Connected but unable to access WWW

Have XP, IE6, Firefox (just downloaded). Wirelessly connected, can get email from online through Outlook Express and can IM. Cannot access the www using IE or Firefox. I was able to ping yahoo. Was not able to clean DNS cache. Wireless connection help shows it may have to do with HTTP, HTPS, FTP ports. Using Linksys. Have a desktop connected, and two laptops (this is the laptop that is working). Have been having trouble with this for about three weeks now.

Started with blue screen for bad video driver. Loaded and unloaded IE7 and Zone Alarm many times. Than would just get the blue screen period.

Last night I ran every spyware, malware, etc. could find and cleaned out all zone alarm references using their "completely clean it" instructions. I was then able to access the internet and it actually stayed connected.

My problem the last few days has been that I can get online and go to IE, but after about 5 minutes, it kicks me out of IE (Page cannot be displayed) and I have to reboot. Then it will work again for 5 minutes. This whole time I am connected otherwise.

When I got home today to use computer, I could not get online at all. Am connected, (IM and email) but cannot get IE to open at all. Someone suggested corruption and to download Firefox. I downloaded it and put it on the broken computer and Fire fox was unable to connect also.

I am at the end of my rope. I have gone back and restored my system so many times and now nothing seems to be working IE-wise.

Please offer any advise you can. At this time I do not have ANY virus protection, spyware protection etc loaded on my machine. I just turned Microsoft's firewall on tonight.

Please help? Janet Lyn

What happens when you go to start > All Programs > Windows Update?

Do not have Windows Update option

It should be at the very top of the All Programs list.

Or try this:

http://update.microsoft.com/

Do you have SP2 installed and all subsequent updates?

I have not updated since IE7 came out. I did try that the other day, but still had problems with staying connected to IE (not connectivity)

sorry, http://......did not work.

In IE under Tools there is also the Windows Update option.

same problem, the page cannot be displayed

What happens when you run the command ipconfig /flushdns from the command prompt?

The above does not work? Try this:

Run... from the Start menu.
Type iexplore /rereg
Click OK.
Or, if that fails, continue with:

Run... from the Start menu.
Type regsvr32 urlmon.dll
Click OK.
Click OK again.
Repeat the Start | Run... procedure with the following commands in this order, maybe checking after each for returning function:
regsvr32 shdocvw.dll
regsvr32 mshtml.dll
regsvr32 browseui.dll

Not seeing Windows Update under All Programs may indicate a deeper problem. Do you have SP2 installed? What is the make and model of the laptop? Do you have a Recovery CD?

Give me a sec please. While I was waiting for a reply I tried again, the old reboot. I am at Microsoft now, doing updates. I will let you know what happens. I do appreciate your help. If this does not work, I will do your instructions mentioned above. BTW, do you recommend IE over Firefox, or opposite. JL