Microsoft Surface 3 cannot connect to web sites ... no DNS resolution

wpcoe · 08 Oct 2019

I've had a Surface 3 sitting on a shelf for many months and decided to dust it off to bring Windows and apps up to date. However, it cannot connect to any website via my home network either by WiFi or Ethernet (USB-to-RJ45 connector) although it used to and no settings on my modem/router have changed.

The Surface has Win10 Home v.1709 which shouldn't be a problem since it used to work, no? I have other issues to trying to update Windows, which warrant a separate thread in another section.

The root of my internet connection issues seems to be with DNS resolution. I can ping a web site by using its numeric IP address, but not by it's alpha http:// address. e.g. I cannot ping yahoo.com but I can ping 98.137.246.8.

I have tried all automatic settings (network & DNS settings) which is how it used to work. I have also manually assigned an IP address/gateway and DNS addresses -- for the latter I've used automatic detection to use my ISP's DNS servers as stored in the modem/router and also Google (8.8.8.8/8.8.4.4). I can ping 8.8.8.8 just fine but can't ping any address at all.

Any ideas?

dalchina · 09 Oct 2019

Note user is aiming to update to 1903 using same PC - see more recent thread:
Can't update Windows from USB drive

Please use one thread at one time on a given PC else it gets very confusing for members and for you. Thanks

wpcoe · 09 Oct 2019

They are two distinct issues.

(a) I cannot access the internet with my current configuration
(b) I cannot update the Windows version

My apologies for not lumping them together in the same thread.

dalchina · 09 Oct 2019

No problem... they may be two distinct issues, but if you are given instructions to do something in one sequence this may conflict with what others are doing in another thread. Plus they may be resolved simultaneously e.g. by an in-place upgrade repair install.

Or maybe they need to be handled in order... plus, best to know all the issues on a given device before suggesting a way forward.

wpcoe · 09 Oct 2019

I have now successfully to Win10 Home v.1903. However my ability to connect to web sites remains as in the opening post. e.g. I still can ping 98.137.246.8 but I cannot ping yahoo.com.

There are a few new symptoms, though:

- Trying to ping a web site (e.g. ping yahoo.com) hangs and does nothing. I have to ^C to get back to a prompt.
- Entering ipconfig at a CMD prompt hangs and does nothing. I have to ^C to get back to a prompt.

Do those ring a bell with anybody?

With the previous Win10 version, pinging yahoo.com would timeout after a short wait & ipconfig worked as designed, and both of them would then return to a command prompt.

dalchina · 09 Oct 2019

Try using DNSjumper (free) and see what it says when it tries to list your available DNS's.

That you have upgraded successfully indicates there is a configuration or 3rd party-related problem that is not overridden by the upgrade. Your services should be set to default.

Try resetting your Internet options:

Microsoft Surface 3 cannot connect to web sites ... no DNS resolution-1.png

Have you ever changed your Hosts file or used any utility that may have done so? Check it is default.

What security software are you using?

Can any other device use the same connection successfully?

wpcoe · 09 Oct 2019

I threw in the towel and wiped the hard drive to do a fresh Win10 installation. There were just too many little things that didn't work, like not being able to add a new user -- I thought I'd try a new user profile in case something was mucked with mine, but couldn't even do that.

So, thread is now marked Solved.

dalchina · 09 Oct 2019

Now's the time to create a new base disk image - before something breaks. E.g. Macrium Reflect (free/paid) + external storage for disk images.