Why Won't That Page Open?

There are some Web sites I just can't access. I've checked with friends, and they can access these sites. Any idea why I can't?

Dan Tran, Philadelphia

First, be patient. Many browser problems are temporary. Wait a few minutes and try accessing the site again. If you're the patient type, wait an hour and try again. If you're really patient, wait a day.

And you were right to ask your friends. If they couldn't open the site either, you know that the problem is with the site (unless you and your friends have the same ISP). Try accessing the site through your ISP on another computer. This is often easier to do with a dial-up account than with a cable, DSL, or other broadband connection. With dial-up, you just manually enter your ISP's local access number in the log-on box. With an always-on connection, you may have to reconfigure the PC's network settings. Of course, if your broadband ISP also offers a dial-up number, you can use that.

If you can't access the site through your ISP on the second PC, the fault lies with your service provider. If you can access the site, the problem is with your computer--or more likely, your browser.

Your security settings may be too high. In Internet Explorer, select Tools, Internet Options. Click the Security tab and make sure 'Internet' is selected under the Web content zones. Click the Default Level button, set the slider under 'Security level for this zone' down one level, and try accessing the site again. If your browser is set to the High security level (see FIGURE 1), try setting it to Medium, Medium-low, or even Low, despite your browser's warnings of impending doom. Click Custom Level to bring up the Security Settings dialog box. Scroll down to the Scripting section and make sure Java is enabled.

Some sites require 128-bit encryption, and not all browsers have it. Luckily, it's a free upgrade. To check the encryption level of your copy of Internet Explorer, select Help, About Internet Explorer and look under 'Cipher Strength'. If it's not 128-bit, click Update Information to go to Microsoft's update page.

Some sites conflict with firewalls. Disable your firewall and then see if you can access the site. Don't forget to enable it again after you leave the site. (If the firewall is the problem, adjust its settings and then try to reach the site again.)

Something in your cache could be causing the conflict. To clear the cache in Internet Explorer, select Tools, Internet Options. Under 'Temporary Internet files' on the General tab, click the Delete Files button, then click OK. For a thorough browser cleaning, give Wizard Systems' $15 TweakIE shareware a try.

Parental controls may be the culprit. In Internet Explorer, select Tools, Internet Options and click the Content tab. Choose the Disable button under Content Advisor (if no such button exists, the source of your problem lies elsewhere). You'll need the password you originally used to enable these controls. For more on disabling parental controls, see this month's Internet Tips.

Of course, you may have good reasons for high security settings or banning objectionable material from your browser. In that case, consider whether accessing a particular Web site is worth the risk.