A REALLY strange problem - for experts only.

L

lemel_man

I have a friend running XP Pro+SP3 on a laptop. She connects to the net
via a 3G modem (made by Huawei) that plugs into a USB port.
All was fine for almost a year, but about 6 weeks ago the problem
occurred. She cannot access 3 websites: Google, eBay, and MSN Hotmail.
She can access all other sites she's tried, but not these 3. She's tried
IE and Firefox, but gets the same with either one.
I've tried unplugging the 3G modem and connecting wirelessly via my ADSL
router, and that works fine. She took the modem back to where she bought
it; they tried it out on another machine, it worked fine and she was
able to access those 3 sites.
I installed the latest firmware to the modem, complete with the latest
driver, the problem remains.
She is using McAfee for protection.
The only thing she can think of that changed about 6 weeks ago was the
upgrading to SP3.

Does anybody have any ideas as to how to fix it? Could it be SP3? Is it
possible to remove SP3?

Like I said: a REALLY strange problem!
 
D

dadiOH

lemel_man said:
I have a friend running XP Pro+SP3 on a laptop. She connects to the
net via a 3G modem (made by Huawei) that plugs into a USB port.
All was fine for almost a year, but about 6 weeks ago the problem
occurred. She cannot access 3 websites: Google, eBay, and MSN Hotmail.
She can access all other sites she's tried, but not these 3. She's
tried IE and Firefox, but gets the same with either one.
I've tried unplugging the 3G modem and connecting wirelessly via my
ADSL router, and that works fine. She took the modem back to where
she bought it; they tried it out on another machine, it worked fine
and she was able to access those 3 sites.
I installed the latest firmware to the modem, complete with the latest
driver, the problem remains.
She is using McAfee for protection.
The only thing she can think of that changed about 6 weeks ago was the
upgrading to SP3.

Will the pages load if the AV is turned off? Are they listed in the hosts
file?

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
 
L

lemel_man

dadiOH said:
snip...

Will the pages load if the AV is turned off? Are they listed in the hosts
file?

After checking that it worked when connected via ADSL, I didn't try
turning the Firewall off. Is the AV or Firewall action dependant on the
modem used?
 
T

Tom Willett

Define "experts".

:I have a friend running XP Pro+SP3 on a laptop. She connects to the net
: via a 3G modem (made by Huawei) that plugs into a USB port.
: All was fine for almost a year, but about 6 weeks ago the problem
: occurred. She cannot access 3 websites: Google, eBay, and MSN Hotmail.
: She can access all other sites she's tried, but not these 3. She's tried
: IE and Firefox, but gets the same with either one.
: I've tried unplugging the 3G modem and connecting wirelessly via my ADSL
: router, and that works fine. She took the modem back to where she bought
: it; they tried it out on another machine, it worked fine and she was
: able to access those 3 sites.
: I installed the latest firmware to the modem, complete with the latest
: driver, the problem remains.
: She is using McAfee for protection.
: The only thing she can think of that changed about 6 weeks ago was the
: upgrading to SP3.
:
: Does anybody have any ideas as to how to fix it? Could it be SP3? Is it
: possible to remove SP3?
:
: Like I said: a REALLY strange problem!
:
: --
: Regards, Gary Wooding
: (To reply by email, change gug to goog in my address)
 
B

Bennett Marco

lemel_man said:
After checking that it worked when connected via ADSL, I didn't try
turning the Firewall off. Is the AV or Firewall action dependant on the
modem used?

Forget about the modem. It is NOT the problem.
 
J

Jose

I have a friend running XP Pro+SP3 on a laptop. She connects to the net
via a 3G modem (made by Huawei) that plugs into a USB port.
All was fine for almost a year, but about 6 weeks ago the problem
occurred. She cannot access 3 websites: Google, eBay, and MSN Hotmail.
She can access all other sites she's tried, but not these 3. She's tried
IE and Firefox, but gets the same with either one.
I've tried unplugging the 3G modem and connecting wirelessly via my ADSL
router, and that works fine. She took the modem back to where she bought
it; they tried it out on another machine, it worked fine and she was
able to access those 3 sites.
I installed the latest firmware to the modem, complete with the latest
driver, the problem remains.
She is using McAfee for protection.
The only thing she can think of that changed about 6 weeks ago was the
upgrading to SP3.

Does anybody have any ideas as to how to fix it? Could it be SP3? Is it
possible to remove SP3?

Like I said: a REALLY strange problem!

Oh, snap. I will respond anyway.

You said:

....about 6 weeks ago the problem occurred. She cannot access 3
websites: Google, eBay, and MSN Hotmail. She can access all other
sites she's tried, but not these 3. She's tried IE and Firefox, but
gets the same with either one.

What does "the same" mean?

My crystal ball took the day off - again.
 
D

David

Try checking your dial up networking connections that are attached to the
modem.

Perhaps some malware or something has changed one of the properties of the
modem. I have just had a look for proxy, but can't see it there... however,
if you look in internet options in control panel, then select connections,
then select the modem, check settings there as well.

