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Unable to connect Internet - DNS error - Windows 7

Anonymous
2011-09-21T14:02:11+00:00

Hello,

I have a new (3 months old) Dell XPS Desktop Computer with Windows 7 (64-bit), the Motorola SBG6580 Wireless Modem/Gateway, and Comcast is my ISP.

My computer is connected to the modem with an Ethernet cord. I don't have anything unusual about the setup. I just plugged in my PC and it worked.

For the past three months everything was working fine. Then all of a sudden, as of last Friday I can no longer access the internet.

The Connection icon on the bottom right is showing that I'm plugged in, and every few minutes a yellow exclamation mark pops over it. Some websites open very, very slowly, some don't open at all, and other just give a straight up error that I'm not connected. It's weird - I can connect for the first few seconds when I re-start the computer, and the speed is extremely fast, and then all of a sudden I can't connect.

When I right-clicked on the connection icon to troubleshoots sometimes it says "The DNS isn't responding" and other times it can't detect any problem (but I still can't access any websites).

Now, I also have two game consoles connected with Ethernet cords to the modem and they're working fine - I can get online, play games, stream movies etc. My wife and I can also connect our iPhones over Wi-Fi, and I can also connect my laptop running Vista over Wi-Fi.

The problem is just the Windows 7 PC.

I've already googled the problem and tried every solution offered - I flushed and renewed the DNS using the ipconfig commands, I set the DNS manually but nothing seems to work!

Could this be a virus of some sort? I have McAfee running, and I performed a scan but it doesn't detect anything. My gut feeling is that there's a virus that's changing the DNS.

Any suggestion on how I can confirm, or what other steps I can take?

Thanks!

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Internet and connectivity

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-09-24T06:31:32+00:00

    Hello,

    Perform steps mentioned below and check if the issue persists.

    a:  Click on Start and then Control Panel.

    b: Go to Networking and sharing center and then click on Change adapter settings.

    c: Right click on Local Area Connection and choose properties.

    d:  Highlight Internet Protocol Version 6 and click on Properties.

    e: Choose Obtain DNS servers address automatically and press Ok.

    f: Choose Obtain IP address automatically.

    g:  Repeat the steps for Internet Protocol version 4 as well.

    Hope that helps.

    100+ people found this answer helpful.
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  1. Anonymous
    2015-05-08T07:46:39+00:00

    Try this

    It works every time for me

    TO REPAIR DNS error

    Start -  Search Programs and files

    Type 'Command Prompt'

    Right Click in the program file that appears above to run it as administrator.

    ipconfig /flushdns

    ipconfig /registerdns

    ipconfig /release

    ipconfig /renew

    7 people found this answer helpful.
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  2. Anonymous
    2013-03-16T02:32:48+00:00

    Hello,

    I also have this same issue. Nothing seems to fix it however disconnecting and reconnecting to the router works for a while then the problem starts again.

    I have found that going into Command Prompt (cmd in start-run) and typing 'ipconfig /flushdns' works the same as the above method of refreshing the connection. But neither way is a real fix, just temporary a work around.

    Also it doesn't happen to all sites and not always to the same sites... but my home page of www.google.co.nz seems prone to the issue.

    Any ideas why this is happening?

    Thanks in advance =)

    4 people found this answer helpful.
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  3. Anonymous
    2011-09-22T05:41:29+00:00

    Hello,

    Method 1 : Perform the steps mentioned below and check if the issue persists.

    a: Type “services.msc”(without quotes)  in the start search box and hit enter.

    b: Locate a service called DNS Client and double click to open it.

    c: Start the service and click apply and then ok.

    Method 2 : Perform the steps mentioned below and check if the issue occurs.

    a: Type “Network and Sharing Center”(without quotes)  in the start search box and hit enter.

    b: Click Local area Connection and then click properties.

    c: Now in the General tab highlight Internet Protocol(TCP/IP) and then click properties.

    d: Now in the General tab select the option Use the following DNS server addresses.

    e: In the  Preferred DNS Server and alternate DNS Server text box enter 4.2.2.1 and 4.2.2.2 and click ok.

    Also check the link mentione below.

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/help/wired-and-wireless-network-connection-problems-in-windows

    Hope that helps.

    4 people found this answer helpful.
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  4. Anonymous
    2011-09-23T13:51:17+00:00

    I appreciate the response but it didn't work. For method 1 it's showing that the service is already on. I tried to re-start it but it didn't make any difference.

    For method 2, it worked for a bit (as it usually does) but then it stopped working again.

    3 people found this answer helpful.
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