Why can I not access certain web sites?

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I would find the LATEST hosts file (START>SEARCH (enter HOSTS). When you are done searching open this in NOTEPAD. (Right click>open with) -or- click on it normally and choose notepad from the list of programs offered.

If there is more than one HOSTS file(likely) then open the latest one. (if you don't know which is the latest...make sure that you have "date modified" as one of your search results columns.

After opening...Look at EVERY entry. Most of them are legitimate "spam" sites. Look toward the BOTTOM of the list and you will likely find the affected sites.

Highlight them and delete them. Close the notepad document and try to access those sites. Works in 90% of the cases.

I'd like to ask Joyrider exactly how to do the DHCP, TCP/IP trick to manually assign the DNS server. I absolutely cannot access one of my favorite sites (suddenly) and I, too, have done everything imaginable to try to remedy this. This sounds like it might do the trick, but I don't know how to actually accomplish it. HELP! And, thank you. Susan

Having similar problem. Suddenly can't access amazon.com or ebay.com, but all others so far OK. On wireless connection to router; base (wired) machine and other machines on the wireless side don't have this problem, only one of the wireless stations. Has XP Media Center Edition with all current updates as of 12/15/05. Ran Norton Anti-Spam, Spybot S&D, Adaware & Trend Micro spyware scan; all the spware products found things and deleted, but no change with the access problem. Deleted cookies, cache, history, tried with no firewall, all to no avail. Any thoughts on this one? Thanks, SB.

I have the problem of not having access to a supposedly public site - my local library. At home on my network, I cannot get to www.burnetcountylibrary.org but if I take my laptop to a local wifi hotspot, I can access the library site. I've checked my router and firewall and simply can't see why this would be the case.

I have the problem like everyone here. Here is how this happened.

I tried to set up wireless conn with my Pocket pc before this happened. Although i managed to set my pocket pc up with my wireless router, all other wired desktops werent' able to connect to certain sites (hotmail, banks.etc...) it's kinda weird coz all wireless devices were working just fine.

I spent last two days before my computers trying figure out the root of this. I tried DNS fix, ipconfig fix.. many others. But what really solve my problem is MTU fix. As others says i lower my MTU to 1249, and there we go! everything is on. I suggest you tried this first before you lays your hand on others.

I have had this problem for ages, my faithful laptop connects to any web site but my PC refuses to connect to certain sites like ebay, secure sites like Banks etc.

It was Ronnie's solution that worked, bang first time! I have messed around with deletes/updates/settings and nothing worked until Ronnies's MTU solution. Follow the instructions and create MTU registry entries (I did acroos all entries as I had 8 and copuld not work out which was which. Problem solved, you are the MAN Ronnie, thanks and if you are ever in Staffordshire, England I owe you a pint or 2 or 3!

Here's an interesting (frustrating) slant on the problem. Regular setup, D-Link ADSL modem / wireless router. Wired PC's fine, was using a Win2K laptop with Cisco PCMCIA wireless card / Aironet software - no problems. Got a new laptop running XP Pro & Centrino wireless, and now I can't access Ebay, Amazon, my bank etc. However, when I stick the old Cisco card in the new laptop and switch to the Aironet wireless connection everything works fine again. Just bought a new desktop machine with XP Home and stuck a wirless PCI card in it and it exhibits the problem. Also I have a very old laptop with an unbranded PCMCIA wireless card and that works fine too - it looks like it's something to do with the newer technology XP / Centrino etc. I've tried pretty much everything suggested at this site and nothing has worked (but thanks anyway for all the tips) HELP !!

One more thing which may help identify the problem. My broadband ISP is AOL. Normally on the new XP/Centrino laptop I cannot get to Ebay using IE. Howver, when I log in and use the browser built into AOL 9.0 (which I believe is a version of IE6.x) I can in fact get to Ebay, but I can't get to the My Ebay login page. So going through what is effectively AOL's VPN get's me a bit further but not all the way. Anyone got any ideas?

I have been having a problem for the past 3 days with viewing www.netflix.com. I recently downloaded the new norton anti-virus and everything was goo. I had no problem viewing this website, but for some reason for the past 3 days I am unable to view it. I don't know if it has something to do with the anti-virus or if it's something to do with my settings on my computer. I have previously had no problem viewing the site even with the anti-virus, it's just all of a sudden. Please help me! I am going crazy!!!!

I was unable to get on two web sites that I had previously visited multiple times during the past year. My OS is XP Professional. I tried getting to the two sites using IE, Firefox and Opera with no success. I tried setting the MTU to 1492 as Ronnie suggested on this site, but it did not fix my problem. I downloaded a copy of adaware from CNET. While it was going through the checks, my Avast! antivirus found four infected files which I moved to the chest. I do not know if the viruses were related to this problem. I also did a dnsreport test which found two areas that failed, but I do not have the knowledge required to assess their impact. I could not figure out how to correct the failed areas.

The research went on for two days when I stumbled on: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/299357/#top

This page shows you how to reset TCP/IP using the NetShell utility. It restores TCP/IP to the state that existed when the operating system was installed. I went to START, clicked on Run, typed "cmd" in the open slot and pressed OK. On the cmd line, I typed "netsh int ip reset resetlog.txt" and pressed the Enter key. My resetlog.txt was stored in my Documents and Settings folder.

This utility fixed my problem.

(There is a Warning about possible changes to firewall, antivirus and other programs that monitor the internet.)

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