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Author Topic: Browser stalling when loading - Bloat/Netalyzr  (Read 4437 times)

ashsa

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Browser stalling when loading - Bloat/Netalyzr
« on: February 23, 2016, 12:49:45 PM »

Hi all,

I wondered if I could check my understanding.  The issue is affected my fathers browsing.  Randomly, while attempting to load a new page, the computer will freeze and lock up, 20 - 30 seconds at a time and then return to normal for hours at a time. 

Having researched as much as I can and having analysed and fixed the performance of the computer as much as I am able, I've narrowed down to the issue, i.e. Dslreports.com issued an F.  I understand 'F', it is about the level of my technical understanding  ::)  I can see there are a few threads to read re: bloat, so I will do my reseach.  Previous reading suggests the issue can be resolved closer to home by making adjustments to QoS settings.  That said, further research led me towards using 'Netalyzr' as a diagnostic tool.  This tool has identified two issues:

- Uplink 600ms, Downlink 79ms - 'you may experience degraded performance when performing interactive tasks such as web-surfing while simultaneously conducting large uploads'.  To my knowledge, my father isn't surfing and simultaneously downloading. 

- EDNSO (DNS extensions) - 'this resolver requires 222ms to fetch a result from our server and 53ms to return a result from cache'.

Everything else is green and clear  :)

If anyone can let me know whether the issues above need further attention, as it would help me narrow down the issue.  If needed, I can change the DNS I am using, although I'd rather act with the benefit of knowledge.
« Last Edit: February 23, 2016, 01:26:51 PM by ashsa »
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Weaver

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Re: Browser stalling when loading - Bloat/Netalyzr
« Reply #1 on: February 23, 2016, 01:53:39 PM »

Is this a Windows machine?
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ejs

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Re: Browser stalling when loading - Bloat/Netalyzr
« Reply #2 on: February 23, 2016, 04:13:51 PM »

The bufferbloat issue will have always been there, if you are using an older router, then it will always have been like that. It may be a problem, but I really don't think it's the cause of the problem with the computer you described.
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Weaver

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Re: Browser stalling when loading - Bloat/Netalyzr
« Reply #3 on: February 23, 2016, 05:36:24 PM »

When you say "computer" what kind of machine is it?
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Weaver

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Re: Browser stalling when loading - Bloat/Netalyzr
« Reply #4 on: February 23, 2016, 05:43:19 PM »

> the computer will freeze and lock up

Assuming it has a mouse, does this mean that the mouse pointer symbol doesn't move around? What happens if you press keys on the keyboard?
If this is a Windows machine take a look in the event log.
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ashsa

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Re: Browser stalling when loading - Bloat/Netalyzr
« Reply #5 on: February 23, 2016, 07:35:22 PM »

 :) Thank you!

Looking at the event log, oh; there's quite a bit there.  Are there particular error codes I should be looking for? 

Yes, its a windows machine - its running vista, I wish it wasn't.  The pointer does still move around, although this can tend to make the interuption last longer.  Pressing the key, say to open task manager does nothing, until the browser unfreezes. 

I'm running a little program to flush the RAM when it goes below 10% ... I can't really say this has helped.

I see Firefox has a page dedicated to 'hangs, not responding'.  I'll have a good read, just in case it applies.  Although after reading through the list, its a list of things I've already looked at.
« Last Edit: February 24, 2016, 11:27:11 AM by ashsa »
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Weaver

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Re: Browser stalling when loading - Bloat/Netalyzr
« Reply #6 on: February 23, 2016, 07:52:01 PM »

Firstly get rid of this dodgy program that fiddles around with the memory management.
Luckily it doesn't sound like hard disk failure.
Get rid if any anti virus software and see what difference that makes.

When it happens press ctrl-alt-DEL and see if it responds to that, similarly ctrl-shift-Esc.

So it sounds like it has not hung at all, because you can still move the mouse pointer around. But the browser may or may not have hung.

Which web browser were you using?
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ashsa

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Re: Browser stalling when loading - Bloat/Netalyzr
« Reply #7 on: February 23, 2016, 08:38:44 PM »

I'm using Chrome - up-to-date, stripped back without extensions etc, mostly default settings. 

OK - I'll delete the memory program.  Get rid of anti-virus?

A ran a disk check and the HDD is good.  I disabled write caching - I hoped this would expose the problem, but I can't say I saw a change.  The computer fails to respond to ctrl-alt-del.     

I disabled WMM on the router earlier today.
« Last Edit: February 23, 2016, 08:46:08 PM by ashsa »
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ejs

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Re: Browser stalling when loading - Bloat/Netalyzr
« Reply #8 on: February 23, 2016, 09:27:04 PM »

I would switch WMM back on. See Don't mess with WMM!
Switching off WMM probably disables 11n speeds (if the router has 11n wireless) and reduces things down to 11g.

I think the problem very likely to be something within the computer itself, its software and operating system.
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ashsa

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Re: Browser stalling when loading - Bloat/Netalyzr
« Reply #9 on: February 24, 2016, 11:17:52 AM »

Thank you ejs, I read similar articles prior to making the change.

Caught a hang at 10.00am ... although I should have checked the time exactly i.e. seconds.  The following faults:

09.59.38, Firewall blocked incoming communication, Error 5032
10.00.08, Printer Spooler failed to share printer, Error 2114

Subsequent error:
10.01.05, VboxAsw Support Driver Failure, Event ID 7000

As printing is not so important right now, I've uninstalled the printer, see how we go. 

Another hang at 15:17.05, disabled Printer Spooler.
« Last Edit: February 24, 2016, 04:41:45 PM by ashsa »
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