What to do if you're connected but can't see any websites

According to the lights on your O2 wireless box, your connection seems to be working. But when you try and go to a website you get one of the following messages:

• The page cannot be displayed

   

• The page you are looking for is currently unavailable

   

• The website might be experiencing technical difficulties, or you may need to adjust your browser settings

   

• Error: cannot find server or DNS Error

If you used the set up CD when you installed O2 Home Broadband, the O2 Home Broadband Assistant should guide you through some quick fixes.

If for some reason, the O2 Home Broadband Assistant can’t help, try working the steps below.

Solving the problem

There could be a number of reasons for these messages, so we're going to take you through all the different solutions. If you think you know the cause of the problem, try the appropriate one. Otherwise, work through them all in the order below until it's solved. It looks like a lot of work, but it shouldn't take that long.

Check other websites

Try logging on to a few trusted websites such as 'www.o2.co.uk,' 'www.google.co.uk' or 'www.bbc.co.uk'. If you can see one but not the other, the problems lie with that particular website, and not your broadband connection.

Delete temporary Internet files and cookies

Temporary Internet files and cookies are usually harmless files that websites save onto your computer's hard-drive. Though normally innocuous, they can occasionally stop you getting online. So it's a good idea to delete them every so often.

To do this in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6:

1. Go to the 'Tools' menu.
   
   
2. Choose 'Internet Options'.
   
   
3. Make sure the 'General' tab is selected at the top of the window.
   
   
4. Click the 'Delete Cookies' button and press 'OK' when prompted.
   
   
5. Also click the 'Delete Files' button – again, press 'OK' when prompted.

Now close every Internet Explorer window you have open, and then reopen the program.

To do this in Microsoft Internet Explorer 7:

1. Go to the 'Tools' menu.
   
   
2. Choose 'Internet Options'.
   
   
3. Under 'Browsing history', click 'Delete'.
   
   
4. Under 'Cookies', click the 'Delete cookies' button and press 'Yes' if prompted.
   
   
5. When that's done, click the 'Delete files' button and press 'Yes' if prompted.

Now close every Internet Explorer window you have open, and then reopen the program.

Temporarily disable your firewall

Your firewall tries to stop unsavoury websites from loading on your computer – protecting it from viruses and hackers.

However, sometimes your firewall can be a bit too keen and blocks sites that should be getting through. Other times you need to let it know which sites can always be allowed through – much like a guest list at a club.

Temporarily turning off your firewall lets you check whether this is the cause of the problem. Remember to turn it back on afterwards as your computer is unprotected without it.

If you're using your own firewall then you'll need to check the instructions to find out how to disable it.

If this fixes the problem, then you'll need to change how your firewall's set up so that it lets you view the websites you want to see.

If that still hasn't solved the problem, please give us a call on 0800 230 0202 free from a landline, or drop the first '0' to call free from an O2 mobile.

View our interactive guide to get more support setting up and going wireless