I am running windows 8.1 on my lap top. I seem to have to alternate by changing my connection settings to open Firefox. After a session on the pc I can log back in with no problems. Shut down and go to log in again a few minutes later and I get the error message PROXEY SERVER IS REFUSING CONNECTION. I have spoken to my provider and they tell e I do not have to have or should not need a proxry connection?. They also told me to try the following, which I have to admit is the only way I am now connecting to the internet. Go to Tools-Advance-Connections. (configure how Firefox connects to the internet. SETTINGS. In the window that opens I need to go to first option (configure proxies to connect to the internet) Here you are given three more options: 1.No Proxy 2.Autodetect Proxy 3Manual Proxy If the box is checked for (2) above, I have to uncheck and check (3) above. Then restart the browser. It works fine....that is until I log out of Firefox. Go back in and I get the same error message, Proxy server refusing connection. This happens from time to time....not always. Some days it works fine on the last setting chosen. So I go through everything again as explained above and uncheck manual andthen I re check Autodetect....and it works. Next time it's the other way around, I just feel like a tennis ball bouncing from one option to the other and I should not have to be doing this. Never happened when I used XP or Vista?. I have Mamaware cleaning installed and use Defender (which came with Windows 8). I have upgraded to 8.1 but the problem existed when I was running 8.