Can't access www.microsoft.com

I am using IE6 and Windows XP linking to the internet via broadband and a wireless router/modem. For the last few days, when I go to www.microsoft.com, I get a Windows dialog box asking me for my username and password! This is a new thing and obviously shouldn't happen. The other PC on my home network can access the URL. Has my computer been invaded? By what? John

Have you checked to make sure your typing the addy correctly? What type of router are you using and how many computers on network?

Yes, the address is correct. Hard to go wrong with www.microsoft.com! There are two computers and it's a Netgear wireless router.

hmm.. must be nice not to ever have any typo's. Anyway sounds like to me thats the problem. Can you access your routers html settings page? And have you changed your password lately?

I can access my router's control panel (via IE) but I'm not sure which part is HTML settings. But the router is the same one being used by the other computer on my network and it gets to microsoft.com fine. Doesn't this suggest that the router's OK?

I haven't changed any passwords lately (at least not knowingly). But what I have now found is that whatever username/pw I put in, I get sent to:


http://www.microsoft.com/localstart.asp

and get this error:

"Invalid syntax

/localstart.asp, line 40"

Spooky!

Ok well I am not very familiar with Netgear but I am sure its some what inline with linksys and the others. To get to my "html" settings page I type in http://192.168.1.1 and it takes me to router settings. Now the reason I ask about the password is, with wireless, you know you can get a usb wireless connection from just about any computer shop. I happen to have one myself. I can get in my truck.. turn on lappie.. drive around till I pick up a signal and a surfin I go. Yes thats highly illegal but all the same is way to easily doable. If I pick up a signal, and I know just a little about what I am doing, I can change the password/username to the router to whatever I deem ness. and prevent the owner from blocking my access.

Aaah, right, I get it.

For me the router admin link is http://192.168.0.1. This gives a password challenge (just like the one I'm getting from www.microsoft.com).

It has not changed - after your email I checked to make sure.

Also we've had no trucks around recently.