DNS error when browsing - very intermittent

[EdwardA]

Hi,

I connect to the Internet on my fairly standard Windows 2000 PC via an ADSL modem. It always connects first time, but recently browsing all websites has become problematic.

I see the old "Cannot find server or DNS Error" in IE6 frequently, but hit refresh a few times (perhaps 5 - 20 times) and the site loads. Once a site is loaded, browsing it is fine provided you stay within its domain. Move to another site, the chances are the error appears again, until you refresh a few times, then away you go again.

The same thing happens using Mozilla Firebird, so I don't think this is an IE problem.

I reported this to my ISP - they claim their DNS servers and there whole infrastructure is not at fault.

I have tried various other things - Flushing the DNS using Ipconfig, the WinsockFix.EXE util, reinstalling IE and Firebird. As far as I know I am well protected against Virus and Spy progs - also running he BlackICE firewall (which incidently, has no affect on the problem turned on or off).

I'm at my wit's end now... if anyone has any suggestions for my next steps, I'd very much appreciate your response.

Rgds.

Edward

 

[avilov]

it might be that 1st DNS server in your NIC config is dead or unresponsive.

you can check it with nslookup command
run ipconfig /all
and write down your DNS servers IP addresses

than at a DOS prompt run

nslookup

http://www.random.de

x.x.x.x

where:

http://www.random.de

<--random not so populr domain
and x.x.x.x is IP address of the server you want to test


it should take about a sec or 2 to resolve that name if it takes longer there is a problem somewhere on the path

sometimes ADSL modem serve as a DNS server. in that case you need to check that it still has valid DNS config

 

[GlenJohnson]

Have you checked for any error messages? How about the event logs? With W2K, there is usually a trail to follow. Good luck.

Glen A. Johnson
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