website failure time

[Not Bman]

I wasen't sure what this was classified as, so I thought this would be good.


I'm not sure when this started, and of course how. For the past while I have been having troubles with my internet. Yes, I have called my ISP and checked, and there not having any problems. This has been going on too long for them to be having problems. Going to websites and such, things load like they should, and for the most part fast. Sometimes, (biggest problem site is this one DAmmit) the site dosen't load at all, or pictures dont, or just extemly slow. I wait 5 mins, usually, and come back and its working again...

This happens to many sites, alot of the ones I usually go too.

Anyone have any ideas, or fixes or anything at all.

Thanks

 

[LeeJend]

When the sites don't load or are sluggish is there a lot of HD activity going on? Do they eventually load (within 5 minutes)? If there is HD activity something is stealing the cpu. Put performance monitor up and keep it up. see if any process other than Idle is using the CPU.

If the HD is inactive then click refresh and see if the site loads immediately. If it does the problem is with your ISP's DHCP server. It is picking a bad path to the site over the internet and not realizing it and correcting the path. Clicking refresh forces a new path. BTW my connect hangs this way sometimes, especially with OSNN. Clicking refresh usually resolves it or selecting another site then selecting OSNN again. It is particularly prevalent right after my ISP runs a special deal or upgrades upload/download speed. It also used to be a problem after major rain storms but I guess they moved the servers out of the basement.

PS Are you on DSL or cable? Cable can get swamped if too many kiddies in the neighborhood are file swapping. If it is an overloaded cable line then clicking refresh won't help.

 

[Admiral Michael]

As an addition to LeeJend's post:

1. What kind of network setup do you have (Direct connection to modem, router, etc)?
2. What kind of connection to you have? (LeeJend mentioned this)
3. Have you tried a different browser?
4. Have you tried clearing your cache?
5. Have you flushed your DNS cache? (ipconfig/flushdns)?

That's all I can think of for now.

 

[LordOfLA]

Also if you use some kind of dsl connection try setting your MTU to 1458 and working your way up untilit gets slow again and drop it back a bit.

 

[Not Bman]

Alright, First off, sometimes the sites load extemly slow, but load everything. Most of the time, it loads say 60% or less and just says loading, but never loads the rest. Sometimes it gives me the good old page could not be found crap.

I'm on Cable, running through a router, which is connected to 3 computers. I'm not thinking it's the network, cause I don't think the other computers are having problems, and I have been on this network for years too.

The refresh dosn't work at all, makes no difference. I'm about to watch the processes right now, and I haven't cleared my cache, never needed too, I have once, but been awhile, i'll try that too. I'm not sure if it's the terms used, but what's the DNS cache?

*edit, I just checked the processes, and nothing else is shooting up, everything is fine. I cleared the cache and same problem. Then for what ever reason, because I have been having problems with Thunderbird, still do kinda, you should know what I mean if you have read my other post.....I closed it, and I seem to be getting extreme fast speeds, but I'll keep watching to see if it goes back to the crap...**

 

[Not Bman]

Ok, it's hard to tell, because the pages are always different anyways. This site seems to be running great and fast...but it could change. I'm still having these loading problems with many other sites.

I cleared cache, I tryed different Browser, checked processes, closed thunderbird, nothing made a big change???

 

[Admiral Michael]

I believe Windows XP will cache a few DNS entried, issuing a ipconfig/flushdns in a command prompt will, well, flush em

The odd time this helps a site load quicker for me, there could be an item on the page that is liked off site and the DNS cache is incorrect and makeing the whole site load. I know it's a **** in the dark but give it a shot, it won't do anything bad.

 

[Not Bman]

so just type ipconfig/flushdns in the command prompt?

 

[Not Bman]

hard to tell, but I don't think it made much of a difference.

*edit, still the same problems, what the hell is going on

 

[Not Bman]

It's really starting to bother me, I don't know what too do.

Seems like noone knows, anyone know a good site to ask questions about this..



Another edit*** I was looking around in the router settings, and noticed my firewall was enabled, so for the hell of it I disabled it.....for the past 15 mins things seem to be running normal... I guess the only thing to do now is to watch it carefully. That's the hard part about these things, u could be fixed or could not be...

I'll let you know.

 

[Mainframeguy]

Bman - did you ever do anything about your MTU? Do you know what it is? Can you report back to us how you have it set?

Because I believe your symptoms are a close match for that sort of problem, and you are telling us you think no one knows what your problem is etc etc but you have never told us the results of that suggestion, have you? I just feel that could be it - so why don't you pursue that or tell us why not?

 

[Not Bman]

What is my MTU? How do I check etc etc

 

[Admiral Michael]

What kind of router do you have?

 

[Not Bman]

I got an SMC

 

[American Zombie]

What is my MTU? How do I check etc etc

Go here: http://www.speedguide.net/

Then at the top select Broadband > Broadband Tools > SG TCP/IP Analyzer.

 

[Not Bman]

alright, I did that, this is what I got (don't know if it matters if I show it but yea)

TCP options string = 020405b401010402
MTU = 1500
MTU is fully optimized for broadband.
MSS = 1460
Maximum useful data in each packet = 1460, which equals MSS.
Default TCP Receive Window (RWIN) = 65535
RWIN Scaling (RFC1323) = 0 bits
Unscaled TCP Receive Window = 65535

Note: TCP 1323 Options need to be enabled for RWIN over 2^16 (65535). Windows 9x might also need the MS Vtcp386 fix.
For optimum performance, consider changing RWIN to a multiple of MSS.
Other RWIN values that might work well with your current MTU/MSS:
513920 (MSS x 44 * scale factor of 8)
256960 (MSS x 44 * scale factor of 4)
128480 (MSS x 44 * scale factor of 2)
64240 (MSS x 44)
bandwidth * delay product (Note this is not a speed test):

Your TCP Window limits you to: 2621.4 kbps (327.675 KBytes/s) @ 200ms
Your TCP Window limits you to: 1048.56 kbps (131.07 KBytes/s) @ 500ms
MTU Discovery (RFC1191) = ON
Time to live left = 121 hops
TTL value is ok.
Timestamps (RFC1323) = OFF
Selective Acknowledgements (RFC2018) = ON
IP type of service field (RFC1349) = 00000000 (0)

 

[Mainframeguy]

yeah BMAN - as you can see you have the max MTU - now your ISP may pinch some of that (they should know if you talk to them) - it is quite common practice, and if so you need to drop back your setting - a friendly and well informed ISP will talk you through this. Even with no ISP assistance or awareness (some service desks may not be up to this, beware the Indians!) you can readuly experiment yourself by just dropping it back and seeing- the value Lord suggested is a good start point and likely may work.

Believe me this is likely to sort you out- persue it and all will be well.

 

[Admiral Michael]

For my DSL I use 1492 which is set in my router. I don't edit the computer's MTU. According to a quick google search it appears you goto "192.168.123.254/sysp.htm" to change the MTU on an SMC.

 

[Mainframeguy]

yes - thankyou Admiral for pointing that out... I kinda assumed Bman would know that was where to set his MTU, but you are probably right to steer him directly there!

I'm just looking forward to how happy he'll be - because I just KNOW this is going to work for him (when he gets there!)

 

[Not Bman]

I don't know where to go the change it, I typed in 192.168.123.254/sysp.htm, and it said could not find server (connection has timed out)

*since I have turned off the Firewall , yesturday, things have been running normally. What does that mean, cause I know I should have the router firewall on..??