Board to slow

[QUOTE=JBryant;312726]I use Firefox exclusively, so the only ad-blocker is the built in one. I'm still not sure why I couldn't ping the site though, if it's the ad blocker. Also, it's not an all-the-time thing. Sometimes, it works as fast as any other page and the ad appears at the top. Sometimes, it hangs, then eventually loads and no ad will appear at the top. I don't know, just seems to me more like a problem with their servers than my browser due to the inconsistency.[/QUOTE]

I'd say your Adblock is either not installed, or mis-configured. Otherwise, your browser wouldn't be trying to hit those sites in the first place. And those ads timing out is almost certainly the source of the slowness you're seeing. You said: "the only ad-blocker is the built in one." Firefox doesn't come with AdBlock built in, it's an add-on. Click on "Tools" then "Add-ons." Does it show up there? I'm guessing either it won't show up, or it's disabled. If it's not there, click on "get extensions" to download it.

It would help if you let us know what king of internet connection you have.
Cable, DSL lite full, 1,2,2,4,5 meg "whatever" download. Anybody using Aol browser or connection.

I do think the ads to slow it down a bit. I am on a real fast connection so I can't really tell.

If you are connecting to a wireless router and the connection strength is less than 50 percent that could slow everythinhg down.

I am sure some folks out there know more about this than I do so let us know what you think.

Maybe the board has too many files in a cache somewhere that need to be deleted?

I have not noticed anything different on my end. I have a cable modem with a wireless router and it normally zips along. My laptop is fairly new and I ordered it with surfing the "net" in mind.

I'm on DSL Extreme 6.0, so I know it's not my connection. And I don't think it's anything the board has. I think sometimes the advertiser's servers either get overloaded or they're just poorly maintained. Like I said, when the ad servers are working fine, the whole page loads just as fast as any other on the web. But sometimes, it just isn't able to connect to the ad servers. I'm on a wired connection too, and it only happens on this site.

As for the AdBlock, I did have it, but it doesn't have this site's particular advertisers on it's EasyList. I don't mind the ads, anything to help make money for the board, just wish it would always load quickly.

[quote=jcb;312732]Weird. I have Firefox with Adblock plus and have no problems. I know Jim hates to hear that word "Adblock"...[/quote]

Same for me.

Michael

[QUOTE=JBryant;312757] I don't mind the ads, anything to help make money for the board, just wish it would always load quickly.[/QUOTE]

I agree; I don't mind most ads, but those few advertisers that resort to really annoying popups have made me decide to block all I can. And I still say that if you have the latest versions of Firefox and AdBlock installed and enabled, it should be blocking those ads, unless you have fishin.com listed in your "exception rules." And in case you're wondering, I'm a network systems analyst for a large corporation and part of my daily job is troubleshooting this type of problem.

Well, I looked in the Add-Ons and it was there, so I opened the config up for it and looked through. For some reason, it wasn't blocking the ones this site uses (I had just picked the EasyList blocking options thing long ago) and these apparently aren't on that list. Once I blocked them individually, the problem stopped and the ads are gone. And I know a lot about computers, but I'm sure Roadtoad has a superior knowledge, especially in regards to troubleshooting.

Thanks for this information guys, I just added Ad Block Plus to my Firefox and using the Easy list it blocked the ads on this site. Will be great if it works like that on all of them.
By the way it does make it load faster.

I have bellsouth high speed and some times,at least once a day,the front page wont load at all.I thought it was just me.

I dont see any difference I just wanted to get my dog in this fight.:D