App Store: "Your PC isn't connected to the Internet."

So we have to wait until Microsoft chooses to fix its problem(s). In the mean time I get the daily amount of same messages if I want to install an application or change to my Microsoft account: Sorry we can't connect to Microsoft services:, and after that "your PC isn't connected to the internet". For me, not being a computer/ IT specialist, I can easily try all suggested solutions proposed on the community pages but without really knowing WHAT I am doing. I am interested in workable solutions, but not any of the suggestions have worked. End of story.

We are talking about a simple DNS resolution request

But what if users are using DNS servers which don't match their locale?  E.g. where does this take you?

pathping  wscont.apps.microsoft.com -q 14

Ooh.  My routing is different today.  14 hops.  And slower between hops.

C.f.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-windows_store/windows-81-store-not-working/96fcc04d-310e-47f9-8b01-9c266bd94881?page=4#LastReply

BTW on W8.1 we are now getting completely cached lookups from ping (unlike previous OS), so if it is just a case of slow DNS lookup you could try this  procedure (in a cmd window):

ipconfig  /flushdns

ping  -n 1  -w 1 wscont.apps.microsoft.com

ipconfig  /displaydns  |  clip

nslookup  wscont.apps.microsoft.com

notepad

and then Paste (e.g. Ctrl-v) to check on the Time to Live of all the pieces in the nslookup.   Ugh.  Looks like we need to be really quick to get any advantage from that kind of caching.  E.g. put the above command sequence into a script or at least have it ready to re-enter without retyping.  So the DNS better be working or that will explain the symptom, even if the host you get is the "right one".  <eg>

FYI

Robert Aldwinckle

I cannot get your point Robert. There are root DNS servers, several of them if one is down. I don't know how Microsoft coded the check whether the internet is accessible from a client or not. The main problem is that the new method and the classic method can lead to different results, and the store, at least from what I have experienced will only use the new method to check whether you are online or not.

No one forces Microsoft to use a single point of failure for checking a DNS availability in regards of this.

So they could even make several requests, analyse them and give a vague report:

e.g.

1. checking one or several a root-DNS server

• if one of many fails bringing up a message like Internet may have have issues.

2. Checking HA DNS servers of Microsoft, that are also used for the store

• this will determine if the client really has generic internet issues or just Microsoft services are affected.

3. DNS lookup or ping at the client gateway
4. checking proxy availability, if any set

or vice versa.

They could even check this in junction to your region (Windows Location Service) or Regional settings as a last resort.

Anyway, there is no excuse that the store reports you have no internet, while it is properly working, just because the new detection method they introduced with Win 8 fails to give a correct status, may it be unneeded driver incompatibilities alike the AVM WLAN Stick I mentioned or other things, that are out of the sphere of an average user.

I have to question Microsoft, why they are not able to determine it correctly, while internet connection works flawless for any applications including Internet explorer

Admit that the internet connection check of the classic network neighbourhood works very well compared to the new one, which is mostly the root of this thread and problem, given it is not the users "fault" at all.