Facebook and certain webpages won't load

[toniabarone]

Hi. A few days ago, Facebook stopped loading correctly for me. It will load, but it loads along the left side of the screen and it only loads the menu bar. Clearing my cache, cookies, internet temp files, resetting internet proxy, none of it works. Pages that also refuse to load (at all this time) are cracked.com, walmart.com, lanebryant.com, xbox.com, and a couple of other tech sites I've tried searching in my quest for a solution. Coincidentally, my xbox has been popping up a message saying some features that use the internet are unavailable. My internet connection has been reading half signal strength, but every test I know how to perform (speed test, virus/spyware scans) show nothing wrong.

The last time I remember this happening, I had a virus, but my scans all come up clean. This is becoming very frustrating. And yes, I tried a different browser. I typically use Firefox, but I tried IE and all the websites refused to load on it, as well. Yet I can access the websites on my smartphone, no problem. I'm about to pull my hair out and I'm on the verge of buying a new laptop because I'm nearly convinced this one is busted in some way. Please help?

 

[Bobbye]

Pleae keep your hair- you may want to change the style some day!

Please tell me what happens when you try to load the aforementioned web sites> do you get an Error message? What? Is the Error message the same for all the sites that won't load?

Do the problem web pages have anything in common> for example, do any show https for a secure page instead of just http?

My internet connection has been reading half signal strength, but every test I know how to perform (speed test, virus/spyware scans) show nothing wrong.

But there is something wrong> you are only getting half the signal you need and it may not be enough to reach and load the sites in a timely manner. This will cause the connection to 'time out.'

Check out the information on the reference below:
http://compnetworking.about.com/od/wirelessfaqs/f/signal_strength.htm

This is why I need to know what happens when you try to load the site..
XBox will be handled separately- possibly it is also a victims of diminished strength.

 

[toniabarone]

Except for Facebook, which does as I described, all of the pages bring up the "Server cannot be found" message. In the past, if this happens, reloading while pressing Shift to clear the cache reloads it fine. It doesn't work now, though. I hit the "Try Again" button but it does nothing but bring the message that the "Server cannot be found".

No, there's no connection between the websites as far as I can tell. One of the supposed fixes someone in a thread suggested was to put "https" before the website address, particular for the Facebook problem, but it made no difference. I tried it with the other addresses, too, and nothing happened.

I thought it might be the signal strength, but I don't understand why now it's having issues. Before earlier this week (Tuesday, I think), I've always had full signal strength. And that website was not helpful, because I am not using a wireless connection. My connection from the modem is a CAT6 ethernet cord to a hub (a switch?) which then uses a CAT 5 cable to my laptop. I hadn't realized until just now it was CAT 5 to my laptop, I'll obviously need to update that, but still, I've been using it for months with no problems in connectivity.

The Xbox doesn't really concern me as much as the laptop and the internet connection. As you said, it is possibly a victim as well.

I'm just confused. If it's a question of connectivity, then shouldn't all websites time out and not load? Why only some?

 

[Bobbye]

Server no found usually comes up because there is no internet connectivity.

My internet connection has been reading half signal strength,

Where are you getting the signal information from? Or what is it coming from?
-------------------------------
But I would guess the hub may be the culprit and consideration for the number of devices connected to it.

As for your question why some sites load and others don't:
1. The signal may drop too low at that particular time when you try a site- so essentially at that time, there is no internet connection.
2. The 'road' to each of the sites is different. Example: (very non-technical) If Mary lives 10 miles away from you and Joan lives next door, it will take you longer to get to Mary's house. If more or fewer servers are involved accessing a site, it can influence the load time. If the servers are slow at that point, it can influence the time. So if the connection isn't stable and internet access is dropping intermittently, it's going to affect the site load time.
3. The Difference Between a Cat5 and Cat5e

• 
  
  

  Virtually every modern network requires network cabling in some way. As network technology has advanced, so has the Ethernet cable, giving way to new versions in order to keep up with the ever increasing speed demands of the modern network. This has given rise to new versions of the network cable such as the Cat5e, or Category 5 Enhanced network cable.

I don't know why your setup use to work but now doesn't. There are too many variables.
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Facebook won't load
You will find an abundance of threads about this and you can try the 'fixes' suggested. It may-or may not- be related to the low signal problem.

Some help here: https://www.techspot.com/community/topics/facebook-wont-load.183367/

You can also use your account to access the Facebook Forums- if you can get it to load.

You can also run the following to check the Event Viewer for more information on the Facebook failure:
NOTE: Be sure you try the access a few times before you run this. When the Facebook load failes, note the time on the computer clock. We will check that time against the System & App logs for Errors at the same time:
Please download VEW and save it to your Desktop:

Setting up the program

Double-click VEW.exe to run.

• 
  Select log to query, select
• Application
• System
  
  Under Select type to list, select:
• Critical (Vista only)
• Error
  
  Click the radio button for Number of events
• Type 20 in the 1 to 20 box
• Then click the Run button.
• Notepad will open with the output log.
  
  Load the log
• In Notepad, click Edit> Select all
• Then press Edit > Copy
• Press Ctrl+V on your keyboard to paste the log to your next reply.

(Courtesy rev-Olie)