Cannot connect to primary DNS server

[Bilmanis]

Home network with three Win 7 machines and one Vista Home Premium. On the Local network all four machines see each other and can connect.
The three Win 7 machines can access the Internet with no problem.
Cannot access internet with Vista machine. Checking diagnostics with internet explorer, get error message that cannot connect to Primary DNS Server.
The same problem occurs when having the Vista machine connect to cable modem, or using a Verizon Wireless Modem, or connecting thru a phone modem to an ISP (AOL).

Any suggestions would be helpful before I re-install Vista.

Bob

[JoeP517]

Does the DNS IP address look correct?

Is it the same as the Win7 PCs?

Joe

[Bilmanis]

Yes, it looks correct. Remember the same error message happens when not going through a router. If I connect directly to Cable modem, same problem. If I connect with a Verizon broadband usb modem. If I connect through a phone modem. It makes no difference on how I try to access the internet, Explorer gives the same error message of not being able to connect to primary DNS server.
I am stumped!

Bob

[JoeP517]

Have you tried something such as OpenDNS?

Their addresses are
208.67.222.222 (resolver1.opendns.com)
208.67.220.220 (resolver2.opendns.com)

Joe

[Bilmanis]

How can I use openDNS with a Verizon USB Broadband Modem?

Bob

[JoeP517]

Change the TCP/IP properties for the network connection.

Joe

[Bilmanis]

Still can not connect to Primary DNS Server. I have tried re-installing windows internet explorer (IE9). Same problem. Should I be looking for a problem with one of the windows services not loading up?

Bob

[JoeP517]

I don't know if this will help but you could try Complete Internet Repair. If it does help I'm out of ideas.

Joe

[Bilmanis]

I finally solved the problem by doing a DNS cache flush a couple of times. The second time after a reboot, it did the trick.

Bob

[JoeP517]

Glad you got it worked out. Thanks for posting your solution.

Joe