server not found, try again over and over again- help

I have been using Firefox for several years now. Up until this year, I
never had problems. Then, sometime within the last year, I noticed that
when I visited websites, I would keep getting the "server not found" message
and I would have to press "try again" sometimes up to 5 times before I would
get to a website. I also get email lag in Outlook Express 6, sometimes it
will say something like server not found and I'll have to manually select
receive and emails will come through.

I am running XP SP 3, Verizon Internet Security Suite, and Firefox (latest
version) for browsing and OE 6 for email/ groups. I have tried all sorts of
troubleshooting as suggested on various websites, but to no avail. I have
uninstalled Firefox from "program permissions" in Verizon Security Suite and
then reinstalled but no effect. I have also tried some advanced network
troubleshooting techniques as suggested at Microsoft, but no help.

I am suspecting maybe Verizon Internet Security Suite is interferring
somehow, but I don't know how to troubleshoot further other than what I have
already done.

The problem makes it almost impossible to download files and many times I
have to refresh several times before I get the opportunity to download a
file.

So the bottom line is that Firefox and OE 6 work, but very sluggishly and
reloading/ refreshing many times before finally getting email and or getting
to websites. As I say, it's been going on for about a year.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Bill Penney

 

This means your computer is not getting a response back from your ISP's ***
DNS server.

*** If you have changed the DNS server setting on your computer, then
it means you are not getting a response back from whichever DNS
server you changed it to.

This can be caused by several things, such as

1) The network path between you and your ISP's DNS server is
congested and packets are being lost.

2) Your ISP's DNS server is overloaded.

This might mean that your ISP has experienced growth in use (or growth
in use your area) and its infrastructure needs to be upgraded.

It could mean also mean your Internet connection has developed
interference on the line (such as a rural phone line where your
neighbour has started using an electric fence).

If you have tried anything other than those given below, could you tell
us (the newsgroup) so we don't waste time suggesting things which you have
already tried.

Sometimes such problems can be fixed by changing things on your computer;
other times they are things outside your computer.

What type of Internet connection do you have? If it is DSL or dial-up,
how far are you from the telephone exchange?

I had sometimes seen problems like this on my wireless Internet
connection, but moving to where I use a different radio mast fixed
the problem. It seems that one radio mast is congested, while
another is not.