[OPLINTECH] Odd issue

[Chad Neeper]

Ken beat me to the punch. Ditto.

It's odd that it only *appears* to affect a single
website...that ostensibly points more toward configuration (or malicious
interception?) than hardware issues. I'd probably break out Wireshark at
this point to see what's going on at the packet level between that computer
and the rest of the world to get some perspective on what's going on. While
most network traffic between the browser and website should be encrypted, a
packet trace could expose weird DNS requests and odd traffic to unexpected
websites. It could also show the browser sending requests to a site without
receiving a reply (or vice versa), which could further focus your
troubleshooting.

Malware playing a MiTM attack...ignoring uninteresting sites and focusing
on financially lucrative interceptions?

You've got a fun one, good luck!

______________________________
*Chad Neeper*
Senior Systems Engineer

*Level 9 Networks*
740-548-8070 (voice)
866-214-6607 (fax)

*Full IT/Computer consulting services -- Specialized in public libraries*


On Wed, May 20, 2026 at 10:08 AM Kenneth Butler via OPLINTECH <
oplintech at lists.oplin.org> wrote:

> Hi Tyson,
>
> Sounds like you've already narrowed it down to either a local connectivity
> issue or some kind of configuration issue with the PC itself.
>
> A few things I would try:
>
>    - Check DNS settings in Command Prompt with 'ipconfig /all'
>    - Is the computer using the correct DNS servers for your network?
>       - Are the DNS servers different between Wi-Fi and Ethernet?
>       - If the PC is using DHCP, try manually setting known-good DNS
>    servers temporarily:
>    - Google DNS: 8.8.8.8
>       - Cloudflare DNS: 1.1.1.1
>       - Temporarily disable IPv6 on the Ethernet adapter. IPv6
>    routing/CDN issues can occasionally cause strange behavior.
>
>
> If all of that checks out, I’d start looking at possible hardware or
> driver issues:
>
>    - Swap Ethernet cables if possible.
>    - If a network switch is present at the computer, try a different
>    switch port or swapping in a spare switch.
>    - If there’s a patch panel involved, try moving the patch connection
>    on the server room switch side as well.
>    - Make sure NIC drivers, motherboard drivers, BIOS, and firmware are
>    up to date.
>    - How long has the issue been happening? Did it start after a Windows
>    update? It might be worth uninstalling the most recent updates to see if it
>    makes a difference.
>    - Is it using onboard Ethernet or a separate NIC? If you have a spare
>    NIC available, it may be worth testing with different hardware.
>
>
> The fact that Wi-Fi works normally while wired does not makes me suspect
> either:
>
>    - A physical/network-layer issue
>    - A NIC driver issue
>    - Something odd with IPv6/DNS on the wired adapter specifically
>
>
> Ken Butler
> hcotech at holmeslib.org
> Head of Information Technology
> Holmes County District Public Library
> 3102 Glen Drive
> Millersburg, OH 44654
> PH: 330-674-5972 ext 224
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* OPLINTECH <oplintech-bounces at lists.oplin.org> on behalf of Tyson
> Horton via OPLINTECH <oplintech at lists.oplin.org>
> *Sent:* Wednesday, May 20, 2026 8:30 AM
> *To:* oplintech <oplintech at lists.oplin.org>
> *Subject:* [OPLINTECH] Odd issue
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> I am looking for insight into an issue where a single website is loading
> slowly on a specific PC. One of our staff members is consistently having
> trouble with Amazon; the site either loads very slowly or hangs
> indefinitely.
>
> I have already attempted the following troubleshooting steps without
> success:
>
> - Cleared cache, cookies, and browsing history.
> - Checked for problematic extensions.
> - Verified Chrome settings.
> - Tested the site in Microsoft Edge.
>
> The issue briefly resolves but quickly returns. Interestingly, switching
> the PC to Wi-Fi fixes the problem, even though everyone else on the same
> wired network is able to access the site without any issues.
>
> If anyone has any ideas on what might be causing this, I would appreciate
> your help.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Tyson Horton
> IT Manager
> Williams County Public Library
> 833-633-7323 x282
>
>
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