Delay while application resolves first access to server

I run XP/SP2. Something has changed on my system

When I launch an application which uses the internet (such as Opera
or Xnews) and start browsing I find that there is a pause of several
seconds when nothing seems to happen. For example, my Opera browser
has a staus message which says:

looking up www.google.com

This is shown for about 3 or 4 seconds, presumably as that domain
name is translated into an IP address. Then suddenly it is all ok
and subsequent websites are looked up very quickly.

This seems to happen on my first use of servers which I have not
visted for a long while. It seems to happen on my newsreader as well
as my browser.

Does anyone have any idea about what is causing it? And how can I
fix it?

Jane D wrote:

> I run XP/SP2. Something has changed on my system
>
> When I launch an application which uses the internet (such as Opera
> or Xnews) and start browsing I find that there is a pause of several
> seconds when nothing seems to happen. For example, my Opera browser
> has a staus message which says:
>
> looking up www.google.com
>
> This is shown for about 3 or 4 seconds, presumably as that domain
> name is translated into an IP address. Then suddenly it is all ok
> and subsequent websites are looked up very quickly.
>
> This seems to happen on my first use of servers which I have not
> visted for a long while. It seems to happen on my newsreader as well
> as my browser.
>
> Does anyone have any idea about what is causing it? And how can I
> fix it?

Couple of things:

Your ISP will always have more than one DNS server.

a) Do you have them all entered into your system?
b) If they will respond to ping's then try pinging them and note any
significant ping return differences. Perhaps they are having problems with
one of them
c) try rejigging the order in which they are used (if windoze top-to-bottom)

Andrew

"Jane D" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:972714B17444D72A58@66.250.146.159...
>I run XP/SP2. Something has changed on my system
>
> When I launch an application which uses the internet (such as Opera
> or Xnews) and start browsing I find that there is a pause of several
> seconds when nothing seems to happen. For example, my Opera browser
> has a staus message which says:
>
> looking up www.google.com
>
> This is shown for about 3 or 4 seconds, presumably as that domain
> name is translated into an IP address. Then suddenly it is all ok
> and subsequent websites are looked up very quickly.
>
> This seems to happen on my first use of servers which I have not
> visted for a long while. It seems to happen on my newsreader as well
> as my browser.
>
> Does anyone have any idea about what is causing it? And how can I
> fix it?

I would recommend some general housekeeping if you have not done so. Disc
cleanup, system defragmentation and a clean up of the registry. Disc
cleanup and defrag can be found in system tools and I recommend
http://www.ccleaner.com/ for cleaning up the registry.
Once those have been achieved then you can rule them out as being a problem.

On 9-Dec-2005, "Beck" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> > This is shown for about 3 or 4 seconds, presumably as that domain
> > name is translated into an IP address. Then suddenly it is all ok
> > and subsequent websites are looked up very quickly.

Sounds like a DNS (Domain Name Server) problem.
A DNS does the first step by translating names to IP
addresses. First step for you would be to find out the
IP address of your ISP's primary and secondary
name servers, and enter them in your config. Your
system probably tries to find a local name server and
looks further after a time out.

Nothing is wrong.
It takes a couple second to resolve,...thousands of the ISP's customers may
be using the DNS,...they may have one or two "down" causing a heavier load
on remaining ones.

Once resolution is made it is cached locally on the machine you did it with
until the cach expires and it has to resolve fresh again.

I see the same thing both here and at home,..some days are better, some
worse,..it is "life".

--
Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com

"Jane D" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:972714B17444D72A58@66.250.146.159...
> I run XP/SP2. Something has changed on my system
>
> When I launch an application which uses the internet (such as Opera
> or Xnews) and start browsing I find that there is a pause of several
> seconds when nothing seems to happen. For example, my Opera browser
> has a staus message which says:
>
> looking up www.google.com
>
> This is shown for about 3 or 4 seconds, presumably as that domain
> name is translated into an IP address. Then suddenly it is all ok
> and subsequent websites are looked up very quickly.
>
> This seems to happen on my first use of servers which I have not
> visted for a long while. It seems to happen on my newsreader as well
> as my browser.
>
> Does anyone have any idea about what is causing it? And how can I
> fix it?

On Fri, 9 Dec 2005 10:18:35 UTC, "Beck"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> > This is shown for about 3 or 4 seconds, presumably as that domain
> > name is translated into an IP address. Then suddenly it is all ok
> > and subsequent websites are looked up very quickly.
> >
> > This seems to happen on my first use of servers which I have not
> > visted for a long while. It seems to happen on my newsreader as well
> > as my browser.

> I would recommend some general housekeeping if you have not done so. Disc
> cleanup, system defragmentation and a clean up of the registry. Disc
> cleanup and defrag can be found in system tools and I recommend
> http://www.ccleaner.com/ for cleaning up the registry.
> Once those have been achieved then you can rule them out as being a problem.

Rather a knee-kerk reaction; you have been well conditioned by Microsoft
(or you work for a call centre dealing with PC World customers!).
Unfortunately your solution shows no analysis of the problem at all; if
cleanup, defrag etc. were the issue then the problem would be
consistent, when it clearly is not.

--
[ 7'ism - a condition by which the sufferer experiences an inability
to give concise answers, express reasoned argument or opinion.
Usually accompanied by silly noises and gestures - incurable, early
euthanasia recommended. ]

"Bob Eager" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:176uZD2KcidF-pn2-(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Fri, 9 Dec 2005 10:18:35 UTC, "Beck"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> > This is shown for about 3 or 4 seconds, presumably as that domain
>> > name is translated into an IP address. Then suddenly it is all ok
>> > and subsequent websites are looked up very quickly.
>> >
>> > This seems to happen on my first use of servers which I have not
>> > visted for a long while. It seems to happen on my newsreader as well
>> > as my browser.
>
>> I would recommend some general housekeeping if you have not done so.
>> Disc
>> cleanup, system defragmentation and a clean up of the registry. Disc
>> cleanup and defrag can be found in system tools and I recommend
>> http://www.ccleaner.com/ for cleaning up the registry.
>> Once those have been achieved then you can rule them out as being a
>> problem.
>
> Rather a knee-kerk reaction; you have been well conditioned by Microsoft
> (or you work for a call centre dealing with PC World customers!).
> Unfortunately your solution shows no analysis of the problem at all; if
> cleanup, defrag etc. were the issue then the problem would be
> consistent, when it clearly is not.

I had the same problem 2 months ago due to a problematic temporary internet
folder, some pages would load, others would take 3-4 seconds. Simple disc
cleanup fixed some of it and a reg clean fixed the rest.
If a person can rule out problems on their own pc by doing simple
maintenance tasks then they can look to further out afield with a problem at
the isp end.
At least I can say I have offered some possible fixes, you have offered what
help other than bark at others?

On Fri, 9 Dec 2005 19:37:23 UTC, "Beck"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> >> I would recommend some general housekeeping if you have not done so.
> >> Disc
> >> cleanup, system defragmentation and a clean up of the registry. Disc
> >> cleanup and defrag can be found in system tools and I recommend
> >> http://www.ccleaner.com/ for cleaning up the registry.
> >> Once those have been achieved then you can rule them out as being a
> >> problem.
> >
> > Rather a knee-kerk reaction; you have been well conditioned by Microsoft
> > (or you work for a call centre dealing with PC World customers!).
> > Unfortunately your solution shows no analysis of the problem at all; if
> > cleanup, defrag etc. were the issue then the problem would be
> > consistent, when it clearly is not.
>
> I had the same problem 2 months ago due to a problematic temporary internet
> folder, some pages would load, others would take 3-4 seconds. Simple disc
> cleanup fixed some of it and a reg clean fixed the rest.

But the symptoms you describe are not as specific as the ones from the
OP. They clearly point to a DNS issue.

> At least I can say I have offered some possible fixes, you have offered what
> help other than bark at others?

I would have done so, but someone else offered the correct answer. I was
indeed helping further, by indicating that your offering was almost
certainly a red herring.

--
[ 7'ism - a condition by which the sufferer experiences an inability
to give concise answers, express reasoned argument or opinion.
Usually accompanied by silly noises and gestures - incurable, early
euthanasia recommended. ]

"Bob Eager" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:176uZD2KcidF-pn2-(E-Mail Removed)...

>> I had the same problem 2 months ago due to a problematic temporary
>> internet
>> folder, some pages would load, others would take 3-4 seconds. Simple
>> disc
>> cleanup fixed some of it and a reg clean fixed the rest.
>
> But the symptoms you describe are not as specific as the ones from the
> OP. They clearly point to a DNS issue.
>
>> At least I can say I have offered some possible fixes, you have offered
>> what
>> help other than bark at others?
>
> I would have done so, but someone else offered the correct answer. I was
> indeed helping further, by indicating that your offering was almost
> certainly a red herring.

It may well be a red herring, I only go on my experience of things I have
been able to fix. Things may look like a certain issue but we all know that
often it is not necessarily the problem that people think it is.

On Fri 09 Dec 2005 16:31:50, Phillip Windell <@.> wrote:

>
> Nothing is wrong.
> It takes a couple second to resolve,...thousands of the ISP's
> customers may be using the DNS,...they may have one or two
> "down" causing a heavier load on remaining ones.
>
> Once resolution is made it is cached locally on the machine you
> did it with until the cach expires and it has to resolve fresh
> again.
>
> I see the same thing both here and at home,..some days are
> better, some worse,..it is "life".

I think I had better describe it.

I used to get a consistent and perfectly ok service with the first
doomain name getting resolved pretty quickly.

Now I get nothing but very slow resolution of the first name.
Several seconds. And I get this all the time - day or night.

I think this is more than just normal variation.