Why is Firefox slow on Wireless but fast on Wired?
I have an HP Laptop 6730b which was given to me from my company. When I am at work, and connected to our LAN by an Ethernet Cable, Firefox runs perfectly fine and starts up super fast.
Then when I come home and turn on the Wireless on the laptop, Firefox takes like 20 seconds to startup and 20 seconds on every click. Whether clicking on a link of the same website or clicking on a favorite in my favorite tab, it takes 20 seconds to "Think" first then it loads quickly. This "thinking" part is what's killing me and it ONLY HAPPENS ON WIRELESS!!!
All Replies (6)
Is it only Firefox? Do other browsers work OK?
Simple, if you think aboout it. Usually Wireless feeds are fairly slow, but wried connedtions are much faster, hence your noticing speed improvements when you use a Cat cable.
Wireless tends to have to have a lot of things on it (mouse, keyboard printer and so oon, these all take up some of the bandwith available. However using a CAT cable is ONLY for internet, and even with CAT 5, the transfer speed is around 10-100mbs!
If possible try to use wired connections for everything, you'll be amazed at the speed increase.
Actually, here is exactly my problem: I bring my work laptop home with me. I connect to my wireless at home and my internet works just fine. Through Internet Explorer 6.0 that is.
But with Firefox, its super slow. Takes 20 seconds to open, and 20 seconds on any link or favorite I click on.
And here is the confusing part: the problem goes away when I log into my company's network through the VPN client. Once logged in there, Firefox is back to normal and fast again.
Only when I'm not on VPN at home, does Firefox give me this problem. I have Firefox on my personal computer at home and it goes fast, so why does it give me a problem here on my work computer. Heck even IE 6.0 works normal on my wireless. It's just mind boggling. I would normally install Safari but my company won't allow it at this time.
So it's nothing to do with wired vs wifi. (And most wifi is not that slow anyway. Have you tried ethernet at home btw?). It's work vs home.
Can't be DNS is other browser OK.
Have you got Firefox configured to use a proxy (options, advanced, network) that is available at work but not at home - until you use VPN?
Correct, nothing to do with wired vs wifi. I haven't tried ethernet cable at home, I'll try it this evening though.
I'm at a coffee shop right now that has wifi, I'm connected via wireless, not logged into my work VPN, and Firefox is fast and normal. Hmmm...I'm really confused why it's slow on my wireless at home then.
Firefox on my personal laptop at home works with blazing speeds.
Have I got Firefox configured to use a proxy?
Wow I just checked and it's set to "Automatic Proxy Configuration URL" down at the bottom of that settings screen and in the box is my company's "Lan Address".
Should I just select "No Proxy" at the top? Maybe we are getting somewhere. I'll try this "No Proxy" thing when I get home this evening and see what happens and report back.
Thanks for the help!
Hi,
Yes it is "ONLY HAPPENS ON WIRELESS!!! " I am using other web browsers too and they did not make this problem! Using the same WiFi modem but when using it with cable over LAN interface then it wont make any problem, only when over WiFi it gets so much slow i cant even fairly browse! I am using Acer Aspire and I think its a bug and firefox should take care of it seriously asap.