Strange internet connection problem

Problem: I cannot connect to hotmail on my laptop (m14x) windows 7 listed in sig, but I can connect to all other sites that I try on the web. I can connect to Hotmail and all other sites on my other laptop (m11x, windows 8.1 in sig) which is sitting right next to the first one on my desk. Both are connected wirelessly. I can also connect to Hotmail and all other sites on my desktop (XP professional). All are connected to the same router, desktop is wired and two laptops are wireless. I have tried both Firefox and IE.

Some things I have tried: refresh/renew ip; flush dns; update drivers for wireless card; delete cookies, cache; tried Firefox in safe mode; tried both automatically obtain DNS and DNS (8.8.8.8); played around with security settings.

I’m not sure what to do from here.

Any suggestions?

When I say cannot connect, I mean I just get a white page that never loads anything.

 

Anti-virus or firewall? Those would be the only other things which blocks a specific site. I don't think java or flash are a requirement of Hotmail. Also, do you use anti-spyware add ons for Firefox like Ghostery or Adblock? One of them could be stopping Hotmail from loading as well for whatever strange reason.

 

Hi radji, anti-virus is Microsoft Security Essentials and I use Windows Firewall. I don't have java installed on my laptops or any anti-spyware add ons, but I do have flashblock for Firefox, but even with that disabled it still cannot connect, nothing for IE though and I can't connect with that.

 

If you have security settings on high, or popup blocker on high that may stop it from loading.
As radji said also other blockers you have.

You might need to add to your list of allowed sites: live.com, hotmail.com, outlook.com. A really important one is the live.com.

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Edit:
The Hotmail site has been converted to outlook.com so you'll need to maybe check your links,; this will get you there: https://outlook.com/ or https://mail.live.com

 

rcb.to.ca, thanks! I am using the updated links for hotmail. I've tried adding the sites to the allowed list, but no change.

More info: using a vpn I can access hotmail. Maybe there's a conflict in the ip addresses? The vpn is not installed on my m11x which can access hotmail with no problem, nor is it installed on my desktop. I'll try uninstalling that and see if it changes anything.

 

Unfortunately, it seems to be a conflict with my vpn. I have changed the dns server to be obtained automatically and now I can access hotmail. I thought I set this earlier but may have overlooked it. But I did write it in my list above. At any rate, I can access my mail. But, I'm living in a, how shall I say, a place that does not take such an amicable view of the exchange of digital information, so the vpn is rather important.

I guess the question now is why can't I connect to hotmail using Google's DNS servers (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4)?

 

That's on Google, not you. May be a DNS which hotmail had to block for some reason.

 

Have you checked the hosts file? Also try doing a tracert to see where it goes. And lastly, connect to the ip address itself, to bypass the dns server.

 

I really don't have much experience with vpn's. But I've been looking into them, so I'll watch this thread for the outcome.