Detecting Proxy Settings?????

[hmmm]

I updated my Windows Live Messenger to version 8.0 on my PC.
Now every time I open IE7 Beta 2 at the bottom left hand side it says "Detecting Proxy Settings" and it delays to open my Home Page approximately 15-20 seconds.
I don't think this is normal is it?
Thank you.
.

[usil]

In Internet Explorer, go to Tools>Internet Options> Connections Tab> Lan Settings button and make sure that all the boxes are NOT checked.

[hmmm]

Thank you Usil. It cured it
One questions please?
On my laptop Auto detect settings and Use proxy server for your LAN are both checked and I have no problem. Should I leave them as they are? I have no idea what Proxy server does anyway
Thank you again.

[usil]

A proxy server is a server or computer that relays the internet to your computer. Instead of your computer being fed internet pages directly from your ISP, you are actually getting fed the internet from another computer or server. This has a couple of uses. Firstly, some proxy servers download a large portion of the internet onto its hard drives. They then send you the cached internet to your computer which speeds it up (because all the pictures and such of a web page are already downloaded). Another use is staying anonymous on the net. When you enter a web site through a proxy, the web site will see the IP address of the proxy server and not your computer. They won't know you visited.
Proxy servers can also have disadvantages. They can severly slow down the internet. Who knows who is running the proxy and what kind of equipment or internet connection he has. If he has a slow connection, then you will get the information slower.
IMO, unless you are using the laptop on a domain of some kind or you want to stay anonymous on the net, remove the checks from the two settings.

[hmmm]

Thank you Usil. Learned something else. Appreciated.
Hope you guys OK over there. Take care.

[usil]

My Pleasure Hmmmm
We are survivers, we'll be ok. Thanks for asking