Results 1 to 14 of 14

Thread: Fiding our why websites open so slowly

  1. #1
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Posts
    363
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Fiding our why websites open so slowly

    From time to time, my Internet connections become sluggish. I suspect my ISP is bundling me with a lot of other customers from time to time. In the past, when I have complained, it has become better. However, this time, I want to try to find out where the problem is. As I am wont to do, I start at Hexus, my favorite forum.

    I use XP Home on a fast computer (2 GHz, 2 MB) and a Motorola VoIP router and a Motorola cable modem. I have used Tracert (built in), but it shows certain things happening in milliseconds, and when websites take from 4-20 seconds to open, that is not helpful.

    Does anyone know of groups, methods and/or software to use to measure the time it takes to open websites, and where the time is spent? In particular, of course, I am interested in knowing the time from my CPU to the cable modem, and then, from the cable modem to the ISP, and then, from the website to the ISP, and from the ISP to my computer. As I probably express myself crudely here, you can deduct that I am not terribly knowledgeable, but I am intent on learning. I built my computer myself from knowing practically nothing about the darn thing

    Looking forward with interest to your comments.

    Regards,

    Hans L

  2. #2
    Jay
    Jay is offline
    Gentlemen.. we're history Jay's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Jita
    Posts
    8,365
    Thanks
    304
    Thanked
    568 times in 409 posts

    Re: Fiding our why websites open so slowly

    are you with VM?
    □ΞVΞ□

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Posts
    363
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: Fiding our why websites open so slowly

    If I understand your question correctly, Jay: no, I am with Adelphia.net, which is now RoadRunner (Time Warner Cable). I live in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

    If by VM you meant something else, please let me know.

    Regards,

    Hans L

  4. #4
    Jay
    Jay is offline
    Gentlemen.. we're history Jay's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Jita
    Posts
    8,365
    Thanks
    304
    Thanked
    568 times in 409 posts

    Re: Fiding our why websites open so slowly

    try using openDNS for you DNS server
    □ΞVΞ□

  5. #5
    Senior Member j1979's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Mars
    Posts
    2,032
    Thanks
    335
    Thanked
    209 times in 143 posts

    Re: Fiding our why websites open so slowly

    open command prompt (start, run, cmd) and type

    ping bbc.co.uk (someting else for US)

    this will give you a ping in milliseconds to a very fast server.

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Posts
    363
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: Fiding our why websites open so slowly

    Will try it, Jay.

    Hans L

  7. #7
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Posts
    363
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: Fiding our why websites open so slowly

    Quote Originally Posted by j1979 View Post
    open command prompt (start, run, cmd) and type

    ping bbc.co.uk (someting else for US)

    this will give you a ping in milliseconds to a very fast server.
    j, thanks:

    105 to 109 ms, avg 107 ms for 4 packets.

    Accessing the site: 5 seconds.

    What does that tell me? Is the 'ping' just getting there? So, the return via my ISP and my own computer could be the other 4893 ms?

    Hans L

  8. #8
    Senior Member j1979's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Mars
    Posts
    2,032
    Thanks
    335
    Thanked
    209 times in 143 posts

    Re: Fiding our why websites open so slowly

    below 50 is what your aiming for, in order to have snappy surfing,

    mine is 19ms and im currently with BE / 02 broadband.

    so yours takes 1/10 of a second for just 4 packet of data. im not sure of exactly how it effects surfing but i know it does.
    Last edited by j1979; 13-03-2008 at 11:07 AM.

  9. #9
    Administrator Moby-Dick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    There's no place like ::1 (IPv6 version)
    Posts
    10,665
    Thanks
    53
    Thanked
    385 times in 314 posts

    Re: Fiding our why websites open so slowly

    Quote Originally Posted by Hans L View Post
    j, thanks:

    105 to 109 ms, avg 107 ms for 4 packets.

    Accessing the site: 5 seconds.

    What does that tell me? Is the 'ping' just getting there? So, the return via my ISP and my own computer could be the other 4893 ms?

    Hans L
    Ping and latency are completly different things - opening up a website isn't just chucking a static webpage accross the internet. A ping is just that, a very small ammount of information sent across a network to a destination and back , and the round trip time displayed.

    most sites are dynamically driven , the BBC is no exception. amongst other things , it will have to

    1. Establish comms with your PC and see if you are a new visitor to the site of have clicked throguh from another link by checking for the existence of any session cookies on your PC.
    2. (Lets assume that you are a new user ) - Request from the web server for the current "front page" of content ( articles etc. ) - this may be cached but on many sites requires a few database queries to be run.
    3. assemble the base content into a page and make it available to your machine
    4. As you are in the USA , bbc news serves up some adverts , so it has to work out thatyou are outside the UK , and potentialy syndicate a request to an ad server to send appropriate adverts to you ( for example the ads you get when you view hexus are different to the hones you woudl see in the UK )
    5. Your PC has to Render the page , your Anti Virus has to check it for spyware/phishing , your own firewall will have to inspect the traffic too

