Gmail Issues

[Aggie]

I can't get access to Gmail on my home computer - it's not connecting to the site whatsoever, on either browser (FF & IE).  It started acting up only regards to the sign-in/sign out page (i.e. still possible to read email, but not to change users), now it's the whole thing.

It works fine on my work computer, running similar setups.  Huh?

[beagle]

Can only think of 4 things immediately.

1  Has your home PC got Zone Alarm on it? Some versions of it have been seriously upset by the patch pushed out by MS to fix the DNS spoofing issue.

2 Maybe your home PC is going to a different server at Google (it's bound to be a big server farm). If tracert www.gmail.com goes to different IPs on the two machines then it probably is (the converse is unfortunately not true, due to network load balanced clusters sharing an IP  and having server affinity on).
Maybe one or more of gmail's servers is unwell.

3 A knackered cookie?

4 The Swedes are reading your mail and have accidentally shorted something out.

[Aggie]

It's more than gmail now - several sites that require login, and some that should not.

I don't have Zone Alarm. Have reset all the cookies, cache etc. via Firefox's Clear Private Data tool...  no dice.  Must be the Swedes. 


The specific error message I'm getting is "Firefox can't establish a connection to the server at www.wherever.com".

[Alpaca]

Ooh, ooh!

Way way back, on the old machine, I had to visit the Monastery with a different browser because it would connect once, and then be reaaaaaaallly slow before finally refusing, while everything else worked fine. Only happened to the Monastery, though. Browsing fine with Firefox here, though.

What version of the 'fox you on?

[Aggie]

2.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.15


But I think I solved the problem - the most basic fix of all.  When in doubt, restart.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

2.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.15


But I think I solved the problem - the most basic fix of all.  When in doubt, restart.

GOT to be a windoze machine!   

_{(and no, I don't like mac's either...can't do the "mac way"-- counter intuitive to me)}

[Aggie]

Ayuh, that it is.



_{Cheap, zero learning curve and Office-capable.  And you get to cuss at Microsoft on a regular basis. I'm not against Macs but I've yet to see the advantage for the way I use my computer.}

[Darlica]

It's more than gmail now - several sites that require login, and some that should not.

I don't have Zone Alarm. Have reset all the cookies, cache etc. via Firefox's Clear Private Data tool...  no dice.  Must be the Swedes. 


The specific error message I'm getting is "Firefox can't establish a connection to the server at www.wherever.com".

Did it work?

If not, do you run windows XP on the troubled computer?
If so check your latest security update if it says anything of containing a tool or program which will help you to find and get rid of "dangerous" software/programs, kill it and make sure the computer don't reinstall it (shut of the automatic update function).

I didn't have exactly the same problems but among other things this patch made my computer so slow it refused to run photoshop and also refused to let firefox connect to the web.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

Just and FYI, if the problem becomes systematic it can be one of two things:
- Network configuration on windows went to hell. Royal PITA when it happens, usually solved running the networking wizard or running a 'route print' under DOS command. Also if you fiddled with IP configurations under the network card (and is a royal pain at times.. ).

- Spyware. I've seen the behavior, usually in IE (older versions but I still don't recommend surfing on IE simply because of ActiveX), I wouldn't discount a rogue plug-in in FF but I haven't seen the first yet. In the worst cases it may take you to spoof sites to gather info or simply get add-clicks. Also in the worst cases, reinstalling windows (aka: nuking the site from orbit) is the only solution.

Hopefully is neither.