Its best to verify you don't have a local DNS problem before spending time with other local apps. Reason being that it has been working and not is not.
Its not the pings that are of interest, but that it is able to resolve the name to the IP address. :dance:
What AV are you running Tony? The other thing to check (and I don't have outlook express, so I'm not sure of the exact setting) buth there is / was a slide barn which adjusted the time out before a communications failure. If this is set to the minimum, it may not be long enough to establish a connection.
So..looking at it logically.
1. Its not a DNS error
2. Your setting sound OK.
3. The mail client on your laptop works OK, so this rules out the firewall on the router as it is common to both.
So...
What has changed? Have you run windows update recently? I know some folk are nervous about Windows Update, but if you have a legal copy of the software you have nothing to fear.
Is there a program update for your Anti Virus? i.e. not a signature update, but a program update?
You could try (although I don't recommend doing it for long) switching off the Windows Firewall and see if it works.
ok guys
I am running AVG which is updated to the same date on both this pc and the laptop. the ONLY change I have done is to disable my Nvidia ethernet card and use the Marvell/Yukon ethernet card.
Try going into your Network Connections, and take properties for both the disabled and the enabled card to see if you indeed have the same settings under "This connection uses the following items"
Best Rgds
Dan
Who's General Failure, and why is he reading my harddisk?
Hi Dan many thanks for your patience both cards are firewalled and both have similar settings.. I will try the Nvidia ethernet in the morning...need plenty of light to get to back of PC! to see if that works.. should do as it did before I swopped the lead over to the Yukon one... but that won't cure my problem of blue screen of death due to a rubbish Nvidia ethernet!!
oh fun...