Win 7 time out issue

Can anyone help resolve this:
I use mozzila thunderbird to access newsgroups, in the last couple of days I get a `time out` message, I have tried system restore and run ccleaner to no avail.
Separately with mozzila firefox my hotmail does not connect (no error message) but does connect in Internet explorer. Possibly the 2 issues are related.
I haven't changed or downloaded any new programmes.

 

Hi,

We also use FF and TB but not with the same services as you, but have not had any connection problems with either of them, though do not use the Newsgroups.


The only thing that we can suggest that might help is have you turned off your whole system , including the Router for a least 10 mins to let everything clear.

 

Everything turns off at night as it is all in timers and has done for the last couple of nights as per normal so it would be off for a few hours, I would say that with Firefox it still connects to other websites.

 

Sounds like a Mozilla issue - not pinging the news servers perhaps.. I don't use Windows - but I've had an issue with the lastest version of Firefox. Has Firefox upgraded recently - in the background - so you don't notice? What about Thunderbird - has that upgraded itself?

 

I do believe both were upgraded recently, is there a way to get a previous version back?

 

Thats a surprise ! ? Any recommended alternatives ?
Preferably not Google brand.

Also any good free alternatives to Gmail, other than Outlook.

thanks

 

Thanks for that, but expect while Google can readily harvest info when you are using its Chrome browser, do you know if Google will able to do this with other browsers based on Chrome, like Edge ?

 

Hi @Scudo

Think this might be the answer to your Virgin Media newsgroup problem, but no idea with your hotmail trouble.

 

Ricky....That could well be the answer for the newsgroups.
My hotmail issue appears to have sorted itself out whatever was causing it.

 

Strangely since your comments have started to have problems with Firefox on both our PCs, eg not opening links/pdfs or sites that we use regularly ??

Using different browsers and all those functions work ok .

Been using the Brave browser for the last week or so, seems to work well ... anyone else use it ?

 

Trying to get away from Googles /Chromes prying eyes, so Brave seems to be a decent trade off.
Though it only has a small user base at the moment, hopefully using it and alternative search engines like DuckDuckGo might keep us more private and safer ??