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#1 2009-04-07 08:28:23

analogkid385
Member
Registered: 2009-04-07
Posts: 5

[SOLVED] Bizarre internet problem, firefox and links slow

So I just installed Arch today with the FTP/HTTP disk, all packages updated, and started to set it up. Internet was fast initially, but something that I installed/changed along the way caused a major slowdown in browsing speed and download speed. The odd thing is that when no net apps are running, the ping to the router in my network is fast, but as soon as a net app starts, it goes way up. For example, starting firefox looks like this:

64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=6 ttl=64 time=2.52 ms                 <--clicked on icon
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=7 ttl=64 time=2.53 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=8 ttl=64 time=2.51 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=9 ttl=64 time=2.51 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=10 ttl=64 time=2.73 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=11 ttl=64 time=2.54 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=12 ttl=64 time=2.54 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=13 ttl=64 time=185 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=14 ttl=64 time=2.50 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=15 ttl=64 time=248 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=16 ttl=64 time=4.53 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=17 ttl=64 time=434 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=18 ttl=64 time=2.56 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=19 ttl=64 time=2.53 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=20 ttl=64 time=607 ms                   <--Firefox open
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=21 ttl=64 time=910 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=22 ttl=64 time=709 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=23 ttl=64 time=822 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=24 ttl=64 time=1062 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=25 ttl=64 time=1498 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=26 ttl=64 time=1501 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=27 ttl=64 time=1232 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=28 ttl=64 time=572 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=29 ttl=64 time=1904 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=30 ttl=64 time=1805 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=31 ttl=64 time=1177 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=32 ttl=64 time=915 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=33 ttl=64 time=746 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=34 ttl=64 time=420 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=35 ttl=64 time=314 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=36 ttl=64 time=407 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=37 ttl=64 time=350 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=38 ttl=64 time=424 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=39 ttl=64 time=591 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=40 ttl=64 time=673 ms

I'm not sure what the cause of this is. I'm using a rt2500 card with the rt2x00 driver, DHCP,  and netcfg2.


/etc/hosts

#
# /etc/hosts: static lookup table for host names
#

#<ip-address>    <hostname.domain.org>    <hostname>
127.0.0.1    localhost.localdomain    localhost jdlinux
#64.233.169.103   www.google.com   g

# End of file

/etc/rc.conf

#
# /etc/rc.conf - Main Configuration for Arch Linux
#

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
# LOCALIZATION
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# LOCALE: available languages can be listed with the 'locale -a' command
# HARDWARECLOCK: set to "UTC" or "localtime"
# USEDIRECTISA: use direct I/O requests instead of /dev/rtc for hwclock
# TIMEZONE: timezones are found in /usr/share/zoneinfo
# KEYMAP: keymaps are found in /usr/share/kbd/keymaps
# CONSOLEFONT: found in /usr/share/kbd/consolefonts (only needed for non-US)
# CONSOLEMAP: found in /usr/share/kbd/consoletrans
# USECOLOR: use ANSI color sequences in startup messages
#
LOCALE="en_US.utf8"
HARDWARECLOCK="local"
USEDIRECTISA="no"
TIMEZONE="America/New_York"
KEYMAP="us"
CONSOLEFONT=
CONSOLEMAP=
USECOLOR="yes"

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
# HARDWARE
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# MOD_AUTOLOAD: Allow autoloading of modules at boot and when needed
# MOD_BLACKLIST: Prevent udev from loading these modules
# MODULES: Modules to load at boot-up. Prefix with a ! to blacklist.
#
# NOTE: Use of 'MOD_BLACKLIST' is deprecated. Please use ! in the MODULES array.
#
MOD_AUTOLOAD="yes"
#MOD_BLACKLIST=() #deprecated
MODULES=()

# Scan for LVM volume groups at startup, required if you use LVM
USELVM="no"

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
# NETWORKING
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# HOSTNAME: Hostname of machine. Should also be put in /etc/hosts
#
HOSTNAME="jdlinux"

