Vista - IE7, Skype and Live Messenger cannot access Internet!

I have a situation often when IE7, Skype and Live Messenger cannot connect to
the Internet (NB. Live Messenger reports a problem with Key Ports) yet Live
Mail, Firefox and Apple Safari can! IE7 can't even get out to my router IP
address to allow me to see if anything is wrong there. To get out of this I
either have to reboot my machine or reset the network adaptor but note that
not even these measures always work immediately. I'd really like to know what
the problem is and how I can solve it.

My setup is as follows:-

I have Vista Premium based PC connected via a Gigabit Ethernet cable to a
Netgear 802.11n Router that in turn is connected to a cable modem. I have
Mcafee Security Center running under Vista and Defender plus Vista firewalls
are turned off.

I have other PCs in house connected wirelessly to the router and they do not
have problems.

McAfee Security Centre has a firewall in it.

"NickT" wrote:

Yes it does Mick but I've checked it and all programs I have problem with are
donw as having Full Access. As the problem is only intermittent I can't see
that firewall settings would be a problem but could be wrong.

"Mick Murphy" wrote:

Mick,

I know it does but I've checked that product and all programs giving me
the problem have 'Full Access'. Also remember that this is an intermittent
problem which occurs several times a day. Nothing is changing in the firewall
settings between when all is working and when it is not.

"Mick Murphy" wrote: