Windows 7: IE8 Cannot display webpage -Random error help please

Hi,
I reported on this problem some time ago in the Browser forum and i thought i had cured it by restarting my modem and the router but it seems the problem "creeps" back.

My set-up is a virgin media broadband connection to one of their modems, which then has a 20m CAT5E running outside the house to the Router (also supplied by VM).
My desktop PC is cat5'd to the router which are close together.
I've had this set-up for sometime now and never experience problems when my desktop was running XP and IE7. I also have a laptop running XP, IE7 and AVG free which uses the wireless connection and does not suffer any connection problems at all.

My desktop is now running Windows 7 32bit and IE8 with Kapersky Internet Security 2010. ( I have also tried AVG free before kapersky and also tried firefox).

When i remove power from the modem and router and re-start them, the problem seems to be fixed but then by the end of the week, i am experiancing the problem again on random websites, some work, some seem to time-out and give the error message.
If I click on the "Diagnose Connection Problems" Windows 7 goes through its motions but tells me the problem could not be identified. Then when I close the troubleshooter, IE8 seems to do a refresh and the page i wanted displays just fine.
I cant work out whats going on.
I have tried replacing the 2m cat5 between PC and router with no effect.

Any ideas please?

Have you tried using a different browser, to see if the problem persists?

You said which then has a 20m CAT5E running outside the house to the Router. How long is the run? Perhaps the length is causing the problem?

As stated, the run is 20m (20 Metres). This run provides the feed between the modem and the router. I questioned this myself but the router of course provides for the wirless connection which my laptop has no trouble with.
From research on the net 20m is no problem for Cat5 cable so long as it is not run parallel to power lines or at least be sheilded by being in a conduit. I would have thought that if the 20m run is a problem, then the wirless output from the router would also suffer as well as any "hardwired" equipment coming off it such as my desktop.

As stated, I tried using Firefox. Forgot to mention though that I also tried Google Chrome. To my suprise, they both displayed exactly the same symptoms.

The easiest way to see if the CAT5 cable is the problem is to replace it, though it probably is not the problem since wireless off the router works okay as you said.

Still, if it were me, I'd replace it or at least run another cable inside the house to test with for awhile, see what happens.

i have this same problem

Im running 50mb virgin media
2m ethernet cable direct to the modem

The problem isnt the cables it is somthing to do with virgin and windows7 imo i just dont know what yet

Using firefox ect does not fix the problem either

The cable length can't be the problem.
10BaseT as well as 100BaseTX allow for segment lenghts up to 100 m (328 ft.). Then you slap on a repeater and can go another 100m

Since the symptoms are identical, no matter what browser you use
it's more likely either the tcp-stack or the hardware.
I found something that might help you (freezes with Virgin mobile are more common than one should think)
perhaps it works for you, too

Good luck
-DG

Well Cupra,
In a way I'm glad someone else has the same problem. Does yours cure itself for a day or two if you restart the modem (ie disconnect power)?? I have subscribed to this post so I can see if anyone makes any progress.

SledgeDG,
Thanks for the advice, not sure what you mean by "Freezes". What were your symptoms?
For me, browsing the web works well 70 to 80% of the time on a weekly basis but then on another day it will seem to take ages to load some web pages, but not all, or it might time out with the "diagnose connection problems" being displayed. I then re-start the modem and router and it goes back to normal.

I don't like messing with such settings unless I know what it does or I know I can go back if it makes things worse. (mmm!!, Maybe system restore point before I try what you suggested)

Freezes in this context seems to mean the connection itself becomes unresponsive.
As I wrote, I found that solution when I checked the virgin mobile broadband forum
A restore point can't hurt anything. All what that tip does is reset the Internet Explorer settings.
But on second thought...since a hard reset of the modem (pull the plug) rectifies the situation, there is a good chance that the modem itself is the culprit.
I had a similar situation a few weeks ago when the hard reset didn't work anymore . So after exhausting all of my options I called my cable provider and the techie came out, ultimately exchanging the cable modem.
Perhaps you should try that too...since you pay them, they should as well see to it that their end of the deal is working as expected

-DG

Hi byngo,

Do you have the latest router's firmware? You may find this out from the manufacturer's site.