Win98 Client can't browse the web

I have two computers networked together -- One (host)
running WinXP, client running Win98SE. Everything had been
working fine for about 2 years -- file sharing both ways
AND internet connection sharing -- until about a week ago
when this problem started. XP machine is working fine --
internet connection good, email working, etc. -- but on
the 98 machine, Internet Explorer refuses to do any
browsing on the web. I type in a URL, it says "Web site
found. Waiting for Reply." and the progress bar crawls
very slowly about halfway, then hangs and does nothing...
until a few minutes later when I get "The page can't be
displayed" message. I CAN use MSN Messenger on the 98
machine, so the internet connection is there.... just
can't use my browser. AND Outlook Express times out when
trying to download email. I have no idea what may have
happened recently to cause this, so today I even wiped and
reformatted the hard drive on the Win98 machine and
started completely over, reinstalled the network adapters
and everything -- and it's still doing the same thing. In
playing around with settings and undoing and redoing
things, I got about 5 minutes where the browser was
working fine and I jumped for joy -- but then the file
sharing had somehow become disabled, and in resolving that
problem, I lost the browser again. I know the answer is
out there SOMEWHERE, but I am beside myself with
frustration. I have worked all day on it (leaving my poor
hubby and 5 kids to fend for themselves), following all
the instructions, searching knowledge bases, using the
troubleshooting files, trying everything I can think of,
to no avail. HELP!

In article <477701c3fea0$830b3c80$(E-Mail Removed)>, "Melanie"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>I have two computers networked together -- One (host)
>running WinXP, client running Win98SE. Everything had been
>working fine for about 2 years -- file sharing both ways
>AND internet connection sharing -- until about a week ago
>when this problem started. XP machine is working fine --
>internet connection good, email working, etc. -- but on
>the 98 machine, Internet Explorer refuses to do any
>browsing on the web. I type in a URL, it says "Web site
>found. Waiting for Reply." and the progress bar crawls
>very slowly about halfway, then hangs and does nothing...
>until a few minutes later when I get "The page can't be
>displayed" message. I CAN use MSN Messenger on the 98
>machine, so the internet connection is there.... just
>can't use my browser. AND Outlook Express times out when
>trying to download email. I have no idea what may have
>happened recently to cause this, so today I even wiped and
>reformatted the hard drive on the Win98 machine and
>started completely over, reinstalled the network adapters
>and everything -- and it's still doing the same thing. In
>playing around with settings and undoing and redoing
>things, I got about 5 minutes where the browser was
>working fine and I jumped for joy -- but then the file
>sharing had somehow become disabled, and in resolving that
>problem, I lost the browser again. I know the answer is
>out there SOMEWHERE, but I am beside myself with
>frustration. I have worked all day on it (leaving my poor
>hubby and 5 kids to fend for themselves), following all
>the instructions, searching knowledge bases, using the
>troubleshooting files, trying everything I can think of,
>to no avail. HELP!

Maybe the problem is on the XP host, not on the Win98 client.

Can you try connecting Win98 directly to the Internet, bypassing the
host?

What type of Internet connection do you have? There's a known problem
with using ICS on XP to share a DSL connection that uses PPPoE (PPP
over Ethernet).

Here are some tests that will help diagnose the problem:

1. On the host, right click the local area network connection and
click Status | Support | Details. It should show:

IP Address: 192.168.0.1
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: none
DNS Server = none

2. On the client, go to Start | Run | Winipcfg, select the Ethernet
adapter, and click More Info. It should show:

IP Address: 192.168.0.x (1<x<255)
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 192.168.0.1
DNS Server = 192.168.0.1 or your ISP's DNS server

3. If #1 and #2 are right, open a command prompt window on the client
and enter these lines. Each one should get four replies:

ping 192.168.0.1
ping 216.239.37.99
ping google.com

4. If #1-#3 are right, enter these addresses in Internet Explorer.
They should both take you to the Google web page:

http://216.239.37.99
http://google.com
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional - Windows Networking
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm

I forgot to mention my XP host is connected via dialup
modem.

All the results of the tests you gave were correct - and I
actually am able to bring up Google. But nothing else. I
can search on Google, but when I try to click on a search
result link, the page won't load.

Again, there have been intermittent times when IE would
browse just fine for a few minutes... then stop working
again.

Any other ideas?

Melanie

>Maybe the problem is on the XP host, not on the Win98
client.
>
>Can you try connecting Win98 directly to the Internet,
bypassing the
>host?
>
>What type of Internet connection do you have? There's a
known problem
>with using ICS on XP to share a DSL connection that uses
PPPoE (PPP
>over Ethernet).
>
>Here are some tests that will help diagnose the problem:
>
>1. On the host, right click the local area network
connection and
>click Status | Support | Details. It should show:
>
> IP Address: 192.168.0.1
> Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
> Default Gateway: none
> DNS Server = none
>
>2. On the client, go to Start | Run | Winipcfg, select
the Ethernet
>adapter, and click More Info. It should show:
>
> IP Address: 192.168.0.x (1<x<255)
> Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
> Default Gateway: 192.168.0.1
> DNS Server = 192.168.0.1 or your ISP's DNS server
>
>3. If #1 and #2 are right, open a command prompt window
on the client
>and enter these lines. Each one should get four replies:
>
> ping 192.168.0.1
> ping 216.239.37.99
> ping google.com
>
>4. If #1-#3 are right, enter these addresses in Internet
Explorer.
>They should both take you to the Google web page:
>
> http://216.239.37.99
> http://google.com
>--
>Best Wishes,
>Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>In article <477701c3fea0$830b3c80
$(E-Mail Removed)>, "Melanie"
><(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>I have two computers networked together -- One (host)
>>running WinXP, client running Win98SE. Everything had
been
>>working fine for about 2 years -- file sharing both ways
>>AND internet connection sharing -- until about a week ago
>>when this problem started. XP machine is working fine --

>>internet connection good, email working, etc. -- but on
>>the 98 machine, Internet Explorer refuses to do any
>>browsing on the web. I type in a URL, it says "Web site
>>found. Waiting for Reply." and the progress bar crawls
>>very slowly about halfway, then hangs and does
nothing...
>>until a few minutes later when I get "The page can't be
>>displayed" message. I CAN use MSN Messenger on the 98
>>machine, so the internet connection is there.... just
>>can't use my browser. AND Outlook Express times out
when
>>trying to download email. I have no idea what may have
>>happened recently to cause this, so today I even wiped
and
>>reformatted the hard drive on the Win98 machine and
>>started completely over, reinstalled the network
adapters
>>and everything -- and it's still doing the same thing.
In
>>playing around with settings and undoing and redoing
>>things, I got about 5 minutes where the browser was
>>working fine and I jumped for joy -- but then the file
>>sharing had somehow become disabled, and in resolving
that
>>problem, I lost the browser again. I know the answer is
>>out there SOMEWHERE, but I am beside myself with
>>frustration. I have worked all day on it (leaving my
poor
>>hubby and 5 kids to fend for themselves), following all
>>the instructions, searching knowledge bases, using the
>>troubleshooting files, trying everything I can think of,
>>to no avail. HELP!
>