How to Troubleshoot Opening Web Pages on a Computer

The problem may be on your computer or with your Internet connection.

The Internet is constantly evolving, and the web is becoming more complex. Because of this, sometimes certain websites will not work for some users, while they will work for others. There may also be times when you can't open any websites. These problems can have a myriad of sources, but most of them can be traced back to a few basic problems. If nothing seems to work, you may need to talk to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) for more specific solutions.

Instructions

All Websites Will Not Load

1. Reboot your computer, then restart you modem. This is a common way to try to fix any problem on your computer; try this before doing anything else.

2. Assure that you are connected to the Internet.

3. Click "File" in your browser. Make sure "Work Offline" is not checked.

4. Use a different web browser. If another web browser works while one particular browser does not, the connection settings for the browser that is not working may be incorrect. In Internet Explorer, you can view connection settings at "Control Panel," "Internet Options," "Connections: LAN." In Firefox, click "Tools," "Options," "Advanced," "Network / Connection," then "Settings."

Only Some Websites Will Not Load

1. Reboot your computer, then restart you modem. This may fix the problem.

2. Clear the browser cache, then see if this has fixed the problem. In Firefox 3, click "Tools," "Options," then "Advanced." Then under "Network / Offline Storage," click "Clear Now" (or press "Ctrl," "Shift" and "Del" simultaneously on your keyboard). In Internet Explorer, click "Tools," then "Internet Options." On the "General" tab, in the "Temporary Internet Files" section, click "Delete Files." In Chrome, click "Tools," or the wrench in the upper-right corner. select "Options," click "Under the Hood," then "Clear browsing data."

3. Temporarily disable antivirus software, and your computer's firewall. If this solves the problem, add this site to the "trusted" zone in Internet Explorer, or disable your security programs for this site.

4. Temporarily turn off ad-blocking plug-ins or software, then try reloading the page. These can cause problems loading web page content, and you may see the error "the connection to the server was reset while the page was loading" or a similar error on your web browser.

5. Reset the modem to factory defaults by pressing a pin or pen in the hole located at the back of the modem for about 10 seconds, then reconfigure it with the same user name and password that was provided by your ISP when you signed up for the service. (You can also call your ISP support and let them guide you through the steps over phone.)

Tips & Warnings

• After you try any given solution, hold down the "Shift" key on your keyboard while clicking "Refresh" (the clockwise circle-arrow on your browser) to force a reload from the Internet instead of reloading the cached error message.

• Disabling firewalls or other security options can leave you vulnerable to security threats. Visit only trusted websites when your security software is disabled.

References

• MozillaZine: Error loading websites
• Labnol: What to Do When You Cannot Open a Particular Website
• Microsoft: How and Why to Clear Your Cache
• Technipages: Google Chrome: Clear Cache
• Deep Blue Sky: Browser Support for CSS3 and HTML5