Winsock Error or Host File Problem?

[Bruce]

Hi,

I've got a Win98 (first edition) that's been running fine. But, today I
can no longer connect to the internet. I use Comcast Cable.

If I try to ping a URL by name, such as www.yahoo.com, I get Unknown
Host. If I ping yahoo by IP, I can reach it ok. Therefore, I thought
this may be a DNS problem, so I hooked up another (XP) machine to the
modem, and I can get on the internet fine, and I can ping by name or IP.
So, there goes that theory.

I called Comcast and they told me it was a Winsock problem, and that
Win98 in notorious for this. They said to call Microsoft and have them
walk me through fixing it through the registry.

I've never had any Winsock problems with Win98 ever since it came out,
and I've never heard of fixing something like this through the registry,
so I removed and then added (via Network Properties) back the TCP/IP
protocol.

I still have the same problem. Any ideas why I can ping an IP, but can't
ping a name with this machine, if it's not a DNS problem? Is there a
host file that may be involved?

Sincerely,
Bruce

[H Leboeuf]

If you have problems with all sites, it may not be a hosts file problem.
Check it out.

It may be a HOSTS file problem.
Look for a file named HOSTS (no extension, could be hidden) rename it
OLDHOSTS.
--
Here is an article on that may help your winsock problem, download the fix.
http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm



Henri Leboeuf
Web page: http://www.colba.net/~hlebo49/index.htm
===
"Bruce" > wrote in message
04.17...
> Hi,
>
> I've got a Win98 (first edition) that's been running fine. But, today I
> can no longer connect to the internet. I use Comcast Cable.
>
> If I try to ping a URL by name, such as www.yahoo.com, I get Unknown
> Host. If I ping yahoo by IP, I can reach it ok. Therefore, I thought
> this may be a DNS problem, so I hooked up another (XP) machine to the
> modem, and I can get on the internet fine, and I can ping by name or IP.
> So, there goes that theory.
>
> I called Comcast and they told me it was a Winsock problem, and that
> Win98 in notorious for this. They said to call Microsoft and have them
> walk me through fixing it through the registry.
>
> I've never had any Winsock problems with Win98 ever since it came out,
> and I've never heard of fixing something like this through the registry,
> so I removed and then added (via Network Properties) back the TCP/IP
> protocol.
>
> I still have the same problem. Any ideas why I can ping an IP, but can't
> ping a name with this machine, if it's not a DNS problem? Is there a
> host file that may be involved?
>
> Sincerely,
> Bruce

[Bruce]

"H Leboeuf" > wrote in
:

> If you have problems with all sites, it may not be a hosts file
problem.
> Check it out.
>
> It may be a HOSTS file problem.
> Look for a file named HOSTS (no extension, could be hidden) rename it
> OLDHOSTS.

Henri,

Thank you very much for your help. Lspfix.exe solved the problem! The
offending malware was from newnet, the example given on the lspfix
description page, and it popped up right away in the "remove" window of
LSPfix.

That was the easiest fix I've ever done. I'm certainly glad you pointed
me to it. I NEVER would have guessed this is what it was.

Sincerely,
Bruce