For whatever reason, Firefox can no longer find or connect to my internet connection. I didn’t change any settings at all within Firefox, IE connects just fine, as do AIM and my XBox. I’m using a cable modem with a Linksys WAP.
Firefox automatically updated itself last night; that’s the only thing I can imagine that might’ve done this. I’ve already tried changing settings within Firefox for my proxy and that’s done nothing. Is there any way to roll back the Firefox update or does anyone have any ideas as to what happened? I’d sure like to stop using IE.
Do you have Norton? Often times it will redefine the security settings for a new version of software. If it’s the case, you just have to go into the program access list in Norton and change it.
I have a very similar problem on the family computer in my house. IE works and so do many other applications that connect to the internet yet Firefox does not. It does not bother me because I sit happily on the other computer running linux flawlessly. Yet recently norton locked out even IE on the family computer. I fixed that with a series of settings changes and disabling some of Nortons (negative) thrills. Then rebooting and reactivating. Now IE works but Firefox still does not work.
Hmm, my Firefox automatically updated last night as well, and it’s working just fine. However, in my Internet and Web Design class at school, I downloaded and installed both Firefox and Opera to test for browser compatibility and Firefox does not detect the Internet at all (no matter how much I change the settings), while Opera and IE work just fine.
I would suggest checking the Firefox Help and Support Page, to see if they have anything useful information that might help you to solve this problem.
I installed the old version of Firefox and that still didn’t work, so I turned Windows Firewall back on and added Firefox as an exception to allow it to talk to the internet. Now it works fine.
I can also connect to the iTunes music store again for the first time since installing the new update, so I bet that, coupled with the Firefox update, screwed something up.
And the latest upgrade of Firefox on this computer would not play the new VEX demo automation, while IE worked fine. I haven’t debugged it yet, but I suspect that the upgrade broke the “what plays what kind of downloaded file” table.
I happened to have the same problem when firefox updated last too, you did the only thing I knew that would work, for some reason Norton thinks firefox is a high risk program, yet firefox actually helps stop viruses. Wonder why Norton doesn’t like firefox?
I’m a major fan of Firefox, and I still use it all the time out of habit, but as a webmaster I’ve had to use all different browsers for compatibility testing, and IE tends to do much better when it comes to uniformity, especially when using any of the plug-ins: Java, Flash, etc. The only huge advantage to Firefox is the tabbed browsing and the ability to more easily clear user settings which are often where spyware can easily be removed, but now with the release of IE 7, IE has both of those features, which in my mind brought it back up with Firefox. I still use Firefox because that’s where I have all my favorites and everything, but IE is a more standard platform and it is a little more stable than Firefox.
I guess Firefox still does better at avoiding the spyware, but there has at least been an attempt in IE to implement new processes to limit malicious software in the new version. There is even an option to turn on the phishing warning which warns you when a site has been reported for phishing. I will grant that this version of IE is not yet full release (currently on RC2), but I have had no problem with it yet, and the built-in RSS function even has Firefox beat.
So if the problems with Firefox are enough, or you just want to try it out, I think IE 7 is a great way to go, and you won’t have ANY trouble with a firewall or anti-virus software. It’ll also put you one step ahead if and when you upgrade to Vista, as 7 will be the default browser with Vista installation.
I’ve had issues with all software over the years. I once had Firefox wipe out all my bookmarks after Windows bluescreened because of a different application. A system restore later and it was fixed. But in the end, I’ve had a lot less problems with Firefox than I have had with IE and other Microsoft-related applications.
Just two days ago I had to reinstal Windows XP on my desktop after it died during the middle of an Automatic Update and became fouled up beyond all repair.
That’s why I prefer to manually update to the extent which I can. My parents keep switching auto updates back on this computer, but on all of the computers I manage control of, it’s always manual. I just have to remember to do it preiodically.
