I cant log onto certain websites

[dmc]

I just started using this PC again(please dont ask) and thought "hey im gonna go download Americas Army" so I go to fileshack and try to log in yet nothing happens, it takes me right back to the log on page. I sit there and get mad for a good 5 minutes and go off to something else. A little later I try to go on youtube.... guess what, I cant log on there either.
And this has happened to many other sites for me. Certain ones like Orbiter forums and myspace I can log on to, but when I check remember me my PC suddenly has amnesia the next time I come back to the website it, doesnt remember me.

I can fix the logging on problem when I turn off my firewall, but I seriously dont want to keep it off all the time or turn it off everytime I want to log onto something.
Please help me,
thx

 

[DaveS]

Make sure your browser is set to accept cookies.

 

[SlyCoopersButt]

Make sure to have your computers main system calendar and clock accurate. I once got totally baffled how I could not login anywhere once because of it being a month or so off.

 

[reverend]

This sounds like an MTU issue. MTU is a thing that tells the computer how big the data packets it's sending can be.

Try this:
http://www.pctools.com/guides/registry/detail/280/

Try setting your MTU down more and more starting at 1450, then 1400, then 1350, until things work again.

XP has known bugs with automatic Path MTU discovery.

 

[dmc]

OK thx for info guys, I will try this later on tonight.

Update:
Sadly the MTU method doesnt work and i do have my cookies enabled and calender correct.

But dont worry about it guys, I will just disable my firewall real fast, log in and never log out. lol

 

[Moonwalker]

I also had login problems about one month ago. It was caused by the clock which was indicating anything but not the current time.

Concerning firewalls:

almost any software firewall is just like a placebo (they just make the user "feel safe") and make more trouble rather than saving a system. Forget about reviews and tests, it's just advertising. Especially zone alarm, norton and such things aren't really healthy for Windows. I suggest using a real firewall instead which is not on the computer itself but ahead were it belongs to make a system safe. Using a router would be the best way. Honestly, since I use only the router firewall + AntiVir (and an original Windows XP including the latest updates of course) I never had any problems again.

 

[ar81]

Make sure you are not in the list of most wanted by FBI... :rofl:
Just kidding, I hope you get to solve the issue!! :speakcool:

 

[dmc]

Make sure you are not in the list of most wanted by FBI... :rofl:
Just kidding, I hope you get to solve the issue!! :speakcool:

Dude thats not funny, I seriously had this black undercover cop car following me around yesterday. lol

And Moonwalker, I am using wireless internet with a Belkin router. Are you saying I can just turn my antivirus firewall off full time and use the Belkin?

 

[ar81]

I apologize for the bad taste joke...
It is a psychiatric problem caused by excessive exposure to addon development radiation.

 

[Moonwalker]

And Moonwalker, I am using wireless internet with a Belkin router. Are you saying I can just turn my antivirus firewall off full time and use the Belkin?

Well, I used ZoneAlarm Security Suite, Norton and things like that about one year ago until I read that software firewalls don't really make sense beside that they give a feeling of a safe system. Router/hardware firewalls are much more effective because they don't run on the operating system itself which makes almost any software firewall attackable easily. So I keep using only my router firewall + the free AntiVir for a while. I didn't have any problem since. On the contrary my whole system and internet even runs faster:beach:

I don't know about the Belkin but it should be fine if it is a new device I think. And just keep your windows up to date...

PS: For Linux you don't even need a firewall or an AntiVirus software

 

[V8Li]

Well, have you used other browsers, default settings etc etc etc.

Also, firewalls block external access through ports. When you're using your browser, for example, you are accessing the port 80 on the orbiter-forum.com server. Telnet servers, Web servers, apps that use socket connections and all other point-to-point communication softwares are all using ports. As long as you don't have a server installed on your PC (any server known to man or app that acts as a server, ie communicating) you don't have to worry about anything since there's no way for a hacker to access your computer via Internet (as in Internet, not through your ISP services and/or network) since there's nothing on your machine to response to the request.

My guess is that it has nothing to do with the firewall settings. It's probably a browser setting that you haven't used before and don't know about that's confusing you. If you're using IE go to Tools->Internet Options->Privacy and set the privacy option to medium or medium high.

Hope it helps!

 

[dmc]

Actually yes V8Li, when I was first experiencing the problem I was using Firefox 3, and thought maybe that had something to do with it. So I switched to Firefox v2. Same problem on the same sites. Then I tried IE and the same. Im guessing it is the Firewall because when I turn it off I can log onto these site.

And thanks for the nice to know info Moonwalker. And as far as the router I use this Belkin http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=136493

 

[Arrowstar]

If you are using Zone Alarm, then a recent M$ patch may be at fault. It was just made known that the patch broke people's internet connectivity if they were using ZA and had the Internet Zone set to High Security (as it should be). Is that your case?

 

[dmc]

No im not using Zone Alarm, I am using CA.