Lion web browsing extremely slow for one site.

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Level 1

44 points

Lion web browsing extremely slow for one site.

I am a moderator on the citizen science “Moon Zoo” forum and one of the tools we use to examine images of the lunar surface sent back by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is the ACT-REACT QuickMap Tool - found at http://target.lroc.asu.edu/da/qmap.html?mv=eqc&mcx=0&mcy=0&mz=1

When people find an image they want us to look at they often post an ACT-REACT link. These links are the problem. Under the Mac OS X 10.7.4 release, using the latest Safari (5.1.7) or Chrome (18.0) or Firefox (12.0) browsers, the images take ages (from 9 to 17 minutes) to load. Sometimes they don’t load at all.

The same ACT-REACT link will load in under a minute when using Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) on the same machine - I have a second hard-drive containing Snow Leopard. None of the users of the forum using PC software have reported problems so looks like it's restricted to Lion.

Other web sites work fine, it is only this one site that I have problems with and only when using Lion.

The following ACT-REACT link is the one I used in testing: http://target.lroc.asu.edu/da/qmap.html?mv=eqc&mcx=3910780.30841&mcy=-615107.273 23&mz=11

When using Safari 5.1.7 to access the above link I get the following messages in the Error Console:

“Failed to load resource: The request timed out. fprovweb.exe” (this error displayed over 300 times)

Full image took 17 minutes to load.

Google Chrome 18.0 browser took 9 minutes to load the image.

Firefox 12.0 browser never finished loading.

This problem occurs on my Mac Pro and MacBook systems.

I have reported this on the Apple Feedback site.

Posted on May 14, 2012 4:16 AM

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Answer 1

petermac87

Level 5

7,447 points

May 14, 2012 4:21 AM in response to Geoff Roynon

Geoff Roynon wrote:

Full image took 17 minutes to load.

Google Chrome 18.0 browser took 9 minutes to load the image.

Firefox 12.0 browser never finished loading.

This problem occurs on my Mac Pro and MacBook systems.

I have reported this on the Apple Feedback site.

Strange, I just tried it in Safari under !0.7.4 and it opened immediately. Have you cleaned your caches in Safari recently?

Pete

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Answer 2

Geoff Roynon Author

Level 1

44 points

May 14, 2012 4:25 AM in response to petermac87

Thanks for the response.

I have tried clearing caches in all browsers, resetting Safari - nothing helps. I originally thought it may be a Mac Pro problem but same slow browsing happens on my MacBook.

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Answer 3

petermac87

Level 5

7,447 points

May 14, 2012 4:38 AM in response to Geoff Roynon

Geoff Roynon wrote:

Thanks for the response.

I have tried clearing caches in all browsers, resetting Safari - nothing helps. I originally thought it may be a Mac Pro problem but same slow browsing happens on my MacBook.

If all other sites are opening then I can't see it as a router/modem problem, though you could try rebooting it. You are not running any anti-virus or third party security software like Little Snitch or anything are you?

Pete

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Answer 4

softwater

Level 5

5,556 points

May 14, 2012 4:43 AM in response to Geoff Roynon

Since the upgrade, have you tested loading this site from a differnt machine on the same router and found the load times significantly different?

Could be your IP address.

Also, I'll own it's probably a long shot, but there's no harm in flushing the DNS caches, Quit Safari, first, then open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal.app) and paste this command

sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

Press 'return'. You'll need to type your Admin password, which will be invisible.

Reopen Safari and try again. Same problem?

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Answer 5

Geoff Roynon Author

Level 1

44 points

May 14, 2012 4:42 AM in response to petermac87

I'm not using Little Snitch but I do have Sophos anti-virus installed.

I have rebooted my router multiple times with no effect and have also changed my DNS settings to Open DNS and same problem.

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Answer 6

Chamar

Level 4

2,169 points

May 14, 2012 4:50 AM in response to Geoff Roynon

Loads almost instantly for me on Lion (10.7.4) with Safari (5.1.7), Firefox (13) and Chrome (19.0.1084). Nice image!

Tried the link on an iMac, an MBP and an MBA, all with similar results.

DNS problem maybe? (Maybe not as I've just seen your most recent post)

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Answer 7

softwater

Level 5

5,556 points

May 14, 2012 4:45 AM in response to Geoff Roynon

In which case, try this. Enable a new user account in

 > System Preferences > Users & Groups

Log into it, open Safari, and try your website.

If no problem, then its a software conflict in your normal account.

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Answer 8

Geoff Roynon Author

Level 1

44 points

May 14, 2012 4:49 AM in response to softwater

Just tried this and the site is loading in a separate window - at 3 minutes and counting and still a blank screen!

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Answer 9

Geoff Roynon Author

Level 1

44 points

May 14, 2012 4:50 AM in response to Chamar

I have changed my DNS settings from the default ISP (Demon) and am now using Open DNS. No change.

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Answer 10

Chamar

Level 4

2,169 points

May 14, 2012 4:58 AM in response to Geoff Roynon

Yes, I noticed you'd changed DNS servers since I posted.

FWIW I'm using OpenDNS on a 20Meg TalkTalk connection.

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Answer 11

softwater

Level 5

5,556 points

May 14, 2012 6:15 AM in response to Geoff Roynon

So, have you tested another machine (iPad, smartphone, any web-brower enable device) on the same router since this problem started? You need to do that before you can eliminate other causes aside from Lion (and although I'm no fan of Lion myself, I can't see this problem being down to the OS).

Alternatively, take your Lion-enabled MBP somewhere else (coffee shop, work, whatever) and see if the problem is the same on another network.

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Answer 12

Geoff Roynon Author

Level 1

44 points

May 14, 2012 7:06 AM in response to softwater

I've just tested on my iPad using the link above - the full image loads in under a minute.

I don't think it has anything to do with my network because booting into Snow Leopard resolves the problem.

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Answer 13

softwater

Level 5

5,556 points

May 14, 2012 7:17 AM in response to Geoff Roynon

Ok, that's good (in the sense that we've ruled out the router and your IP address being blocked).

I'd still like to know what the result of flushing the DNS cache is (using the terminal command I provided above). If nothing else, that rules out another possibility.

If the problem persists, start up in Safe Mode. And try the following three tests

1.Connect to the internet via ethernet cable. Same problem?

2. Try connecting to the internet using wifi. Same problem?

3. Logout of Safe mode and log in to your normal account. Same problem?

Please let us know the answers to the above three questions.

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Answer 14

Geoff Roynon Author

Level 1

44 points

May 14, 2012 8:08 AM in response to softwater

I have tried running in Safe Mode and no change.

My Mac Pro is connected to my router by ethernet and WiFi. Doesn't help disconnecting either.

I have a Belkin router connected to the ADSL line. An ethernet cable connects the router to my Time Capsule. I have an ethernet cable from the Time Capsule to my Mac Pro and I connect to the Time Capsule via WiFi as well.

The Macbook uses WiFi only.

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Answer 15

softwater

Level 5

5,556 points

May 14, 2012 9:44 AM in response to Geoff Roynon

OK, one more test for you.

Boot into the Recovery disk (restart your mac while at the same time holding down 'Command' and 'R' keys).

In the Recovery desktop, you will see that you can access the web through Safari (from memory, I think its the last option on the centre window panel, something like 'get help online', but it just opens a normal Safari window that will let your browse anywhere).

Oh sorry: one more instrcution: please turn Wifi/Airport off when you do this, and only connect via the Ethernet cable.

Same problem? If no, unplug the ethernet cable, and turn on Wifi. Same problem?

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