Weird connection problem just started with Windows 7

Hey guys, so I've been happily running Windows 7 for a few weeks now, and for for the last 4 days I have ran into a weird connection issue.
My Windows Live Messenger will not connect and gives me the error as shows in the attached image.
My Windows Sidebar Gadgets will not update.
Photobucket/Mediafire will not upload files (but FST will :)).

My browser/uTorrent work fine, and speedtest reports my upload and download speeds as typical for my connection.

I have tried/checked:
- Date and Time are correct
- All "common" internet settings seem to be in place
- Disabling Windows Firewall
- Registered softpub.dll
- Unplugged/restarted modem

I am pretty stumped on what could cause this, any ideas guys?

Thanks!

Clicky

Just Googled the error number "80048820". Saves me most of the time ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by iLOVENZB

Clicky

Just Googled the error number "80048820". Saves me most of the time ;)

---

I did that first, and none of the fixes were any help.

Good news though, I figured it out. Sidebar and Windows Live are both connected through IE and not Firefox. Low and behold I have not opened IE since I installed Firefox 5 minutes after installing Windows 7, but sure enough when I tried it IE would not load a website. So, simple fix, I just went to internet options>advanced and reset everything to defaults.
Easy game :P
Something I installed must have inadvertently made a change to my internet explorer settings.
Feel stupid for not figuring it out earlier...