as you described (highly restricted) and the chimney setting was disabled. I changed to the settings as described in that link I posted and had nary a problem yesterday. So, I, too, am hopeful the nightmare is over.

edilee012 · Aug 18, 2009

griffinia said:
Edi,

I had the exact same experience as you did - the settings in that area were as you described (highly restricted) and the chimney setting was disabled. I changed to the settings as described in that link I posted and had nary a problem yesterday. So, I, too, am hopeful the nightmare is over.

Mine popped back tonight and was worse than ever so I reset my modem and router and all is good since then. A wierd thing that happened also is in one o fthe interuptions tonight that were a few minutes apart another PC connected to the router lost connection...hmm...I am stumped now. The router was already replaced because I thought it was the culprit...maybe the resetting of both will yield better results.

JasmineWarrior · Aug 18, 2009

It appeared to work fine for roughly 24 hours on my end as well, however now the issue has returned, as bad as ever. I too fail to understand why this is, I am unsure of how such a problem as this has yet to be repaired by MS.

griffinia · Aug 19, 2009

Maybe it is our routers?

I think the usual scenario in things like this is MS says "it's a third party hardware problem thus we don't need to deal with it." Maybe it is our routers - I installed the latest firmware for my Linksys WRTG54s, thinking maybe this was the problem, but the halts continued. Some posts in various places have suggested that DCHP is the problem and to use a fixed IP for all machines connected to the router. Well, if it is a DCHP problem, the problem seems to lie in Vista, thus MS has no excuse. I like DCHP for the slight degree of increased security it provides, but maybe it is time to assign fixed IPs to all of the nodes on my home network.

Or else just wait for Windows7 ...

Or get a new router .... :mad:

JasmineWarrior · Aug 20, 2009

I already use a fixed IP for my machine, and I have another running Vista that has so far not suffered from this issue at all, so clearly it is not my router. If I can also run my internet indefinitely on this machine under another operating system, then I think it becomes quite clear that the issue must involve Vista in some way, regardless of what Microsoft says.

griffinia · Aug 22, 2009

One more fix...

Last night I labored throough another forum (sorry - I can't find the link today) about this, our favorite Vista bug. All 35 pages of posts. As I moved into 2009, more and more people began to implicate Avast anti-virus and/or Zone Alarm as the culprit(s). Some solved the problem by just disabling the Avast Web Shield. A number of people said they uninstalled both and moved to Comodo Internet Security, a free integrated firewall & anti-virus solution. So I did the same. I will let you know how it goes.

griffinia · Aug 22, 2009

So far, one hour of uninterrupted browsing with Firefox 3.5.2 which usually quit in 5-10 minutes before I swapped Avast and Zone Alarm for Comodo!

JasmineWarrior · Aug 24, 2009

I completed this fix yesterday, and much to my surprise it seems (after a solid 6 hours online) to have repaired the internet issue entirely. I dearly hope it remains this way, but I have not seen anything so promising yet.

griffinia · Aug 24, 2009

JasmineWarrior said:
I completed this fix yesterday, and much to my surprise it seems (after a solid 6 hours online) to have repaired the internet issue entirely. I dearly hope it remains this way, but I have not seen anything so promising yet.

Same here.

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