Error message when clicking hyperlink in Office: "Cannot locate the Internet server or proxy server"

[tatarik]

Hello everyone,

I have bumped into the issue described on the Microsoft Support website (Error message when clicking hyperlink in Office: "Cannot locate the Internet server or proxy server").
I just switched from Microsoft Office 2010 to the 2013 version. I have a preadsheet containing cells linking to a URL.

Issue: When I click on the URL, I get the following message: Unable to open <URL>. Cannot locate the Internet server or proxy server.

I already tried following the instructions on the Microsoft website (link above) by adding the Internet subkey to the registry and setting the value data to 1.

I use Win8x64.

Regards,
T.

 

[scott_n_phnx]

Does it work if you copy the hyperlink URL and paste it into a web browser? It may be that there is an issue with the hyperlink.

 

[tatarik]

Thanks for your reply Scott.

The answer is no. I have tried copying and pasting the link in a web browser, and there is no issue. I can access the URL.

 

[scott_n_phnx]

Two questions. First, do you use more than one browser? For example, I use Firefox for my daily use, but excel will try to use Explorer. Since the two settings can be different, that can be a source of the issue. Second, is it possible to include the URL so that I may test some things? I understand if it is a restricted site.

I lied, there is a third question. Where does the error occur, when the browser tries to open the page, or within excel/office?

 

[tatarik]

First, do you use more than one browser?
While IE is installed on m computer, I always use Google Chrome (Version 33.0.1750.154 m).

Second, is it possible to include the URL so that I may test some things? Sure, this one for example: Vitol | Trading, Terminals & Upstream

Where does the error occur, when the browser tries to open the page, or within excel/office?
The error occurs within Excel.

Note: Following your reply, I went to Excel Options menu and found out that only different versions of IE were proposed in the drop-down list (see picture below).

 

[scott_n_phnx]

You do have an odd one here.

When you paste the URL into your browser, you are pasting it into Chrome, correct? For kicks and giggles (and I am sure you don't really want to do this), can you open IE and paste in there and see what happens? That is the only other thing (besides what you have tried already), to see what happens with IE.

 

[tatarik]

Okay, problem solved!
The problem was with Windows Firewall, which wouldn't let the web browser connect to the Internet. I'll explain what happened.

I did check opening the URL directly with IE, which wouldn't work. Tried opening other URLs as well and nothing would work, which got me thinking that nothing was wrong with Excel nor the URL, but with the browser and maybe the firewall.

I recently installed an application called Windows Firewall Notifier - Home on my computer to control which application were allowed to send data to the Internet. With this aplication, I have to approve or refuse every connection that happens for the first time, thereby creating a rule in Windows Firewall.

I'm not sure why I didn't get prompted Allow/Refuse when using IE and Chrome (the latter working seamlessly before). After restarting my laptop, and trying to open the same URL with Chrome and IE, this time I got asked whether the two software were allowed to access the Internet. I allowed both, and I was finally able to click an URL in Excel to open it in Chrome (default browser). For some reasons it doesn't open it through IE, despite the fact that only IE is listed in Excel Web Options.

Thanks Scott for pointing me to the right direction, I should have thought about trying other URL in IE before!

T.

 

[scott_n_phnx]

I am glad that you were able to get it going. That is one of the bugger things about Excel, in that it will only use IE, even if you don't. Good luck!