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Conrad Sallian wrote:

Hi Douglas,

If the Host is working (the service is running), there’s an Internet connection on the Host side, and there’s still no connectivity with RU public servers, the most probable cause is security software blocking outbound access for Host. In this case, it’s not necessarily the endpoint software — it could be a perimeter firewall (especially in an organization) or the ISP. That should be the first thing to check.

Thank you.  There is nothing but Microsoft's firewall and security essentials on this machine.
There is no infrastructure firewall.  This is a simple amateur setup- a router with computers on it to a Comcast router/internet connection.   Two machines ceased being able to connect   following a loss of power recycle.  Probably then also a windows update, after a year or more of fine service. And bear in mind two other machines on this internal network are working as they always have even though they suffered a power cycle also.  
I checked that exceptions are in place for the host software in the Microsoft security software.
But yes, these problem machines get to the internet fine via browsers.
That's leading me to expect that the server is rejecting connection.
Do I try to ping the server from the problem machines to prove I can get to the server?

Is there nothing more to say? It is confirmed that the connections were not refused at the servers?

Conrad Sallian wrote:

Hi Douglas,

Ping won’t necessarily work because the ping command may be blocked on the server depending on its security settings.

It is confirmed that the connections were not refused at the servers?

They were not—why would they be? Besides, according to your logs, the Host service is clearly running and sending connection attempts, but they can’t get through.

It is not clear to me that the messages are not getting through verses not being responded to. Can HOST tell the difference?

And bear in mind two other machines on this internal network are working as they always have even though they suffered a power cycle also. Are they also accessing the Internet via the same ISP?

Yes of course.  Four machines on the same network going through the same ISP.
On 2 Host works, on 2 it doesn't.

Well I had to visit the site and hate to say it, but as ya'll would have suspected the problem
was on our side.  Someone had added a cable to the system... and it was enough to cause strange behavior.
So there were two Comcast cable modems.  one acting as a router, feeding  into another other
with the cable connection.  Someone had run two cables to these- one into the router
and the other into the modem connected router.
I guess this caused weird interactions.
After removing one of these cables, RU came online.
This was difficult to diagnose over the phone at the time, in retrospect I could have
asked someone to tell me the source and destination of everything coming from our
LAN switch.   That would have discovered the problem. Live and learn.