can not connect to yahoo messenger

xp home.was running good. All on a sudden My friend can not connect to yahoo messenger.The error message#26.Which basically says that no active internet connection.She is using AOL.I uninstall the aol and reinstall a fresh copy.I have run web root spyware,microsoft anti spyware.No luck.More over I tried to download and install netscape7.2.It failed giving me a message that I don’t have a active internet connection though at the same time i was on aol.It is a sony laptop vio.She is using broand bacnd cable modem.Any help will be appriciated.Thanks Babul