[RESOLVED] Slow Browser Response

[SeaJay]

Windowx XP, SP3
1.85GHZ AMD XP
2GB RAM
120GB bootable HDD with plenty of space
IE6 and Firefox 3.0.5


Nearly every web site I visit gives me a stop & go, jerky load; random parts of pages (images and text) will load quickly, others will choke or not load at all. Sometimes pages don't load at all: "Too long to respond."

I can ping my router, my two DNS servers, and various web sites with acceptable respons. Last ping of a web site showed : 42MS and 0% packet loss after 200 pings. I get good pings even when pinging a site that's choking in one of my browsers.

I've rebooted the computer, reset my router (not wireless). Also cleaned up junk with CCleaner. I've also disabled my ZoneAlarm firewall and get the same results.

The only thing that's happened between yesterday and today is I ran a full scan of my computer using Spysweeper, quarantining suspected junk.

I'm getting ready to run Hijack This and other spyware utilities, but wanted to tap the knowledge in the meantime.

[Train]

Print these instructions out.

NOTE. If any of the programs listed below refuse to run, try renaming executive file to something else; for instance, rename hijackthis.exe to screw_you.exe

1. Download SUPERAntiSpyware Free for Home Users:
http://www.superantispyware.com/

* Double-click SUPERAntiSpyware.exe and use the default settings for installation.
* An icon will be created on your desktop. Double-click that icon to launch the program.
* If asked to update the program definitions, click "Yes". If not, update the definitions before scanning by selecting "Check for Updates". (If you encounter any problems while downloading the updates, manually download and unzip them from here: http://www.superantispyware.com/definitions.html.)
* Close SUPERAntiSpyware.

PHYSICALLY DISCONNECT FROM THE INTERNET

Restart computer in Safe Mode.
To enter Safe Mode, restart computer, and keep tapping F8 key, until menu appears; select Safe Mode; you'll see "Safe Mode" in all four corners of your screen

* Open SUPERAntiSpyware.
* Under Configuration and Preferences, click the Preferences button.
* Under [b]General and Startup" tab, make sure, Start SUPERAntiSpyware when Windows starts option is UN-checked.
* Click the Scanning Control tab.
* Under Scanner Options make sure the following are checked (leave all others unchecked):
- Close browsers before scanning.
- Scan for tracking cookies.
- Terminate memory threats before quarantining.
* Click the Close button to leave the control center screen.
* Back on the main screen, under Scan for Harmful Software click Scan your computer.
* On the left, make sure you check C:\Fixed Drive.
* On the right, under Complete Scan, choose Perform Complete Scan.
* Click Next to start the scan. Please be patient while it scans your computer.
* After the scan is complete, a Scan Summary box will appear with potentially harmful items that were detected. Click OK.
* Make sure everything has a checkmark next to it and click Next.
* A notification will appear that Quarantine and Removal is Complete. Click OK and then click the Finish button to return to the main menu.
* If asked if you want to reboot, click Yes.
* To retrieve the removal information after reboot, launch SUPERAntispyware again.
- Click Preferences, then click the Statistics/Logs tab.
- Under Scanner Logs, double-click SUPERAntiSpyware Scan Log.
- If there are several logs, click the current dated log and press View log. A text file will open in your default text editor.
- Please copy and paste the Scan Log results in your next reply.
* Click Close to exit the program.
Post SUPERAntiSpyware log.
NOTE: Tracking cookies can be omitted from the log.

RECONNECT TO THE INTERNET

RESTART COMPUTER!

2. Download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware: http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php to your desktop.
(Malwarebytes is free to use as a manual scanner. Payment is only required if you wish to have it run and update automatically which is not necessary for our purposes)

* Double-click mbam-setup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
* At the end, be sure a checkmark is placed next to Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, then click Finish.
* If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.
* Once the program has loaded, select Perform full scan, then click Scan.
* When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
* Be sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
* When completed, a log will open in Notepad.
* Post the log back here.

The log can also be found here:
C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\Logs\log-date.txt
Or at C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\Logs\log-date.txt

RESTART COMPUTER!

3. Download, install, and run HijackThis:
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/hijackthis.html
Post HijackThis log.
Do NOT attempt to "fix" anything!


DO NOT make any other changes to your computer (like installing programs, using other cleaning tools, etc.), until it's officially declared clean!!!

(Above layout courtesy of Broni)

[SeaJay]

Thanks for the response, Train. I ran a few favorite utilities and found nothing of note.

Anyhow....turns out the ISP in our small town installed a bandwidth shaping utility to throttle connections from each customer's static IP address. He'd limited it to 25 simultaneous connections per household to control the bandwidth use of peer-to-peer households.

The problem with limiting connections wholesale, as I pointed out to him in an email, is that one can have a multitude of simultaneous connections simply by visiting a single web site. I sent screen shots of the 24 connections established simply by visiting the Los Angeles Times home page and then clicking on the jobs link. Add a chat client and maybe some POP mail, and you're well over the 25 limit with barely any bandwidth use.

He increased the number of connections to 75. There's probably a better way for him to attack the bandwidth use problem, but I'm not that geeky ;-)

[jerryctx]

...in our small town...

San Antonio's population is well over one million. What is your definition of a city?

[Train]

I know this is not it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wagontire,_Oregon

[SeaJay]

LOL. Actually, I live outside of San Antonio in a nice little town called Castroville. Population is just a little more than 2,600. The ISP delivers broadband service via line of sight radio. It's a two-man company that's doing okay. The alternative is dial-up or satellite (which I've heard stinks).

Wagontire eh? Can't say I've been there or even heard if it ;-) I've been to Harmony though

http://www.castrovilletx.us/

[Train]

Brothers, Sisters and Boring all in Oregon.