IDNetters and firefox

madasahatter · Mar 22, 2008, 00:13:27

Not sure if anyone else has noticed this, but I've come across something when viewing IDNetters in firefox, which doesn't happen when viewing in IE (I've tested out of curiosity).

When I click on the "last post" button for any thread FF can take up to 25 seconds to display the last post on the page (that's what fasterfox says and I believe it cos it seems to take an age), yet in IE, the last post displays almost as soon as the page loads as I would expect it to. It's worse if there are a lot of posts on that page than when there are only say 1 or 2. Also, this happens on both my laptop (Vista) and desktop (XP Pro). Also, this doesn't seem to be the case with any of the other forums that I visit - curiouser and curiouser

Sebby · Mar 22, 2008, 00:17:14

I use Firefox and Fasterfox, but I have changed the default Fasterfox settings, and I've got a strong feeling that this is where your problem lies.

Try setting Fasterfox to Optimized instead of Turbo Charged, and make sure you restart Firefox. Turbo charged increases load on web servers and IDNetters might be responding unfavourably to that.

madasahatter · Mar 22, 2008, 00:18:49

Thanks sebby - I'll have a look at that - been bugging me for a few days now, and tried all sorts of stuff, but never thought about fasterfox

Sebby · Mar 22, 2008, 00:19:45

No problem, I hope it sorts it. Just click Tools > Add-ons and you'll be able to edit the settings from there. Let us know if it works!

Simon · Mar 22, 2008, 00:22:29

I use Firefox without Fasterfox, and pages load like lightning on here, and most other forums. The only one I have trouble with sometimes, is AV forums, where all the ads seem to want to load before the forums pages, and if one gets 'stuck', the thread won't load either. Needless to say, we don't ever intend to have ads on IDNetters!

Sebby · Mar 22, 2008, 00:23:50

It could also be to do with the Turbo Charged setting, Simon. I've seen it on a few sites. It might be worth a try.

madasahatter · Mar 22, 2008, 00:39:00

Hmmmmmm - tried fasterfox on optimised - knocks it down to approx 17 seconds.

Tried it on courteous - knocks it down to approx 15 seconds.

Tried it on default - roughly the same

Tried disabling fasterfox altogether and restarting FF - roughly the same.

Still definitely a very big and highly noticable difference between FF and IE, but only it seems on this forum - weird.

Sebby · Mar 22, 2008, 00:40:46

Very weird, Mad. It's strange that it happens on all your PCs with Firefox. I know many of us here on IDNetters use Firefox without any issues, so I'm baffled. Maybe someone else will be able to suggest something.

madasahatter · Mar 22, 2008, 00:48:51

I'll try the different settings on my laptop - probably tomorrow - to see if they make any difference on there.

Only common denominator is that I used FEBE to do a full profile backup on my desktop, and put that on my laptop - could the profile be, in any way, to do with it?

Sebby · Mar 22, 2008, 00:52:50

I suppose it could (anything's possible in these cases where there is no apparent problem!). One thing you could try is to install Firefox 3 beta, which will install alongside and not over your existing installation, IIRC, and see if you have the same problem.

You could also try starting your existing Firefox in safe mode just to see if it makes a difference.

madasahatter · Mar 22, 2008, 00:58:57

Thanks Sebby - I'll try those suggestions

Rik · Mar 22, 2008, 09:03:10

I use FF without FasterFox, and don't see any delays unless the server is particularly busy, in which case it might take a couple of seconds to load. Other things to think about, MTU/RWIN, AV settings, firewall settings, anything else running in the background?

madasahatter · Mar 22, 2008, 09:16:10

I see what you are saying Rik, but why would they only affect IDNetters on both my PCs, and then only when using FF? Using Opera or IE on either machine I have no issues whatsoever.

Done some messing about this morning. FF3 makes no difference. Messed about disabling and enabling add ons, and the main culprits seem to be adblock plus and no script - they each add between 5 to 10 seconds to last post load time, and together take me back up to over 20 seconds if there are a few posts on that page.

Problem is that without them, I may as well go back to Opera, or even use IE just for IDNetters, which is far from ideal - I like to use one browser, not bounce around between 2 or 3.

Ho hum

Rik · Mar 22, 2008, 09:25:05

Adblock is odd, as we don't have any. Noscript I could have understood when we were using Google Analyticals, but we don't do that anymore. Is there an option to disable them for this site?

madasahatter · Mar 22, 2008, 09:32:56

Adblock is dasabled for this site, and noscript is set to allow it - IDNetters is also in the whitelist.

Just can't understand it.

Ray · Mar 22, 2008, 09:36:10

No problems here using Firefox 3 beta 4, pages load in a couple of seconds.

madasahatter · Mar 22, 2008, 09:37:58

Just out of curiosity, enabled adblock for this site, and it lists virtually every button and smiley on the page as blockable items!!

madasahatter · Mar 22, 2008, 09:39:36

Quote from: Sheltieuk on Mar 22, 2008, 09:36:10
No problems here using Firefox 3 beta 4, pages load in a couple of seconds.

It's not the pages as such Ray, it's the time it takes for the last post on that page to be displayed when you click on the last post button that is the problem. The page itself comes up straightaway, but then takes ages for the last post to actually display.

Rik · Mar 22, 2008, 09:46:21

Quote from: madasahatter on Mar 22, 2008, 09:37:58
Just out of curiosity, enabled adblock for this site, and it lists virtually every button and smiley on the page as blockable items!!

I wonder whether it's processing them even thought they're allowed. Try switching to the Core theme in your profile, see if that helps.

Ray · Mar 22, 2008, 09:47:18

Quote from: madasahatter on Mar 22, 2008, 09:39:36
It's not the pages as such Ray, it's the time it takes for the last post on that page to be displayed when you click on the last post button that is the problem. The page itself comes up straightaway, but then takes ages for the last post to actually display.

Sorry, Mad, didn't put that very well what I meant was the page with the last post on it, I've just tried a couple threads with over 3000 posts and the last post comes up in a within 2 or 3 seconds.

madasahatter · Mar 22, 2008, 09:49:59

Quote from: Rik on Mar 22, 2008, 09:46:21
I wonder whether it's processing them even thought they're allowed. Try switching to the Core theme in your profile, see if that helps.

That's the way it seems to me Rik - if they are totally disabled, the problem just disappears - I'll try the core theme and see how I get on. 8)

Edit: Hmmmm - that does seem to have made a difference - time to last post displaying is now down to 12 to 15 seconds - but that's still quite a lag

madasahatter · Mar 22, 2008, 09:58:47

Quote from: Sheltieuk on Mar 22, 2008, 09:47:18
Sorry, Mad, didn't put that very well what I meant was the page with the last post on it, I've just tried a couple threads with over 3000 posts and the last post comes up in a within 2 or 3 seconds.

NP Ray - I'm sure if this was a widespread problem, it would have come up before. It's just very very puzzling. If it was only my desktop, I'd just think it's because it's a bit old, but my laptop is still fairly new with a different OS, so where do you go from there? $:-\$

Rik · Mar 22, 2008, 10:00:41

Do you visit any other SMF forums, Mad?

madasahatter · Mar 22, 2008, 10:04:42

To be honest, I don't know Rik - I'll check a couple of my regular forums out later to see what they use - never really taken much notice before.

Rik · Mar 22, 2008, 10:06:45

Try Simon's PC Pals. At least we might establish whether it's a reaction with SMF or something specific to us.