Cannot connect to the internet

I am running a Windows XP SP2 which is connected to the internet though a wireless usb to my netgear router. It has worked fine for the last few months but today for some reason, none of the web applications load. I still get a confirmation on Network Connections that I am connected to the internet, and my anti-virus still downloads its updates. But all of my web-browsers (incl firefox and IE), and other apps (like Google Earth and iTunes Store) do not load.

I have changed nothing but it has just stopped working. I'm flummoxed!

Thankyou in advance and i'm sorry if I haven't given any information that I should have.

 

Thank you for that.
There is both good news and bad news.
After I reset the Winsock entries and TCP/Ip stack, firefox now works.
But for some reason Internet Explorer, Google Earth and iTunes (don't have any others to test) still do not work. I get an error 404 from Internet Explorer and Google Earth/iTunes say they cannot get a connection. Help please - i've no idea what is wrong!!!

 

Adding some more information:
The encryption I use is WEP
Have Sky Broadband in the UK
XP-Home Edition SP2
Any other information needed-please ask.

When I type ipconfig/all I get:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Home>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : MotherDearest
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : SiS 900-Based PCI Fast Ethernet Adap
ter #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-15-58-47-66-C9

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 5:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 802.11g Wireless USB Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-12-0E-3E-9C-69
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.3
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 30 October 2007 21:53:59
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 02 November 2007 21:53:59

 

I thought it was that, but I haven't made any changes to my firewall, and just in case it was that I turned of the firewall and still nothing came through! I hate computers sometimes!

 

If it's not a firewall, something has gotten corrupted in the IE configuration.

 

The fact that FF works, leads me to believe that iTunes has used IE interfaces to do their Internet stuff. They may depend on IE functioning, many applications do so.

 

Thanks for all your help so far! but still no luck.
I've uninstalled/reinstalled both my firewall and internet explorer but it's the same story!

I've also tried Windows Live Messenger - and that does work! What is up with my computer!

 

Just wanted to share my recent, week-long ordeal with my PC which runs a Windows XP OS. I have used this computer to access the internet (AT&T DSL) for over a year without any problems. We also have two laptops which run Vista which connect to the same DSL thru a wireless connection. Well, the laptops had no problems connecting to the internet, but my PC for some reason starting having some problems maintaining a connection. If I re-booted my PC and immediately opened a browser, I had a good internet connection, but after a few minutes, the connection would "go cold." I tried releasing and renewing the IP address, closing the browser and re-opening it, tried other browsers, logged off and re-logged on, restarted the router...all without success. The only way to re-establish the connection would be to re-boot the computer and then the connection would work again for a few minutes.

Here are a few things I tried to remedy the problem:
ran virus/spyware removal programs, ran registry mechanic, did the ping thing (it worked fine), released and renewed the IP address through the command prompt, deleted the drivers for my network card and rebooted so that the drivers would be updated, changed multiple settings on the browsers, network connections, system, etc.

Nothing helped. I called customer service with AT&T multiple times...no help. Was told that my network card might be bad...so I bypassed it by getting a wireless adapter that plugged into the USB..same problem!. I bought a new AT&T wireless router/modem combo and installed that...same problem! I backed up my entire hard drive in case I was faced with the worse case scenario. I slept on this problem and would wake every morning with a new approach...yes, I do solve problems in my sleep, and can typically awake with a new solution to an old problem.

Well, after many days of poor outcomes, talking to techs on the phone and "geeks" at Best Buy, I decided to get some rest to see what my brain would think up.

Well, I figured that there wasn't a real problem with the hardware, because I could get a great connection for a few minutes and the laptops had no problems connecting to the internet and maintaining the connection.

I eventually came up with a counter-intuitive solution to my problem. I kept reading on forums that it might be a firewall problem. Well, I didn't have any firewalls installed. Even better, I deleted any software that had been recently added. Guess what? Still no luck. O.K. I'm almost to the solution that worked for me.

I INSTALLED ZONE ALARM, because I figured that a system setting must be the problem. I couldn't find the precise setting, but I figured it was a "configuration" issue. Well, Zone Alarm FIXED my problem. I booted up and quickly went to download.com before I lost my connection. I downloaded Zone Alarm and installed it. All of a sudden, my connection began to work again (not fully until I went to the "firewall" section and changed both setting on the screen to "medium"...if it's set on "high" it continued to block my connection to the internet). I have checked multiple times now and the connection is working perfectly. I have seen many people write that they believe the firewall is preventing them from connecting. In my situation, I have found the opposite. The firewall (set to the proper security level..medium) allowed me to once again access and maintain my connection. I'm not sure what the program changed, but I know this problem is a pain the rear, and I hope the my experience might help others solve their connection problem.

Give it a try and see what happens. If it doesn't work, you can always just delete the program. Would love to hear other people's experience after reading and trying this!