Blank internet pages and dead email web links

Helpline Q&A Directory

Whenever I connect to the internet I get blank pages. I also get Server Error messages when I use email, and cannot open any links in emails.

This sounds like a DNS (domain name server) problem. A DNS is a computer that converts names such as www.pcadvisor.co.uk to the numeric IP addresses that are used to uniquely identify computers on the internet. The address of the DNS is usually allocated automatically by your ISP when you log in.

You can check this by right-clicking your ISP icon in Dial-Up Networking, selecting Properties, clicking on Server Types and then clicking TCP/IP Settings. For the vast majority of ISPs the settings should be Server assigned IP address, Server assigned name server addresses and Use default gateway.

Incorrectly configured firewall software can cause you problems, so try disabling such software temporarily. Certain worm viruses can also interfere with web connections, so check your PC is using an up-to-date virus scanner. See tip How to avoid internet worms.