Websites not opening

[Grandadfatboy]

Hello, I’m new to the forum and would like any advice with the following issue on my HP Pavillion 15 eh1000 laptop please. Virgin Broadband 125mb. I have received no error messages and have not added new software or updated any drivers.

My issue is pretty specific, in as much as I have a fast enough Wi-Fi connection, and typing web searches into my browser (currently Google Chrome), and I instantly receive a list of options related to my search. Here’s where it gets weird, I can click on a link and the page may, or may not open. If the page opens, I then click a specific item on that page and again, it may open, or it may not.

This happens on random sites, and happens when selecting links from other sources too. Here’s an example. I purchased, or rather my wife did, a new Gard Pro Ultra 2+ watch. I typed the name into Google and instantly get the results I expect. I click the link to the product I wish to view/purchase, and blank page, and no amount of waiting will open the page. I try other links shown in Chrome, all with the same result. I try another browser (Mozilla Firefox), with exactly the same results.

My wife is sitting 6 feet away and I ask her to type into Chrome, Gard Pro Ultra 2+. The results are instantaneous and I ask her to open the link to watch. It opens immediately, much to my annoyance. My wife was then able to navigate the site for me making the selection of colour, accessories etc. and was able to complete the purchase. Checking afterwards, I would have been able to complete this purchase on my mobile or tablet, as they are not affected by this issue.

So, to my mind I have ruled out it being a Wi-Fi connection issue, as all other pc’s, phones and tablets are not experiencing this issue. I am suspecting it’s a Wi-Fi adapter issue, or a settings issue for the adapter. Sadly my laptop does not have an Ethernet port, and I have purchased an Ethernet adapter and will connect it via USB to my laptop to see if this makes any difference. I have run all the diagnostics I have available and I’m out of ideas.

Any advice greatly appreciated. Apologies for the long post.

[Max3Aj]

Hi @Grandadfatboy,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

It sounds like your HP Pavilion 15 laptop is experiencing intermittent webpage loading issues, despite a stable internet connection. Given that other devices work fine on the same network, we can narrow the issue down to either.
 

1. A Network Adapter or DNS Issue
2. A Browser or Software Conflict
3. A Security or Firewall Issue

Try These Steps to Fix the Issue:

1. Test with Ethernet Adapter

Since you have an Ethernet adapter, try connecting via wired connection to see if the problem persists. If websites load correctly via Ethernet, the issue is likely related to your Wi-Fi adapter or settings.

2. Clear DNS Cache & Change DNS

• Open Command Prompt (Admin) and type the following commands one by one:

ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
 

• Try changing your DNS settings:
  • Open Control Panel → Network and Internet → Network and Sharing Center.
  • Click on Change adapter settings (left panel).
  • Right-click on your Wi-Fi adapter → Properties.
  • Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) → Properties.
  • Choose Use the following DNS server addresses and enter:
    • Preferred DNS: 8.8.8.8
    • Alternate DNS: 8.8.4.4 (Google's DNS)
  • Click OK and restart your PC.

3. Disable IPv6

• Go to Network and Sharing Center → Change adapter settings.
• Right-click your Wi-Fi adapter → Properties.
• Uncheck Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6).
• Click OK and restart.

[Max3Aj]

4. Reset Network Settings

• Open Command Prompt (Admin) and enter:

netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
 

• Restart your laptop.

5. Disable Browser Extensions & Test in Incognito Mode

• Open Chrome and press Ctrl + Shift + N (Incognito mode).
• Try visiting a problematic site.
• If it works, disable all extensions in Chrome:
  • Open chrome://extensions/ in Chrome.
  • Disable or remove all extensions.
  • Restart Chrome and test.

6. Disable Proxy or VPN (If Any)

• Open Settings → Network & Internet → Proxy.
• Toggle Automatically detect settings ON.
• Make sure Use a proxy server is OFF.

7. Check Firewall & Antivirus

• Disable Windows Defender Firewall temporarily:
  • Open Control Panel → Windows Defender Firewall.
  • Click Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off.
  • Select Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (both options).
  • Test browsing and turn it back on after testing.
• If you have third-party antivirus (McAfee, Norton, etc.), try disabling it and check.

8. Update Wi-Fi Adapter Drivers

• Open Device Manager (Win + X → Device Manager).
• Expand Network Adapters.
• Right-click your Wi-Fi adapter → Update Driver → Search automatically for drivers.
• If the issue persists, try rolling back the driver:
  • Right-click Wi-Fi adapter → Properties → Driver tab → Roll Back Driver.

[Max3Aj]

9. Reset Chrome Settings

• Open Chrome and type:
  chrome://settings/reset
• Click Restore settings to their original defaults → Reset.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

Max3Aj

HP Support 

[Grandadfatboy]

Hello,

Thank you for the solutions you offer. Sadly I have not had any personal time since receiving your reply. It is on my list of things to do on Monday, when hopefully my usual schedule will be resumed. May I ask, do I need to restart my laptop after trying each solution on your list?

Thank you again, your assistance is much appreciated.

[Grandadfatboy]

Hello,

I managed to get a chance to start making my way through your suggestions above, but my laptop would not recognise me as the administrator in step 4, despite it being stated as so in the accounts section, and would not let me go any further.

I must admit to not being familiar with the steps needed to perform these actions, so was double checking that I had typed everything correctly. I'm sorry but I don't how to change to administrator in order to perform the next range of suggestions. 

If you could offer any advice on how I can proceed I would be grateful. 

[zoey7886]

@Grandadfatboy, Thanks for getting back to us!

To answer your question — yes, it’s a good idea to restart your laptop after trying each solution, especially when making changes to the network settings or drivers. Restarting helps apply the changes properly and gives you a clean slate to test from.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

Regards,

[Grandadfatboy · Accepted solution]

Hello @ZOEY7886,

Thank you for your reply. I still have not been able to get past "login in as administrator" to try the other solutions on the list, plus my life has been very hectic with little time to myself. I will be giving it another go, as it's driving me mad. 

All the best.

Ian.

[Grandadfatboy]

Hello one and all.

Thank you for your help and advice. I used the virtual assistance tool and after completing each step, I believe that the issue is now resolved.  Again thank you for your help and advice.

Regards

Ian

[zoey7886]

@Grandadfatboy, A huge thank you for marking this post as the 'Accepted Solution'! We're thrilled that we could help resolve your issue. 

If you have any more questions or need further assistance, please don't hesitate to ask. We're here to help! 

Thanks again for your confirmation, and we wish you an amazing day ahead! 

Regards, 

zoey7886

HP Support