cable modem

How about removing and reinstalling your network card drivers? If you are using USB then remove and reinstall your Cable modem drivers see if that does the trick. ME is a horrible, horrible OS so yes what the tech said makes sense, quite possible that winsocks is corrupted.

Do you have another computer you can try the cable modem and cable connection on? Narrow the problem down and keep it posted.

Yes, a bad winsock file can stop OE from accessing the internet. Try doing this as a quick test. Cable modems, routers, switches, and hubs can lock up. Shut down the computer, unplug the power from the router if applicable, unplug the power from thecable modem. Bring them back up in reverse order allowing time for each device to sync before starting the next one. This could resolve your problem and at no cost. I have seen this too many times to not give this the first effort. Should this not resolve the issue, I shall try to walk you through other possibilites, such as viruses and spyware.

It sounds like you may have a problem with a third party firewall or an antivirus utility. What I would do is uninstall any firewalls and antivirus software. If that doesn't work, as a last resort re-install the operating system because there are lots of problems that exist with MS Melinium. Next time you talk to the cable company, if they can see your PC, ask them to verify your MAC address of the card you're connected to the modem with.