Internet keeps hanging - anyone any idea why?

[PreferredPlanet]

I bought a new laptop recently, and it seemed to be ok at first, but lately the webpages will just frequently fade out, and give that really annoying (Not Responding) message ... have been using Internet Explorer, but downloaded Firefox too and that doesn't seem to be any better. Haven't tried Safari or Google Chrome yet - maybe I should?

I'm just not techy enough to know if the problem lies with a) the broadband connection into the house (I do get the same problem on the desktop Mac not infrequently), b) Internet Explorer c) my actual laptop (an HP Pentium with Windows 7) d) something entirely different!

I bought it on 2 January so thinking I should really take it back before a month, if it's the computer that's the prob. Any help gratefully received!

How are you connecting to your home modem? Wirelessly?

If wirelessly does the laptop still think it's got a wireless connection when this problem happens? There should be a little icon on the tool bar that will show you the connection and it's strength.

Hi Badger, thanks - have been waiting for it to happen again so I could check and yes, the tool bar is still full of white blocks so I guess that means the connection is still ok? Yes, it's wireless.

I often have to just shut it down by pressing the on/off button, which is obviously the wrong thing to do, then when I switch it back on the "Welcome" window hangs, with the little circular timer thingie, and then I get the black screen with all the "basic" white lettering saying something like "Windows did not shut down normally .... etc etc"

Any ideas?

"I often have to just shut it down by pressing the on/off button"

Why are you having to do that?

I thought that the only problem was web pages not responding? When that happens can you not reboot in the usual way?

Holding down the off button is something that you do want to try and avoid doing if you can as it can cause problems, hence the screen you get when you start it up again.

When the problem does happen you say the signal strength is still showing as good? Is there any other information? Can you double click on the little wireless icon? Sometimes different bits of wireless software can give you different things.

Do you know the homepage of your router? It's often something like 192.168.1.1

It's what you would use to set up passwords and things.

When this problem occurs can you get to that?

Hi Badger, no, Ctrl+Alt+Del doesn't always work, or takes aaaaaaages. I know that's not good. Nope, I can't get to the router page either when it hangs. I'll try clicking on the wireless icon next time it happens, but sometimes I can't even move the mouse!

If that's happening then this is something far more serious than just the internet hanging, that shouldn't cause your machine to lock up. The problem is something to do with your computer itself. If it only happens when you're on the wireless network then perhaps there's some driver problem that causes trouble when the card is in use.

As a first port of call make sure that there are no nasties lurking on the machine. Download and run something like MalwareBytes (www.malwarebytes.org/)

This happened with my new laptop. I have to use Google Chrome and haven't had problems since I used that.

If any program, yet alone one as important as Internet Explorer, can bring your computer down to it's knees and then there are serious problems that should be found and fixed.