everytime i try to sign into msn messenger, it fails, and i get an error message telling me that i appear to be behind a firewall and dont have a connection to the internet (even though i do, because im on this site posting) and it says they tried signing me in through a proxy or something but were unsuccessful because my LAN settings are missing or incorrect.. then it says i need to go to internet explorer, then click tools, then click the connections tab, then click LAN settings.. but it doesnt tell me what im supposed to actually DO to the LAN settings, and i dont even know what LAN settings ARE... i read another post on this site where someone had the same problem, and got tha same error message.. i read the advice he was given, i tried it, and it still doesnt work.. can somebody PLEASE help me.. right now my msn messenger is tha only way i can contact the most important person in my life.. if it doesnt work then im kinda screwed.. :( please help

"...then click tools, then click the connections tab, then click LAN settings.. but it doesnt tell me what im supposed to actually DO to the LAN settings, and i dont even know what LAN settings ARE..." While you're in there, turn of Automatically Detect Proxy Settings. Close IE and reopen. You should be OK. Larry

thanks.. i tried that but it isnt making any difference.. :(

Not much point in me posting really as I have no solution. Just thought I'd say that I have *exactly* the same problem. Let me know if you get it sorted :/

Just found this fourum when i was searching for a solution to the same problem. I have found that a different msn client "Trillian" doesn't have the problem that messenger has with connecting with a proxy over a LAN. Only bad thing about that is that Microsoft will soon be craking down on alternate MSN clients so it wont work from some time this month I would still like to be able to use Messenger over the lan so any advice would be greatly appreatiated Hope this helps some of you Kenny