Browsers not resolving DNS?

This has been bugging me for days now, so like a typical man I'm going to reluctantly ask for directions. I have a Dell Dimension Desktop pc that is driving me slowly mad.

When the PC starts up it connects to the network and all seems fine. Open up IE and try to go to www.google.co.uk or any other website and it comes back with cannot display the webpage and occationally DNS not found. So I have tried using the IP addresses to connect. Same issue. So, into cmd prompt and ping google.co.uk reply 209.85.229.104 ok.. so ipconfig /all reports back correct ips for dhcp dns and default gatewaymac address is NOT FF:FF:FF etc

Tried Netsh winsock and ip int resets reboot no change tried WinxpWinsock reset application, same result. tries Safari and firefox same results.

HOWEVER, if I then pull out the Ethernet cable and plug it in (even just briefly) normal service is resumed... Until the next reboot. I have tried more things on this machine than I care to mention but here is a quick list:
Combofix (from safemode with /killall switch)
Malwarebytes
Superanti spyware
various Winsock and IP interface resets
reset windows fire wall
reset of IE from internet options (although all browsers are showing same result anyway)

So... Which tiny thread of a forum have I missed?

Please help, I really hate doing Format and Reinstalls... It makes me feel like a PC World Tech.

 

Hi friend it seems your computer have DNS issues. Your computer seems able to respond to the IP address of Google but not the domain name.


You can fix it by setting preferred DNS address to open dns or Google dns. Try the following DNS address for your preferred DNS and alternate DNS.

208.67.220.220

8.8.8.8


Some times you may need to restart your computer. Good luck

 

This doesn't appear to be the case, even after flushing Dns I can still ping by url and it will resolve to the ip. It just seems to be when the browsers do a look up it fails to open the webpage. I'm just going to experiment with making a local http request inside our network, So after reboot.... nothing can't connect. Ping the servers Host name resolves IP, try again to connect to webpage with hostname and ip, still nothing. Unplugged and replug ethernet (out for tops half a sec) suddenly its all working as expected.

 

Anyway I recommend you to set the above dns server address in your computer and check the result.

BTW can you go online by typing the IP address on the browser address bar instead the url ?

 

I have tried putting the dns ips as you suggested but no change. The machine IS resolving ips via DNS but the browsers fail to open webpages as if port 80 were blocked. However there is no third party firewall on it and windows firewall is currently disabled (I had also reset it to windows defaults previously). As I had put in my original posting I did try accessing webpages via the IP addesses ( i tried google.co.uk, microsoft and bbc.co.uk) all of which failed to open in exactly the same way. The only relief to this problem remains to unplug and replug the rj45.

All other pcs on our network behave normally, our dns server reports no errors and even when dns cache has been cleared from our local dns server it does seem to be making requests as the cache shows the entries.

I have found a post with a similar circumstance that pointed towards bitdefender but to my knowledge this ISN'T installed. However, thats not to say it hadn't been. Is there anyway to check for uninstalled components?

Also after talking with the user, they had installed norton at some point but uninstalled it, could this be trying to firewall connections?

 

OK, I feel some programs (mysterious ) are blocking your browsers but I am confused as right after you unplugg and reconnect the Ethernet cable (RJ45) it works !!!


Any way please try the following things:

1. Try to go online from safe mode with networking

2. Perform a clean boot and try to go online (make sure Adapter is enabled)

Other steps:

1. Try to change your current Ethernet cable with a new one

2. If you have another LAN port please connect Ethernet cable to that port

3. Try to use a different port in Switch/router

 

OK had another go at this today. The problem appears to be JUST port 80 connections. I just successfully connected to a https site and I can access our server shares. I have also tried today removing IP Protocol (via a fairly easy process gathered from another website) re-done winsock fixes and run LSPFix, all still to no avail. Tomorrow unless I have any last thoughts from anyone, I shall just ghost the machine and rebuild XP from Scratch as its either that or the machine is going for a visit to Mr Ground Via our workshop window. It looks like something of dubious nature is lurking on the machines registry or other such location and stopping any http connection. Any Final thoughts? Have I missed something??