Computer slow in connecting to websites

**K-B** · 07-11-2007, 07:20 PM

My computer recently started a very annoying habit. When I'm surfing, any website I type in or click a link, it takes a long time to start loading. I'm using firefox, and the message in the lower left corner says "Looking up www.WHATEVER_WEBSITE.com..."
Normally, that message will be there for just a split second before it changes to "Transferring data from www.WHATEVER_WEBSITE.com". Any firefox user will know what I mean.
I'm on a DSL connection, and I'm not sure whether I should contact my ISP or if it's a problem with my computer (which I think it is). Here's how my internet hardware is set up:
The DSL modem is also a wireless router (combo). However, I don't like it because it's cheap, so I have my own Linksys router. The Linksys router is connected (wired) to the modem/router. My computer is hard-wired from the Linksys router. (I had to take the ISP-supplied modem/router in for the ISP to bridge/configure them to work together).
When the problem first started happening, I figured a power cycle to the modem & linksys router would fix it. So I did that, and on restarting my computer, the internet worked fine, but it wasn't long before it started the same problem again. Since I use Linux, I booted to XP, but it doesn't make any difference, the same thing happens in XP - only a little worse. The pages would actually time out once in a while. It happens to all websites, google, yahoo, you name it.
I have another (desktop) computer on the network, and that one has zero problems. So doesn't that basically eliminate the router & modem?
I'm going to try a few more things, different browsers, etc. I don't know what I'll do if I can't resolve it. I'm not sure what the best way is to go about troubleshooting it. Hope someone has some suggestions...

EDIT: I forgot to mention, as long as I stay active on a domain, I can click any link within that domain without getting the "looking up..." delay. But if I don't do anything for maybe 5 minutes, then it has to go through the whole process of looking up the domain before it can process my request.

**johnwill** · 07-12-2007, 08:56 AM

Sounds to me like a domain server issue. Let's try an experiment.

Configure one of your computers to use OpenDNS as an alternative DNS server, see if that changes the behavior: http://www.opendns.com/start/

If it works with OpenDNS, you probably have an ISP DNS server issue.

**K-B** · 07-13-2007, 06:12 AM

OK, I configured the computer that was acting up to run through OpenDNS. I used it all day yesterday without any problems whatsoever.
The only other thing I did (at the same time as configuring openDNS) is that I changed to computer's ethernet cable to a different port on the router. I have a feeling it was the DNS issue though. I'm going to put the ethernet cable back on the same port it was and see what happens.

**johnwill** · 07-13-2007, 11:42 AM

I don't see how a different port on the router's switch would cause this issue, it's either connected or not. I also think it's the DNS issue.

07-11-2007, 07:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
K-B Mod. Linux, Wrench Turner Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NY Posts: 2,889 OS: Vista, Ubuntu My System	Computer slow in connecting to websites My computer recently started a very annoying habit. When I'm surfing, any website I type in or click a link, it takes a long time to start loading. I'm using firefox, and the message in the lower left corner says "Looking up www.WHATEVER_WEBSITE.com..." Normally, that message will be there for just a split second before it changes to "Transferring data from www.WHATEVER_WEBSITE.com". Any firefox user will know what I mean. I'm on a DSL connection, and I'm not sure whether I should contact my ISP or if it's a problem with my computer (which I think it is). Here's how my internet hardware is set up: The DSL modem is also a wireless router (combo). However, I don't like it because it's cheap, so I have my own Linksys router. The Linksys router is connected (wired) to the modem/router. My computer is hard-wired from the Linksys router. (I had to take the ISP-supplied modem/router in for the ISP to bridge/configure them to work together). When the problem first started happening, I figured a power cycle to the modem & linksys router would fix it. So I did that, and on restarting my computer, the internet worked fine, but it wasn't long before it started the same problem again. Since I use Linux, I booted to XP, but it doesn't make any difference, the same thing happens in XP - only a little worse. The pages would actually time out once in a while. It happens to all websites, google, yahoo, you name it. I have another (desktop) computer on the network, and that one has zero problems. So doesn't that basically eliminate the router & modem? I'm going to try a few more things, different browsers, etc. I don't know what I'll do if I can't resolve it. I'm not sure what the best way is to go about troubleshooting it. Hope someone has some suggestions... EDIT: I forgot to mention, as long as I stay active on a domain, I can click any link within that domain without getting the "looking up..." delay. But if I don't do anything for maybe 5 minutes, then it has to go through the whole process of looking up the domain before it can process my request. __________________ Last edited by K-B; 07-11-2007 at 07:23 PM.

07-12-2007, 08:56 AM	#2 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 41,921 OS: Windows 7, XP-Pro, Vista, Linux Blog Entries: 1	Re: Computer slow in connecting to websites Sounds to me like a domain server issue. Let's try an experiment. Configure one of your computers to use OpenDNS as an alternative DNS server, see if that changes the behavior: http://www.opendns.com/start/ If it works with OpenDNS, you probably have an ISP DNS server issue. __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

07-13-2007, 06:12 AM	#3 (permalink)
K-B Mod. Linux, Wrench Turner Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NY Posts: 2,889 OS: Vista, Ubuntu My System	Re: Computer slow in connecting to websites OK, I configured the computer that was acting up to run through OpenDNS. I used it all day yesterday without any problems whatsoever. The only other thing I did (at the same time as configuring openDNS) is that I changed to computer's ethernet cable to a different port on the router. I have a feeling it was the DNS issue though. I'm going to put the ethernet cable back on the same port it was and see what happens. __________________

07-13-2007, 11:42 AM	#4 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 41,921 OS: Windows 7, XP-Pro, Vista, Linux Blog Entries: 1	Re: Computer slow in connecting to websites I don't see how a different port on the router's switch would cause this issue, it's either connected or not. I also think it's the DNS issue. __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience