Installed 8.1 pro clean hours ago - but already I cannot run windows update

Question

I see error 0x80072ee2, and the following from windowsupdate.log

2014-09-27  02:26:45:866     480    69c AU  Triggering AU detection through DetectNow API
2014-09-27  02:26:45:866     480    69c AU  Additional Service {117CAB2D-82B1-4B5A-A08C-4D62DBEE7782} with Approval type {Scheduled} added to AU services list
2014-09-27  02:26:45:866     480    69c AU  Triggering Online detection (interactive)
2014-09-27  02:26:45:867     480    c30 AU  #############
2014-09-27  02:26:45:867     480    c30 AU  ## START ##  AU: Search for updates
2014-09-27  02:26:45:867     480    c30 AU  #########
2014-09-27  02:26:45:867     480    c30 AU  Additional Service {117CAB2D-82B1-4B5A-A08C-4D62DBEE7782} with Approval type {Scheduled} added to AU services list
2014-09-27  02:26:45:868     480    c30 IdleTmr WU operation (CSearchCall::Init ID 2) started; operation # 16; does use network; is not at background priority
2014-09-27  02:26:45:868     480    c30 IdleTmr Incremented PDC RefCount for Network to 1
2014-09-27  02:26:45:868     480    c30 IdleTmr Incremented idle timer priority operation counter to 1
2014-09-27  02:26:45:868     480    c30 Agent   *** START ***  Queueing Finding updates [CallerId = AutomaticUpdatesWuApp  Id = 2]
2014-09-27  02:26:45:868     480    c30 AU  <<## SUBMITTED ## AU: Search for updates  [CallId = {115760E7-ECF1-4F4A-867F-B4736469BB20} ServiceId = {9482F4B4-E343-43B6-B170-9A65BC822C77}]
2014-09-27  02:26:45:868     480    76c Agent   ***  END  ***  Queueing Finding updates [CallerId = AutomaticUpdatesWuApp  Id = 2]
2014-09-27  02:26:45:868     480    76c Agent   *************
2014-09-27  02:26:45:868     480    76c Agent   ** START **  Agent: Finding updates [CallerId = AutomaticUpdatesWuApp  Id = 2]
2014-09-27  02:26:45:868     480    76c Agent   *********
2014-09-27  02:26:45:868     480    76c Agent     * Online = Yes; Ignore download priority = No
2014-09-27  02:26:45:868     480    76c Agent     * Criteria = "IsInstalled=0 and DeploymentAction='Installation' or IsPresent=1 and DeploymentAction='Uninstallation' or IsInstalled=1 and DeploymentAction='Installation' and RebootRequired=1 or IsInstalled=0 and DeploymentAction='Uninstallation' and RebootRequired=1"
2014-09-27  02:26:45:868     480    76c Agent     * ServiceID = {9482F4B4-E343-43B6-B170-9A65BC822C77} Windows Update
2014-09-27  02:26:45:868     480    76c Agent     * Search Scope = {Machine & All Users}
2014-09-27  02:26:45:868     480    76c Agent     * Caller SID for Applicability: S-1-5-21-2731448095-1286900904-3549611129-1001
2014-09-27  02:26:45:869     480    76c SLS Retrieving SLS response from server...
2014-09-27  02:26:45:869     480    76c SLS Making request with URL HTTPS://sls.update.microsoft.com/SLS/{9482F4B4-E343-43B6-B170-9A65BC822C77}/x64/6.3.9600.0/0?CH=941&L=en-US&P=&PT=0x30&WUA=7.9.9600.17031
2014-09-27  02:26:46:399     480    76c Misc    Validating signature for C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\SLS\9482F4B4-E343-43B6-B170-9A65BC822C77\sls.cab with dwProvFlags 0x00000080:
2014-09-27  02:26:46:402     480    76c Misc     Microsoft signed: NA
2014-09-27  02:26:46:402     480    76c Misc     Infrastructure signed: Yes
2014-09-27  02:26:46:404     480    76c Misc    Validating signature for C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\SLS\9482F4B4-E343-43B6-B170-9A65BC822C77\TMPA473.tmp with dwProvFlags 0x00000080:
2014-09-27  02:26:46:407     480    76c Misc     Microsoft signed: NA
2014-09-27  02:26:46:407     480    76c Misc     Infrastructure signed: Yes
2014-09-27  02:26:46:408     480    76c EP  Got 9482F4B4-E343-43B6-B170-9A65BC822C77 redir Client/Server URL: "https://fe2.update.microsoft.com/v6/ClientWebService/client.asmx"
2014-09-27  02:26:46:410     480    76c Setup   Checking for agent SelfUpdate
2014-09-27  02:26:46:410     480    76c Setup   Client version: Core: 7.9.9600.17031  Aux: 7.9.9600.17031
2014-09-27  02:26:46:411     480    76c EP  Got 9482F4B4-E343-43B6-B170-9A65BC822C77 redir SelfUpdate URL: "https://fe2.update.microsoft.com/v10/3/windowsupdate/selfupdate"
2014-09-27  02:27:07:411     480    76c Misc    WARNING: Send failed with hr = 80072ee2.
2014-09-27  02:27:07:411     480    76c Misc    WARNING: Proxy List used: <(null)> Bypass List used : <(null)> Auth Schemes used : <None>
2014-09-27  02:27:07:411     480    76c Misc    WARNING: Send request failed, hr:0x80072ee2
2014-09-27  02:27:07:411     480    76c Misc    WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestUsingProxy failed for <https://fe2.update.microsoft.com/v10/3/windowsupdate/selfupdate/wuident.cab>. error 0x80072ee2
2014-09-27  02:27:07:411     480    76c Misc    WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestToServerForFileInformation MakeRequest failed. error 0x80072ee2
2014-09-27  02:27:07:411     480    76c Misc    WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestToServerForFileInformation failed with 0x80072ee2
2014-09-27  02:27:07:411     480    76c Misc    WARNING: WinHttp: ShouldFileBeDownloaded failed with 0x80072ee2

My big question is: what is https://fe2.update.microsoft.com/v10/3/windowsupdate/selfupdate/wuident.cab? Running it on chrome browser goes nowhere (doesn't retrieve file), and I can access all other internet sites fine. It's a desktop for home so no corporate firewall, and such. I disable firewall and it makes no difference.

Answer 1

Issue resolved. It turns out my ISP decides to set the cable modem out of bridged mode without telling me. Once modem issue is resolved with ISP, issue did not appear again.