Browser trouble. Connectivity issue?

[Dome]

So this has been frustrating me for days. Recently moved to new apartment and got comcast cable cause it's the only isp that provides for this complex. Since then all of my internet browsers have been running extremely slow and with some sites not at all. For example, I have never been able to go to penny-arcade.com since I moved... it just doesn't load. Other pages load halfway but some work just fine. I did all the usual internet option setting changes (enabling cookies, deleting internet files, restoring all defaults, etc) but that didn't help. I'm pretty sure it's not my router because I took my computer over to a reliable connection that I know works and the same stuff happened. Did a defrag, scan disk, system restore, got spyware doctor, and McAfee anti-virus but nothing helps.. I checked my mobo's site and they don't have any drivers that relate to anything like this. Also... my aol instant messanger works fine when I have no browsers open, but when I open any browser (IE, Mozilla, Opera) it disconnects and reconnects so much that messaging doesn't work at all. Called comcast a few times and they don't know... Any ideas that don't involve reinstalling XP(last resort) would be appreciated. (Two more peices of info: online games work fine... never any loss of connection. This is just a browser issue. Anddd.. I can't access my router (Arris TM402P/110) through my IP cause that page also doesn't load)

 

[PanicX]

I get the feeling its probably a DNS issue.

You can try setting your DNS servers manually.
I often use Verizon's core DNS servers myself, here are the IPs
4.2.2.1
4.2.2.2
4.2.2.3
4.2.2.4

The best way to check for a dns issue, is to open a command window (Start menu -> Run -> cmd <enter>)
Then try pinging a domain name.
ping www.penny-arcade.com

If you get a message saying unknown host, then your DNS isn't working properly or you typed the domain name wrong.

If you get an IP address and replies, then your DNS is fine.

 

[Dome]

It pinged fine at 30ms.

 

[PanicX]

Check out this thread https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic17297.html

If you've got some sort of malware causing this problem, the instructions in that thread should help you out.

 

[DelJo63]

to find your OWN DNS addresses from your ISP
run 'cmd /k ipconfig /all
near the bottom. you will find one or more.

to test
ping the address (which must work)
ping the name (if it fails, resolution is failing)

and now you can test YOUR dns for other sites
1) nslookup $newsite$ $your-isp-dns-address$
2) nslookup $newsite$ 24.48.217.227

#2 will borrow the adelphia.net dns to resolve the address or name of $newsite$