Windows Xp Pro SP2 - problem with browsing and email

[KevinMCM]

After upgrading to Win XP Pro and SP2 I have a problem with the internet
connection being unavailble to the browser or email software after a
short time.

Single PC using an Alcatel SpeedTouch USB modem, latest drivers being
used as downloaded from Alcatel site.

Problem happens like this.

1) Dial up is not a problem, makes the connection every time

2) Browser connect to internet is not a problem but after a few pages I
get a 'page not found' as if there is no connection.

3) Checking with the modem diagnostic software it appears to be a still
active connection

4) Once the problem appears and I cant browse the only solution is to
close the connection and reconnect.

Same with email, if I connect and download mail its fine, do it again
and it cant find server, disconnect and reconnect solves it again.

Where do I begin? Is it a known problem?

Thank you,
Kevin.

 

[Ron Lowe]

After upgrading to Win XP Pro and SP2 I have a problem with the internet
connection being unavailble to the browser or email software after a short
time.

Single PC using an Alcatel SpeedTouch USB modem, latest drivers being used
as downloaded from Alcatel site.

Problem happens like this.

1) Dial up is not a problem, makes the connection every time

2) Browser connect to internet is not a problem but after a few pages I
get a 'page not found' as if there is no connection.

3) Checking with the modem diagnostic software it appears to be a still
active connection

4) Once the problem appears and I cant browse the only solution is to
close the connection and reconnect.

Same with email, if I connect and download mail its fine, do it again and
it cant find server, disconnect and reconnect solves it again.

Where do I begin? Is it a known problem?

Thank you,
Kevin.

There a few possibilities.

One is that your ISP's DNS servers are very poor ( do I smell BT in there
somewhere? ) and take a long time to respond to DNS name resolution queries.
This can cause XP to decide they are useless and stop using them.

For a test, go to Start | Run | services.msc, and disable DNS client
service.
That will stop XP getting bored waiting for your ISP's horrid laggy DNS
servers.

However, this is not SP-2 specific...

 

[KevinMCM]

There a few possibilities.

One is that your ISP's DNS servers are very poor ( do I smell BT in
there somewhere? ) and take a long time to respond to DNS name
resolution queries. This can cause XP to decide they are useless and
stop using them.

For a test, go to Start | Run | services.msc, and disable DNS client
service.
That will stop XP getting bored waiting for your ISP's horrid laggy DNS
servers.

However, this is not SP-2 specific...

Thanks Ron for your reply. Yes indeed it is a BT broadband connection.
Interesting point that you have made as the machine in question has
always suffered a poor connection, so even on the pre upgrade OS ( Win
98 SE ) it was never a fast browsing connection. BT did a line check as
it pointed towards their network as email connectivity to the BTClick
servers was noticeably poor, often failing then mysteriously working for
no reason.

Are there any side effects to disabling DNS client service?

Kevin.