[Riverman]

Hi folks:

Have just invested in a Netgear Ethernet modem/router (DG834) after my iBook found it impossible to connect to the Internet using the USB broadband modem that my flat mate has. The new router's performance using my G3 iBook is great: Safari and Firefox working well.

However, my flatmate runs WinXP and Internet Explorer on a Toshiba laptop: since I set up the Netgear modem/router on her machine, she has difficulty connecting to some websites using Internet Explorer. It's strange - pages that load fine and at normal speed on my iBook using Firefox or Safari, just don't load on her machine - or only load after repeated attempts: and this is not while both machines are plugged into the router.

I'm an ignoramus when it comes to networking and this is the first Ethernet setup I've used before. Do you any of you have the misfortune to be familiar enough with WinXP to make some suggestions as to how I can figure what's going on with the connection from her Toshiba and how I can correct the problem. I've tried to find the equivalent of "system preferences" to check the network settings on her machine but I don't know my way around WinXP and everything just seems exceedingly non-intuitive and confusing. (Why do I get the feeling I wouldn't be writing this post if both machines in question were Macs?!)

Things I have thought might be relevant: empty the cache on the Toshiba, try a different browser?

Grateful for any knowledge you can share. Also can you recommend any decent texts for a networking newbie such as myself to learn the basics of networks?

Thanks

[Riverman]

Any suggestions?

[Sherman Homan]

She has difficulty connecting to some but not all web sites?
The fact that she can connect successfully to even a single site means that she is getting a good IP address from the router's DHCP, DNS is working, no MAC filters, etc. etc.
If you by-pass the router and plug her XP directly into your DSL/cable whatever does her machine run correctly?
Of course with an XP, she could be getting terrible response because it is eaten up with viruses, mal-ware etc.

[MacPC]

Did she make any changes on her IE Internet option settings? She might want to go to Internet Option to see if her cookies are blocked.

Did she turned on firewall on her XP?
She might want to turn it off,

Did you check your router setting?
You might want to check if any ports are blocked

etc... A bit more detail would help.

MacPC