Very Strange Problem

[irishcrazy2005]

So I have a very strange problem that I was hoping one of you geniuses might be able to help me with. Just to give a quick background, I am running Windows XP Pro, Service Pack 2 with the most updated version of Windows Media Player. I am on a SBC DSL internet connection behind a Linksys wireless router.

The problem that I have been having for quite awhile (I can't even remember how long) is that whenever I try to stream Windows Media Player video content over the web (such as the news clips at cnn.com or video clips at vh1.com, and those are only two examples out of several that I've run into), I completely lose internet connection and the only way to get it back is to unplug my modem and router and then plug them back in. Note that I do not lose connection to the router, just internet. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

-Phil

[TheMamba]

So you lose the connection coming INTO the router from your ISP?

What web browser are you using? Is Windows Media Player totally up to date, etc?

I dunno what to say...that's a pretty bizarre situation. Maybe you have some funky filter (i.e. Webnanny) buried on your computer somewhere and it's not letting you connect to any streamed material.

:hmm: :hmm: :hmm:

[irishcrazy2005]

Well I honestly don't know if I am losing the connection coming into the router or what is happening, all I know is that the only way I can get the internet functioning again is by unplugging the router and the modem. I am using Firefox. Someone on another board suggested that the ports that WMP is trying to use may be blocked by my ISP or my firewall. I am having a hard time figuring out what ports those are though.

I'm 22 and live by myself, so unless there is some crazy person spying on my and breaking into my computer, I don't think that there is any sort of filtering software installed.

Phil

So you lose the connection coming INTO the router from your ISP?

What web browser are you using? Is Windows Media Player totally up to date, etc?

I dunno what to say...that's a pretty bizarre situation. Maybe you have some funky filter (i.e. Webnanny) buried on your computer somewhere and it's not letting you connect to any streamed material.

:hmm: :hmm: :hmm:

[TheMamba]

Port informatio for WMP:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/serve/firewall.aspx#Unicast

[Toadinohio]

Don't know if this is any help but I have heard of other firefox users on other boards complain about getting micro$oft/m$n stuff to work on that browser.
Maybe m$ is blocking you somehow for not using the program they want you to.

[TheMamba]

Yeah, is the streaming video working if you use Internet Explorer?

[irishcrazy2005]

TheMamba, thanks for that port info, although I tried opening some of those and it didn't help. I don't know if that is because that document appears to be geared towards the server side.

I tried playing some of the same video in I.E. just now, and it does the exact same thing. Thanks for the help though!

Phil

[U2Lynne]

I seem to recall that when you first go to a site to stream video that they ask you what type of connection you have before starting to stream the video. Perhaps you over-estimated what your speed was and that is causing the problem. Try setting it to stream at a slower rate.

[irishcrazy2005]

Thanks for the suggestion Lynne, but that does not seem to be an issue. In further troubleshooting, I have found out something that may give ya'll some more ideas. If I plug directly into my DSL modem using an ethernet cable (just bypassing the Linksys wireless router entirely), the video works just fine. What could this be???

Thanks,
Phil

[texizjtexiz]

Don't know if this is any help but I have heard of other firefox users on other boards complain about getting micro$oft/m$n stuff to work on that browser.
Maybe m$ is blocking you somehow for not using the program they want you to.
Great extension for Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?id=446

Basically it detects different types of streaming media & allows you the option to play it in the browser window or open with an application of your choice. Highly customizable.

It is possible to run a WinXP machine with no WMP player whatsoever. There are many alternatives, VLC for example. There are also RealAlternative & QuicktimeAlternative which both come with Media Player Classic (another alternative player).

[mort]

Thanks for the suggestion Lynne, but that does not seem to be an issue. In further troubleshooting, I have found out something that may give ya'll some more ideas. If I plug directly into my DSL modem using an ethernet cable (just bypassing the Linksys wireless router entirely), the video works just fine. What could this be???

Thanks,
Phil



TIME FOR A NEW ROUTER

and or try resetting it !