No internet through a web browser but Skype still works

Question

We get our office broadband through a BT Business Broadband WiFi router. We have a mixture of macs and windows PC/laptops connecting to it at any one time.

All devices are able to connect to the wireless signal with pretty much full signal.

However, only two computers (one windows, one os x) are able to consistently connect to the internet. The other three (one windows, two os x), while they can always connect to the wifi, exhibit one of three characteristics.

1. No internet at all.

2. Programs like Skype work, but no internet through a browser.

3. Internet works, but with intermittent lag when switching between different sites. I'm assuming while trying to resolve different addresses.

Ignoring point 1 for moment, my gut is telling me DNS. It is an up to 20MB line that usually gets to between 13MB and 15MB downstream. The router is capable of dealing with the amount of wireless devices that we're throwing at it.

Has anyone got any suggestions for how I might further diagnose this problem (preferably in OS X)?

Rich

Answer 1

This indicates improper DNS configuration.

The reason why Skype still works but not web browsers is because Skype doesn't rely on DNS. Make sure you have the correct DNS server addresses for your network interface or use the router's IP address instead.