Can Ping IP Addresses But Not Domain Names

[AlaDes]

I was in the process of remotely removing some crap-ware from a Vista machine, such as conduit and browser protect earlier and lost the connection with my client.

1: Vista shows that he does have an internet connection but he can't browse at all.
2: I've walked him through pinging google.com but it always comes back with "could not find host"
3: I've walked him through pinging google.com's IP address and he gets a reply just as he normally should.
4: I've walked him through checking the hosts file for any problems but we found nothing.

I know I am missing something here but cannot for the life of me remember what it is. Any ideas?

BTW...I have checked everything I can think of by walking my client through the checks, such as IP address for the computer, the DNS server IP, etc.

 

[NETWizz]

Are you sure you have the right DNS servers?

Might try 8.8.8.8 as a test DNS server.

i.e.

C:\Users\jbirkhofer>nslookup technibble.com
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
Server: UnKnown
Address: x.x.x.x

DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
*** Request to UnKnown timed-out




C:\Users\netwizz>nslookup technibble.com 8.8.8.8
Server: google-public-dns-a.google.com
Address: 8.8.8.8

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: technibble.com
Addresses: 108.162.198.223
108.162.199.223

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Sounds like his TCP/IP stack is still out of whack, perhaps got a DNS injector in there that got partially removed. So DNS is still hosed. Rebuild TCP/IP or run Combofix which does that.

 

[Martyn]

Agree with the tcp/ip stack problem. Also absolutely make sure there is no internet security program on there causing a problem. I've seen exactly that problem with one installed(can't remember which one) uninstalled, tested ok then reinstalled. Worked ok then.

 

[DenverCM]

I'd also check the proxy settings in IE- make sure it's set to Auto. Sometimes crapware changes that and when you remove it you have to manually change the proxy settings back.

 

[AlaDes]

Are you sure you have the right DNS servers?

Might try 8.8.8.8 as a test DNS server.

i.e.

C:\Users\jbirkhofer>nslookup technibble.com
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
Server: UnKnown
Address: x.x.x.x

DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
*** Request to UnKnown timed-out




C:\Users\netwizz>nslookup technibble.com 8.8.8.8
Server: google-public-dns-a.google.com
Address: 8.8.8.8

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: technibble.com
Addresses: 108.162.198.223
108.162.199.223

I have tried both of google's public dns servers. As a matter of fact, I can ping both of them using the IP addresses.

 

[AlaDes]

Sounds like his TCP/IP stack is still out of whack, perhaps got a DNS injector in there that got partially removed. So DNS is still hosed. Rebuild TCP/IP or run Combofix which does that.

This is what I was afraid of. This client lives about 30 miles from me and I wanted to try and keep from having him bring the unit in to me but I really don't have the patience to walk him through the TCP/IP stack rebuilding and he has no way to download Combofix.

 

[seedubya]

Just try netsh winsock reset first, before you bring him over to you.

 

[lcoughey]

Why not start with getting the client to run "ipconfig /all" to see what DNS servers are registered?

 

[knc]

Sounds like his TCP/IP stack is still out of whack, perhaps got a DNS injector in there that got partially removed. So DNS is still hosed. Rebuild TCP/IP or run Combofix which does that.

combofix should take care of it..

 

[NETWizz]

If the computer is too hosed for DNS to work when properly configured, just re-image it.

Why even bother trying to repair something as integral as DNS. Without it, Windows probably cannot even talk to itself reliably.

 

[AlaDes]

I ended up having the client bring the system in. It ended up being a winsock reset