Web browsing issue I created and fixed in Windows.

This is on Windows 7 64bit and this issue seemed to start this past week.

For the longest time I had a static IP set on my Windows machine along with the subnet mask and gateway; I had the DNS configured to 192.168.1.1, the router. This worked fine for the longest time and then this past week I began noticing that web pages were loading slowly and sometimes incompletely. I had the same results in multiple browsers but when I'd boot to Linux I had no issues.

I tried to think of what was different between my Linux and Windows configurations; in Linux I didn't have the static IP configured so I went back to DHCP in Windows and my problem was solved. I then decided to try to dig further so instead of using the router IP for the DNS I entered my ISP's info in there (which the router has and I assume is referenced when Windows looks to 192.168.1.1 for DNS info). After entering the actual DNS servers in there it continued functioning properly.

The only changes made to the OS were MS patches and more specifically it could have happened after the Remote Desktop exploit was patched; I'm wondering if those could have contributed to the issue.

Or your router's dns forwarding and caching is getting borked. Did you try rebooting the router and seeing if that cleared it up?

Ehren8879 said:

Or your router's dns forwarding and caching is getting borked.

Click to expand...

how would that explain the difference between OS having used the same router...

Cheetoz said:

how would that explain the difference between OS having used the same router...

Click to expand...

Your router is handing out the ISP DNS servers instead of it's own IP for DNS under DHCP options maybe?

Did you look at the name server that your Linux pc has from DHCP?

It's funny you mention this because I'm having the same issue. Slow web browsing.

DNS changed locally and on router...

I even switcheed providers (not on account of this problem)...

I've done all you've done and more and it leads me to believe its a low level issue and DNS was my first thought but somehow once I VPN to work or other places and browse that way everything suddenly works fine.

All other computers on the network work fine too, just my W7 x64 box.

Tell me that isn't weird.

Can you show us a screenshot of a ipconfig /all from cmd. also have you checked your host file for any weird entries? Lastly does your browser have a proxy setup due to malware or a virus.

Ehren8879 said:

Or your router's dns forwarding and caching is getting borked. Did you try rebooting the router and seeing if that cleared it up?

Click to expand...

I put Windows' DNS back to 192.168.1.1 and power cycled the router, it seems to be working properly now.

Well, I completely over-thought this one. heh

This is a WRT54G router... that I wish would die so I could force myself to buy something more powerful.

I'm not sure when, but it seems like Comcast may have updated their DNS IPs because now their DNS servers are 75.75.75.75 and x.x.x.76. Don't know how long it has been like that but I'm sure it was something different in the past because I'm sure I would've remembered if it was something as simple as that. Maybe the router just needed a reboot to fully get it through its head.

Also, I did check for malicious software because in the past I caught something that was doing flaky stuff with my browser. I checked my proxy settings, used Microsoft Security Essentials, which showed nothing, I checked with Malwarebytes and I ran TDSSKiller and all was clean so those are things that might be worth running if your other options don't work. I also updated my NIC driver which didn't fix the problem because I immediately re-entered my manual IP config in there.

I went from that router to a TP Link wr1043 n router, big speed increase, and ex sig strength/wireless ipad/laptop/blueray-streemin
$45 newegg.com

Fairwayman said:

I went from that router to a TP Link wr1043 n router, big speed increase, and ex sig strength/wireless ipad/laptop/blueray-streemin
$45 newegg.com

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A review on Newegg said that this is supposed to be better than some ASUS routers (not specified). I've been eyeballing the ASUS RT-N16 because it has 128MB RAM and 32MB of flash memory; the TP-Link router has 32MB RAM and 8MB flash memory but in a review I saw someone say that the Atheros chipset in the TP-Link was superior so I'm not really sure what my priorities should be.

When I put dd-wrt on my WRT54G it couldn't handle the demand because it didn't have enough RAM and/or processing power, heck, it even started smelling like it was running a little hot so I reverted. I really liked dd-wrt so I'd like to use it.

djoye said:

A review on Newegg said that this is supposed to be better than some ASUS routers (not specified). I've been eyeballing the ASUS RT-N16 because it has 128MB RAM and 32MB of flash memory; the TP-Link router has 32MB RAM and 8MB flash memory but in a review I saw someone say that the Atheros chipset in the TP-Link was superior so I'm not really sure what my priorities should be.

When I put dd-wrt on my WRT54G it couldn't handle the demand because it didn't have enough RAM and/or processing power, heck, it even started smelling like it was running a little hot so I reverted. I really liked dd-wrt so I'd like to use it.

Click to expand...

The only thing that the RT-N16 would lack for you is the 5GHz radio. After putting Tomato on mine is has been a screaming performer.