Firefox Times Out Reading Dns

[astral]

When I enter a url I often get "site not found",

but when I try again, there it is.

Firefox is not waiting long enough for the response from the DSN server.

How can I adjust this parameter?

I know this came up a while back, but a search on the forum did not show me what I need.

Can someone please repost the details.

Thanks

[Jdietz]

Look here:

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Error_loading_any_website#DNS

And here:

http://drewthaler.blogspot.com/2005/09/cha...in-windows.html

>>

Here's the registry setting to increase the DNS client-side timeout in Windows 2000 and XP:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SYSTEM \ CurrentControlSet \ Services \ Tcpip \ Parameters \ DNSQueryTimeouts

<<

[astral]

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SYSTEM \ CurrentControlSet \ Services \ Tcpip \ Parameters \ DNSQueryTimeouts

I checked my registry settings and go as far as parameters,

but no DNSQueryTimeouts.

No it is much simpler than that.

Some command on the url bar starting with a colon:

that pulls up all the parameters.

[Tywais]

Some command on the url bar starting with a colon:

that pulls up all the parameters.

Enter about:config in the url bar. Set filter for DNS, you will see network.dnsCacheExpiration. I believe the default is 60 seconds. I use Fasterfox and it sets it to 3600 seconds. So change the number from 60 to 3600.

http://blog.taragana.com/index.php/archive...st-performance/

[astral]

Thanks Tywais.

That was the one I was looking for, but the old memory failed me.

The parameter was not on the list so I have added it and will see what happens.

[Tywais]

The parameter was not on the list so I have added it and will see what happens.

Sounds like Fasterfox must automatically add it, never looked for it before so didn't know what the default entries are. Apparently the 60 seconds is built in and this overrides it.

[astral]

I have now added FasterFox to my Firefox installation and all the pages loaded without hiccoughing.

I see I now have a little counter showing just how long it does take to load a page.

This one took 72seconds.

FasterFox has changed that parameter I added, from user set to default,

but left the value of 3600

Maybe I spoke too soon.

It just failed to find Google.co.uk.............................

[Tywais]

Maybe I spoke too soon.

It just failed to find Google.co.uk.............................

Maybe need to try OpenDNS.

[astral]

Maybe need to try OpenDNS.

Strange you should say that.

I already have one local and one OpenDNS as the top two servers on the list

I will try both OpenDNS servers.

[astral]

Sorry to say, none of the above suggestions made any substantial difference.

Basically the link where I live is CR*P.

I am now trying another approach. Not for the faint hearted.

Lurking in Windows/System32/drivers/etc is a little file named Hosts.

The file is checked whenever you access a site by name.

If the name is not on the list then DNS is searched.

Hosts usually only contains one record:

127.0.0.1 Local host

However it seem that other records can be added.

Therefore I have added in the few sites that I go to everyday, like

203.174.84.82 thaivisa.com

I will let you know if this improves matters at all.

So far the results look good.

[jeffer]

Don't most people use the hosts file to block sites from your computer?

[onethailand]

The hosts file is used for a number of reasons. Entering a domain with an IP simply avoids the requirement for a DNS server to report back - but obviously if the site is moved to another IP, a manual adjustment will need to be made.

To block a site using the host file, simply redirect the domain name to localhost, usually 127.0.0.1 if I am not mistaken. Also used if you want to use the domain name in the URL to go to a local dev site on your computer.

[astral]

As it is my computer and no-one else uses it I have no need to block sites.

If your host file is attacked by a virus, you may find yourself being directed to a site

you do not want to go to.

Or as Onethailand suggest a site can be blocked by using the hosts file to divert requests

to localhost rather than the real site.

That was why I suggested any modifications here are not for the fainthearted....

The few sites I have listed on my machine are unlikely to move IP addresses,

but if they do I will have to cope.

On that point I hate web designers who change the names for major pages on their sites.

I book mark a page, then a few weeks later the book mark fails.