IE 11 and NIS Keep getting "Waiting for xxxx" when trying to get on Internet

Running windows 8.1 and NIS and just yday morning i'm no longer able to get on the internet. Every time i click on the browser it just says "waiting for MSN" or whatever site i type in. It will just stay blank and the cirlce spins. Nothign happens. I don't know if it is IE related or NIS related but i do know that if i turn off the firewall in NIS the internet works instantly. Any thoughts on what is going on?