    Load at ANY one of those parts will delay "the web page opening". network latency is a very small slice of the pie.
    my Virtualisation Blog http://jfvi.co.uk Virtualisation Podcast http://vsoup.net

  10. #10
    Jay
    Jay is offline
    Gentlemen.. we're history Jay's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Jita
    Posts
    8,365
    Thanks
    304
    Thanked
    568 times in 409 posts

    Re: Fiding our why websites open so slowly

    hmmm pie.
    □ΞVΞ□

  11. #11
    The late but legendary peterb - Onward and Upward peterb's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Looking down & checking on swearing
    Posts
    19,378
    Thanks
    2,892
    Thanked
    3,403 times in 2,693 posts

    Re: Fiding our why websites open so slowly

    Quote Originally Posted by Jay View Post
    try using openDNS for you DNS server

    That of course is assuming that youir ISP's DNS server is the cause of the problem, which, tbh, is unlikely. Personally I have found open DNS to be slower in resonse than my ISP's DNS, slower to update, and sometimes doesn't resolve sites that I know exist. For those of us in the UK, why query a server 8,000 miles away in california, when your ISP's is likely to be less than 500 miles away? And acess to your ISP's DNS server is restricted (generally) to the ISP's customer base, while Open DNS servers are accessible by anyone, so performance may be variable anyway.

    Open DNS does have its uses, but certainly shouldn't be seen as a panacea for all speed problems.
    (\__/)
    (='.'=)
    (")_(")

    Been helped or just 'Like' a post? Use the Thanks button!
    My broadband speed - 750 Meganibbles/minute

  12. #12
    Jay
    Jay is offline
    Gentlemen.. we're history Jay's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Jita
    Posts
    8,365
    Thanks
    304
    Thanked
    568 times in 409 posts

    Re: Fiding our why websites open so slowly

    Quote Originally Posted by peterb View Post
    That of course is assuming that youir ISP's DNS server is the cause of the problem, which, tbh, is unlikely. Personally I have found open DNS to be slower in resonse than my ISP's DNS, slower to update, and sometimes doesn't resolve sites that I know exist. For those of us in the UK, why query a server 8,000 miles away in california, when your ISP's is likely to be less than 500 miles away? And acess to your ISP's DNS server is restricted (generally) to the ISP's customer base, while Open DNS servers are accessible by anyone, so performance may be variable anyway.

    Open DNS does have its uses, but certainly shouldn't be seen as a panacea for all speed problems.
    but it would rule it out and there would be no harm in doing so.
    □ΞVΞ□

  13. #13
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Posts
    363
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: Fiding our why websites open so slowly

    Since I have VoIP and I had problems once, I have set DNS specially (I cannot remember the details at the moment), so I will document what I have and then use openDNS to check if the speed increases.

    The fact is that I am pretty sure my speed decreased at some point a few months ago, and a fact is that my ISP has been able to "fix" slowdowns before (which I take to mean that they can place you in different places – I have to be vague, because I do not know the details – some of which makes you connections slowr than others).

    I had a medical procedure a few days ago, and it affects sitting :-), and I still have to work (horrible), so I will test this out late today or tomorrow.

    Thank you for your input so far, and I hope I can continue to tap your knowledge.

    Regards,

    Hans L

  14. #14
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    57
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    5 times in 5 posts

    Re: Fiding our why websites open so slowly

    Quote Originally Posted by peterb View Post
    That of course is assuming that youir ISP's DNS server is the cause of the problem, which, tbh, is unlikely. Personally I have found open DNS to be slower in resonse than my ISP's DNS, slower to update, and sometimes doesn't resolve sites that I know exist. For those of us in the UK, why query a server 8,000 miles away in california, when your ISP's is likely to be less than 500 miles away? And acess to your ISP's DNS server is restricted (generally) to the ISP's customer base, while Open DNS servers are accessible by anyone, so performance may be variable anyway.

    Open DNS does have its uses, but certainly shouldn't be seen as a panacea for all speed problems.
    OpenDNS have a server in London and as they use anycast routing, unless it's down any queries sent from the UK should get answered by it.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Sun spearheads open DRM
    By Steve in forum HEXUS News
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 22-08-2005, 11:22 AM
  2. Replies: 8
    Last Post: 18-02-2005, 06:41 PM
  3. Open Transport Remote Access (mac os x question)
    By Mr. SmartyPants in forum Help! Quick Relief From Tech Headaches
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 24-12-2004, 01:47 AM
  4. Open Source Articles
    By r1zeek in forum General Discussion
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 13-08-2004, 09:14 AM
  5. A Deep Question ref these new Cards Open GL Ability
    By Zak33 in forum Graphics Cards
    Replies: 17
    Last Post: 28-07-2004, 10:21 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •