Microsoft KB Archive/321282

= Computer Disconnects from the Internet When You Start Media Player from Link =

Article ID: 321282

Article Last Modified on 10/30/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Media Player 7.0

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This article was previously published under Q321282



SYMPTOMS
If you click a link that starts Media Player, your computer may disconnect itself from the Internet.



CAUSE
This issue may occur if all of the following conditions are true:
 * You are using Microsoft Windows Media Player version 7.

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 * Your Internet service provider (ISP) screens the packets that are sent by Media player to ping the ISP's gateway.

Media Player 7 is designed to ping the IPS's gateway to confirm internet connectivity. If the ISP does not allow the ping to complete, then Media Player assumes that there is no connection to the gateway, and cancels the action and then disconnects from the Internet.



RESOLUTION
To work around this issue, use either of the following methods.

Method 1: Install Media Player 6.4
Remove Media Player 7, and then install Media Player 6.4.

NOTE: Because there are several versions of Microsoft Windows, the following steps may be different on your computer. If they are, see your product documentation to complete these steps.

To remove Windows Media Player 7, follow these steps:
 * 1) Quit Windows Media Player.
 * 2) Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Add/Remove Programs.
 * 3) In the Add/Remove Programs Properties dialog box, click Windows Media Player on the Install/Uninstall tab, and then click Add/Remove.
 * 4) To download and install Media Player 6.4, visit the following Microsoft Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download

Method 2: Use the ISP Supplied Proxy Server
You may be able to work around this issue if your ISP can provide a Proxy Server address that you can use with Media Player. Contact your ISP for more information about this.

To configure Media Player to use a Proxy address provided by your ISP, follow these steps:
 * 1) Start Media Player, and then click Options on the Tools menu.
 * 2) Click the Network tab, and then click to clear the Multicast, UDP, and TCP check boxes. (Leave the HTTP check box selected).
 * 3) Under Proxy settings, click HTTP, and then click Configure.
 * 4) Under Proxy settings, click Use the following proxy server, and then in the Address box, type the address for the proxy server that your ISP provides for you.
 * 5) In the Port box, type the port number that your ISP provides for you, and then click OK.
 * 6) Under Proxy settings, click MMS, and then click Configure.
 * 7) Under Proxy settings, click Use the following proxy server, and then in the Address box, type the address for the proxy server that your ISP provides for you.
 * 8) In the Port box, type the port number that your ISP provides for you, and then click OK.

Keywords: kbprb KB321282

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