Question Randomly losing connecting via Ethernet and Wi-fi

[bcemail]

Using a custom built desktop, usually connected via the Ethernet on my ASRock Mobo to Xfinity router. I've been having random problems with my internet connection. Usually, it works fine, then all of a sudden no webpages will open in either Chrome or Firefox. When I check Network Connections in Windows 11, it still says that the network connection is active and shows bytes up and down changing. Although today I hit the Troubleshooter when it said no internet in Chrome and then the troubleshooter seemed to think the Ethernet controller wasn't working, even though Network Connections said it was. IDK

If I open an app that uses the internet, such as Rob-locks or $te@m, those will work just fine. Wifi devices around the house still work fine, and the Xfinity app says there's nothing wrong with our connection. Also reset the gateway, etc. Last time it stopped working I plugged in a USB Wifi adapter and that got me back online. Then after a day or so that stopped. But eventually Ethernet came back.

It often seems like if I restart my PC, the internet will start working again. Then it varies how long it takes to stop working again.

Not sure if it's connected at all, but this morning I found that a browser called Epistart (I think that was the spelling) was installed somehow, I'm guessing a kid clicked on something, and it kept opening. I uninstalled and ran a Malwarebytes scan, and the only thing that found was a couple files in my Downloads, one of which was Wave Browser, but that hadn't been installed, but don't know if it's related to Epistart or not. Will a basic free Malwarebytes scan be good enough to make sure I got everything?

Any ideas on the internet problems? I haven't been able to detect any pattern or anything, but it's driving me crazy!

 

[KingLoki]

If its just related to those two browsers, would be advisable to backup passwords/bookmarks etc for each if applicable. Uninstall both browsers and reboot. Then download & install one and try using it, then download the other & use it.

Malwarebytes is a good program, worth trying.

 

[bill001g]

The only real difference between the paid and free versions of malwarebytes is if it run by itself. For most people manually running it is fine.

Hard to say when you have lots of garbage software that may have been installed. Not all thing uninstall cleanly. It is not so much malware but a incompetent programmer.

2 common things to try. Make sure you only have the ethernet port to start with.

First go into the nic settings and disable IPv6 support. IPv6 causes lots of strange issues at times and provides almost no benefit.

Next go into the IPv4 settings and manually set the DNS. Good ones to use are 8.8.8.8 and/or 1.1.1.1 You might as well turn on encrypted DNS while you are setting this. The problem that might still exist is many browsers now have the ability to override the OS DNS settings. This was a good thing before microsoft added the encrypted DNS support to windows but now the feature just adds another thing that can causes issues. Make sure this feature is not being used in the browser.