some programs can't get online

Hi.

I'm having an issue with my WinXP SP2 machine. All of a sudden (as in, it was working when i went to bed, broken when i woke up), so apps cannot get out to the internet. Apps like MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, and IE and Firefox. However, AOL Instant Messenger CAN get out to the internet.

Any ideas?

Have you tried the standard power-cycling troubleshooting strategy?

that happens when your DNS goes down. if AIM uses IPs and not DNS addresses, then it can connect. I thought it used login.oscar.aol or whatever, but when my DNS went down my AIM worked.