PC help = slow internet

[JohnDave]

Weird one this. Some websites will load up perfectly quick enough, whilst some just refuse to open up at all. If I try to reload the page a few times it may choose to open up, in which case it does it quite quickly

 

I am running a dual boot Laptop, with Ubuntu usung Firefox, and Windows XP using IE7 and Google Chrome. I seem to get the same problem using all browsers and operating systems. If I use my work laptop (running XP and IE7) at home it's fine. I'm on a wireless network and get about 6 mbps through my line last time I checked on speedtest

 

I thought by moving back to using Ubuntu which I haven't used for a while I'd be OK, but it was still a problem.

 

So far I would conclude that it is this Laptop, but not related to the operating system. Could this be hardware?

 

Any ideas?

[cookie121]

Try increasing your available cache?

[JohnDave]

OK, Give us a clue, where would I find that?

[beth1974uk]

John i had that problem when i had the firefox beta version installed.. i got rid and am back to the normal firefox and i don't have the problem any more..

[JohnDave]

No firefox installed on my XP setup, never have had it!

[cookie121]

Dunno, but it sounded good Hey!!

[parksy]

I'm no techy so I shall try to baffle you with bullshit, do you regularly defrag, disc check or scan, delete unwanted, unused files. What size Ram/ memory does it have? If your system is caked in tempory files and programs, your memory will struggle to cope. Easiest thing to do is wipe the whole lot of and start again, but obviously you need to save any files you want to keep, like work , essays , photos, etc, because they will all get wiped too, also your passwords etc. You can get programs that will help clean up your system, I use Advanced System Care from Iobit, but you have to be aware it may clean something you or windows needed, ( can't confirm that , but though comp runs quicker, sometime it has trouble starting up) though that may be something else entirely. Don't know if you know how comps work but they log everything like an obsessive compulsive accountant, every key touch, every program started, every webpage looked at, every pic on webpage , list goes on, all cluttering up your harddrive. Now if your comp was clever and logged all these events in chronalogical order and remembered where it put things, it would find stuff super quick, but rather like a librarian with a crack addiction it doesn't really give a shit where it puts stuff on the shelf, and when it comes to finding your file, it has to go through every file in the library one at a time until it stumbles across it at the back of the fridge on the 3rd floor staff kitchen. The greater your memory , the more files you can look at at once , so the quicker comp[ will find stuff, but you have to keep on top of shuffling the paperwork to aid the progress. They are good these comps, but not that good.

[JohnDave]

I've never defragged, disk scanned or deleted any old files. I filled up my old 60 gig Hard drive, so bought a 250 gig one and rebuilt the computer. Still got loads of space left, probably well over half.

 

1 Gig of RAM and a 1.7 Ghz processor. Guess I need to find my temp internet files to delete and defrag the hard drive

[JohnDave]

Temp internet files gone, does not need a defrag, got 80 Gig left on this partition. Still being a bugger.

[parksy]

Simple housekeeping mate (and don't say that's breasted work, least not out loud) the fact you filled a 60g drive then commenced to fill 250 g drive without upgrading your memory means you have more info floating around than your mem can cope with. Defrag is simple and is a windows prog that comes with operating system. Press start, all programs, accessories, system tools, disk defragmenter. Follow instructions, usually asks you to select drive, if you have several, ie partitions, select largest one, comp will breath sigh of relief, then start organising the shuffled files, be aware this will take a long time, best to keep it plugged in , make sure you set power saving so that it doesn't go to standby when no butons are pressed for half hour, switch it dont switch off anything when on full power ie plugged in, and if you happy comp wont burst into flame then leave overnight. Don't be too surprised if comp gave up during the night and decided to do someting more interesting, but have another stab at it , once it is reorganised and you make the effort to defrag regularly, once a week, once a fortnight, once a month ( the more net downloads you do or progs you load onto drive the more often you should defrag, more use means more shuffling ) the quicker it will be able to do it next time. Disc check/scan is also on windows, basicly it scans and find s errors and also files that are no longer needed or ones you haven't used in a while, read what it is asking you and you can confirm or deny each process, ie fix errors, delete unwanted files, usually temporary internet files ( you can always safely delete these, also known as cookies) and gives the option of deleting windows files, usually screen savers, themes, etc, though with a 250 g drive I wouldn't worry about these. Your next investment should be to dounle your memory, if you haven't already, most laptops will have the capacity to double ( usually , sometimes more) the memory, however you need to know what you are doing , when handling mem chips and taking panels off the back of laptop. Check your laptop manual for instructions or download manual from net. When I did mine I couldn't believe the difference in speed loading progs etc, it may not double the speed but makes a big improvement. In stead of one librarian looking for your file you now have two. The main prob with laptops is the inability to upgrade like a tower desktop pc but you can manage your system better to get the best out of them. Any probs give someone else a shout hahahahaah

[parksy]

You beat me to it mate , defrag it anyway.

[parksy]

In answer to your original post , some sites load quicker than others because some are set up on newer faster servers that can cope with more info more quickly , so they put more info on site, more pics , bigger/better site , which is great if you have all the latest ,fastest tech to download it all, but older smaller sytems struggle to cope. When you have decluttered your system, try advanced system care , do a restore point first ,start, help and support, undo changes with sys restore, create restore point, then run the program and see what it finds, it is a free download from various sites, but I use CNET downloads, I trust their site 100% but don't get carried away , the more you download the more shit your mem has to deal with hehe

[daltocsII]

Have a look at the wireless networks in your area, if you can see some other networks they may be on the same channel as your own - which can cause performance issues. To remedy this you will need to access the admin page of your router and edit the wireless settings. I think channels 6 and 13 are the most common, but I may be wrong.

 

Also make sure your network is secure so you don't have some neighbour using your connection for downloading with.

[Hillside]

Possibly a DNS problem. I had a similar prob a while back - found

OpenDNS | Internet Navigation And Security and gort a differnet DNS. Problem sorted.