Odd problem!

On one of my PCs connected to a port on a router, opening any browser (FF, Opera, IE) and entering a URL such as Google UK it takes about 15/20 seconds to open the webpage. Thereafter the browser performs normally and pages open as expected.

On another PC on another port there is no problem. Both PCs XP, router Eidimax AR-7284WnA

Any suggestions please why one is slow

Updated flash, java, and plugins?

In reply to a post by camieabz:

Updated flash, java, and plugins?

What kind of an answer is that?

In reply to a post by camieabz:

Updated flash, java, and plugins?

I assume you are referring to FF? All up to date.

Does the same happen when you enter a raw IP into the address bar. For instance, google uk is 209.85.227.105

Yes, if anything Google's IP took longer. Also tried the IP for my router access, same result....very slow.

Is it something to do with any router settings regarding the LAN ports? My router has the default settings and but as I said, all is well with one of my PCs.

So not dns or ipv6. Does the same happen from a ubuntu live CD?

Haven't got an ubuntu live CD

http://www.ubuntu.com/

I realise it's probably a big step to take just to rule out your windows xp network configuration as the cause, especially when the other computer on you network seems to suggest that is the problem too. But it would be helpful to definitely rule out the router. Connect-on-demand would give you the same problems, but then the other computer would have it.

Does the problem extend right down to using ping at the command prompt?

Thinking about it, I do have a Linux Mint live CD

However, I have just connected my laptop to the other PCs wired LAN and that works perfectly ruling out a network problem? So I tried another network card in the PC and no difference. Conclusion, the problem lies inside that PC box somewhere. But where, an XP reload??!!

Some sites don't respond if using a newer version of flash or if the browser plugins aren't updated. I couldn't get youtube for a day or so until I sussed out that shockwave flash was a different version (and the browser plugin was affected).

Further thoughts! On Tuesday we had a sudden T-storm that actually blew a hole in my router and took the power out for a while. Now I suspect that it's blown a similar hole in that PC somewhere. My other PC obviously escaped.

In reply to a post by Andrew_W:

Further thoughts! On Tuesday we had a sudden T-storm that actually blew a hole in my router and took the power out for a while. Now I suspect that it's blown a similar hole in that PC somewhere. My other PC obviously escaped.

We had power surge some time ago, it blew the power supply in the PC and ALL the ethernet ports in the Zyxel router. You can connect to the router, but it is so slow that virtually nothing gets through.
As it happens the router works perfectly via WiFi connections !
So if anyone wants Zyxel 2602 ADSL2+, VoIP, lifeline, wireless only router, give me a shout....
Regards,
Martin

Thanks Martin for your comments!!

I've come to the conclusion that it's time to build another PC, not done it for a while and this one is a bit old

Check you haven't got "automatically detect settings" in your proxy settings.

Thanks but I haven't!

Further to my comments earlier, I had forgotten that the PC I am having problems with has another HD fitted but not connected. When I connected it back up I found that it has Win 98 on it!!!

However, 98 would run and when I connected online via the exact same motherboard/network setup as XP uses it ran OK with web pages opening instantly.

So, what does that tell me, XP is corrupted somewhere? I ran sfc /scannow with the original XP CD but no change. Next to an XP reload, is there anywhere else I could look or try an XP repair from the CD?

at a guess its a default gateway issue,
is the machine running dhcp?
what does ipconfig (from a command prompt) show?

Thanks for your reply.

Yes, DHCP enabled. ipconfig flashed up on the screen and vanished, it took several attempts to capture it to read it! As follows:

Connection specific DNS suffix edimax.com
IP Address 192.168.2.2
Subnet mask 255.255.255.0
Default gateway 192.168.2.1

My other PC that works OK is the same except the IP address ends in 3

those numbers all look right,
does the machine have (or previously had) any other networking devices,
for instance wifi or firewire?

the only other thing I can think is the network card goes to sleep, (maybe in a power setting option)

No, never had anything other than wired LAN and it's not set to go to sleep!

Do you have anything filtering packet or HTTP data? Protowall, 3rd party firewalls, antivirus, etc? Tbbmeter? Anything which may be related.

Might be worth uninstalling and reinstalling the NIC drivers..

Edited by Pipexer (Fri 08-Jul-11 17:30:24)

All settings on the problem PC are identical to the one that works OK. And yes, have uninstalled and reinstalled NIC drivers.

I have even tried System Restore back way beyond the time this problem started and "no changes were made"

Edit: Winsockfix!! Problem solved

Edited by Andrew_W (Fri 08-Jul-11 20:24:45)

one last suggestion:
have you changed the network cable, (and router port that it goes to) ?

edit:
just seen your edit that it works now

Edited by ggremlin (Fri 08-Jul-11 20:36:14)

You missed my edit in my last post, Winsockfix fixed it!!