You can try rebooting your router to see if it re-picks up whatever bit is failing.

It's the Russians. I had a bunch of missed emails last week (from multiple reliable people who swear they sent them, and I swear they never came in) and also I-and-other-people-I-know have had wonky cell service, where the phone will ring with an empty call, and when I call the number back the person swears they never called me.

I, for one, don't have the energy to give a shit who my overlords are.

I wonder why accessing with the tv sets things right.

It's using the same router. By 'rebooting the router', do you mean using the reset button on the back of the router? Or the power-off-wait-a-minute-power-back-on?

I tried the reset button on the back when I had this problem the other day. The tv was what set things right. Like today.

I spoke too soon.

It's doing it again.

The tv gets youtube.

And nothing else does.

This is starting to piss me the fuck off.

Nothing I use will get youtube.

The goddamned tv, which I do not use, for anything, gets youtube and nothing else will.

And everything comes through the same router?

Only one we have.

Of course, everything's working hunky dory rfn.

In 5 minutes...who knows?

It is the original and still most powerful diagnostic. Execute
PING youtube.com .