--
Best regards,
Dave Colliver.
http://www.AshfieldFOCUS.com
~~
http://www.FOCUSPortals.com - Local franchises available
 
G

George

I have a friend running XP Pro+SP3 on a laptop. She connects to the
net
via a 3G modem (made by Huawei) that plugs into a USB port.
All was fine for almost a year, but about 6 weeks ago the problem
occurred. She cannot access 3 websites: Google, eBay, and MSN Hotmail.
She can access all other sites she's tried, but not these 3. She's
tried
IE and Firefox, but gets the same with either one.
I've tried unplugging the 3G modem and connecting wirelessly via my
ADSL
router, and that works fine. She took the modem back to where she
bought
it; they tried it out on another machine, it worked fine and she was
able to access those 3 sites.
I installed the latest firmware to the modem, complete with the latest
driver, the problem remains.
She is using McAfee for protection.
The only thing she can think of that changed about 6 weeks ago was the
upgrading to SP3.

Does anybody have any ideas as to how to fix it? Could it be SP3? Is
it
possible to remove SP3?

Like I said: a REALLY strange problem!

Oh, snap. I will respond anyway.

You said:

....about 6 weeks ago the problem occurred. She cannot access 3
websites: Google, eBay, and MSN Hotmail. She can access all other
sites she's tried, but not these 3. She's tried IE and Firefox, but
gets the same with either one.

What does "the same" mean?

My crystal ball took the day off - again.


I think that ball on the top of your neck took the day off too!! :)
 
J

Jose

Oh, snap.  I will respond anyway.

You said:

...about 6 weeks ago the problem occurred.  She cannot access 3
websites: Google, eBay, and MSN Hotmail.  She can access all other
sites she's tried, but not these 3. She's tried IE and Firefox, but
gets the same with either one.

What does "the same" mean?

My crystal ball took the day off - again.

I think that ball on the top of your neck took the day off too!!  :)

Yeah, well - I'm trying to be sub-tul.

Here we are eight posts along and all I seem to know for sure is that
the problem is really strange...

!
 
L

lemel_man

Jose said:
You said:

...about 6 weeks ago the problem occurred. She cannot access 3
websites: Google, eBay, and MSN Hotmail. She can access all other
sites she's tried, but not these 3. She's tried IE and Firefox, but
gets the same with either one.

What does "the same" mean?

My crystal ball took the day off - again.
Sorry, I assumed, obviously incorrectly, that an expert would understand.
Try reading 'but gets the same with' as 'but gets the same RESULT with'.
 
J

Jose

Sorry, I assumed, obviously incorrectly, that an expert would understand.
Try reading 'but gets the same with' as 'but gets the same RESULT with'.

The question is not about getting the same result using IE or Firefox
when trying to connect to Google, eBay and MSN Hotmail.

So far I read about: the problem, the same and now, the same result.

The question is - what is the "result" thing?
 
U

Unknown

Check your security settings in Internet options and firewall. Are you using
two firewalls?
 
J

Johnny Fosse

lemel_man said:
OK, an 'ex' is a 'has been' and a 'spurt' is a 'drip under pressure'.
The 's' suffix denotes 'plural'.
and...


Sorry, I assumed, obviously incorrectly, that an expert would understand.

You'll get all the help smartassed comments like that deserve, bozo.
 
M

Mark Adams

Jose said:
The question is not about getting the same result using IE or Firefox
when trying to connect to Google, eBay and MSN Hotmail.

So far I read about: the problem, the same and now, the same result.

The question is - what is the "result" thing?

Geeeze, Jose. I think he means the computer cannot access Google, eBay, or
MSN Hotmail with either IE or Firefox. Thus, "the result of using either
browser is the same". No Google, eBay, or MSN Hotmail on either browser.
 
T

Twayne

lemel_man said:
I have a friend running XP Pro+SP3 on a laptop. She connects to the
net via a 3G modem (made by Huawei) that plugs into a USB port.
All was fine for almost a year, but about 6 weeks ago the problem
occurred. She cannot access 3 websites: Google, eBay, and MSN Hotmail.
She can access all other sites she's tried, but not these 3. She's
tried IE and Firefox, but gets the same with either one.
I've tried unplugging the 3G modem and connecting wirelessly via my
ADSL router, and that works fine. She took the modem back to where
she bought it; they tried it out on another machine, it worked fine
and she was able to access those 3 sites.
I installed the latest firmware to the modem, complete with the latest
driver, the problem remains.
She is using McAfee for protection.
The only thing she can think of that changed about 6 weeks ago was the
upgrading to SP3.

Does anybody have any ideas as to how to fix it? Could it be SP3? Is
it possible to remove SP3?

Like I said: a REALLY strange problem!

Check the HOSTS file; could be an infection.

Firewall? I heard one last week where the firewall mysteriously did
come blocking after SP3. Just a rumor though. Could try rolling back
SP3 (Add or Remove Programs - Show updates)

HTH,

Twayne`
 

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