How To Get Rid of Browser Connection Errors

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It is an all too familiar situation. You open your browser and immediately get a connection error. There are many reasons why this happens. Here are two common errors, along with suggested ways to fix the problem:

(1) No internet connection – If you get an error stating that no internet connection is available, ensure that your DSL Modem is turned on, has the phone line connected to it, and that the CAT5 cable is connected from the back of the computer to the Modem. Also ensure that you have a dial tone since without it the internet cannot be accessed by the Modem. If you use a dial-up Modem, ensure that you have already dialed the number needed to access the internet.

(2) 404 Page Not Found – This can occur if the website you are trying to access is not available, or if your cache needs to be cleared. To see if the 404 error is only applicable to the site you are trying to visit, try accessing a popular site like MSN or Yahoo! If you can browse those sites, it simply means that the site you want is unavailable. In the case of a cache error, simply clear your browser’s cache and then try accessing the website again.

In addition, you may need to flush your DNS record. When you access websites, a DNS record is kept in a resolver cache that makes web pages from sites you visit regularly load quicker. If the DNS of any website changes, you may not be able to access it if you do not clear your DNS records. To do so, open a DOS prompt window by clicking Start then Run and type “cmd” (without the quotes). In the window that opens, type “ipconfig /flushdns” (again without the quotes, and there must be a space between ‘ipconfig’ and ‘/flushdns’) and press enter. Once a message appears saying the cache has been cleared, try accessing your web page again.