This description assumes you are on high speed internet such as cable or Dsl. If you have Dial-up it needs to be approached in a different way.
What if your page does not display?
Local Modem
Don’t assume it’s anything you did or didn’t do. Open Internet Explorer. Left click tools then Internet options. Click the tab that says connections. Be sure that “Never Dial a connection” is clicked. If you have one of the other buttons selected, your browser will endeavor to use a dial-up connection. Click on Lan Settings. Click the block that says “Automatically detect settings”. Click Ok and Click Ok again on the next screen. Reopen the browser. See if that works. This should help detect your settings.
Verify that all cables are connected securely to the allowable device. When you look at the cables observe them for damage. I have had cases where a vacuum cleaner ate the cable or cord. If everything checks out unplug your Dsl or cable modem. If you are using a router unplug it also. Wait about 10 seconds and plug one or both back in. Check the lights on your modem and be sure the ones that should be lit are lit. (This may vary agreeing to the type of modem or router you have) Try occasion a web page again. If it still fails, reboot the computer. If you still are having problem you may need to call your aid provider. Things can go wrong at your aid provider also. They can help you rule the status of your connection. This can save your hours of troubleshooting and maybe some money.
Some other problems
You may have a Virus. In fact this is one of the prominent causes why you can’t get a web page to display. Your web browser (normally Internet Explorer) may be corrupted for some reason. If you have a different browser, such as Foxfire, try that. If you still are having difficulty you may need to take it to a professional. They may need to take off a Virus or Spy-ware. If it is assuredly bad they may need to reload the operating system. There are many problems that can cause the same thing. Other possibility is that your network card is defective or the driver for it may have become corrupt or disabled.
One thing you can try if you think you are skilled enough. Go to start and click on run. Type in the word: Command. Hit enter. At the command line type: ping www.(website).com and hit enter. Be sure to put a space in the middle of the word ping and the web site address. Use any web site you want to. See if you have any errors. If it does present you certainly have a bad browser. If it does not present you need to check deeper. This description is not intended for the developed technician. I would propose seeing somebody in your area that can help you solve this question if you don’t understand what to do.
Important settings
Security settings in Internet Explorer control how a computer running Windows Xp handles article from application servers inside and outside the network. Safety settings are as follows: 1. Internet 2. Local Intranet 3.Trusted Sites 4.Restricted zones. Set these to their default level. Viruses will try to reset these so can gain access to the browser and other area of your computer.
Configuring and Troubleshooting Internet Explorer Settings