# Use 'ifconfig -a' or 'ls /sys/class/net/' to see all available interfaces.
#
# Interfaces to start at boot-up (in this order)
# Declare each interface then list in INTERFACES
#   - prefix an entry in INTERFACES with a ! to disable it
#   - no hyphens in your interface names - Bash doesn't like it
# 
# DHCP:     Set your interface to "dhcp" (eth0="dhcp")
# Wireless: See network profiles below
#
#wlan0="dhcp"
#wlan_wlan0="wlan0 essid maxconfus key somenumbers"


# Routes to start at boot-up (in this order)
# Declare each route then list in ROUTES
#   - prefix an entry in ROUTES with a ! to disable it
#
#gateway="default gw 192.168.1.1"
#ROUTES=(!gateway)
 
# Enable these network profiles at boot-up.  These are only useful
# if you happen to need multiple network configurations (ie, laptop users)
#   - set to 'menu' to present a menu during boot-up (dialog package required)
#   - prefix an entry with a ! to disable it
#
# Network profiles are found in /etc/network.d
#
# This now requires the netcfg package
#
NETWORKS=(wlan0)

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
# DAEMONS
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# Daemons to start at boot-up (in this order)
#   - prefix a daemon with a ! to disable it
#   - prefix a daemon with a @ to start it up in the background
#
DAEMONS=(@net-profiles syslog-ng !network netfs @cups hal crond @alsa)

/etc/resolv.conf

# Generated by dhcpcd from wlan0
# /etc/resolv.conf.head can replace this line
nameserver 208.67.222.222
nameserver 208.67.220.220
# /etc/resolv.conf.tail can replace this line

also, IPv6 is disabled, and I am right near the router, so those aren't issues. Help?

Last edited by analogkid385 (2009-04-09 12:15:40)

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#2 2009-04-07 09:09:52

mikesd
Member
From: Australia
Registered: 2008-02-01
Posts: 788
Website

Re: [SOLVED] Bizarre internet problem, firefox and links slow

I have no idea! It is strange. Maybe doing a tcpdump would show something interesting. Maybe check you don't have any weird pre-loading plugins loaded?

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#3 2009-04-07 13:32:11

analogkid385
Member
Registered: 2009-04-07
Posts: 5

Re: [SOLVED] Bizarre internet problem, firefox and links slow

Nevermind. Apparently my computer just needed to sit for 6 hours. Now the problem is gone, even though nothing has changed. The oddest thing is that it was only in Arch last night, Windows was fine, so it wasn't a network issue, and nothing has been changed since posting this thread. I'm going to leave this open though incase the problem comes back.

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#4 2009-04-08 09:52:16

h4mx0r
Member
Registered: 2008-04-17
Posts: 11

Re: [SOLVED] Bizarre internet problem, firefox and links slow

It was probably a dhcpcd issue, try posting your config. Do you use a local dns cache? Next time try using dig command on a few different websites to see if it chokes up on performance during those first few hops.

Did you try turning wlan0 off and back on again to refresh your dhcp lease? most dns caches have a method of dumping/clearing their lists but you could try the off/on method with them too. There aren't other wireless networks in your area using the same channel right? I'd also suggest increasing your wireless encryption because its so easy to spam unencrypted wireless and knock someone offline or lag them. Works great at lan parties when your the only one with ethernet connection to the router big_smile  You usually experience lag and disconnects when someone is trying to crack your network very fast.

Last edited by h4mx0r (2009-04-08 10:01:00)

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#5 2009-04-08 17:04:47

analogkid385
Member
Registered: 2009-04-07
Posts: 5

Re: [SOLVED] Bizarre internet problem, firefox and links slow

DNS wasn't the issue, because even when I pinged locations on the intranet, the ping went way up. The example that I posted was to the gateway on my network, not an IP on the internet, so slowness there has nothing to do with my cable modem or the internet. I had restarted the computer several times, and there are no other strong signals in my area. I do not use a local dns cache either. The pings to internet addresses were fine until I opened any app that used the internet, at which time the ping times increased dramatically. Upon closing the apps, the ping returned to normal.

EDIT: Solved. Apparently sometimes netcfg resorts to setting the bit rate of the wifi to 1 Mb/s, a simple "iwconfig wlan0 rate 54M" solves the problem.

Last edited by analogkid385 (2009-04-09 12:14:57)

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