Slow internet connections, unknown host error

[casfindad]

Hi all,

I have a Kubuntu 6.06 LTS installation on my Athlon 3800+, 1 gig RAM desktop. Recently, I have noticed that all my KDE apps are experiencing extremely slow internet connection speeds and return unknown host errors. The unknown host errors are generated by Kmail (during mail checks) and KOrganizer (when loading subscribed calendars). Konqueror doesn't typically generate these errors, but it does take forever to load a page, and often times out before a page has completely loaded. Akregator will also fail to update about half of my feeds.

Interestingly, Firefox does not seem to experiencing major speed issues. It may be a little slower, but I could be imagining that. In any case, it's a speed demon when it comes to loading pages compared to konqueror.

Looking through bug reports and forums, I have seen suggestions to turn off IPV6 or flush the name server cache. The problem is that the former fix seems to be limited to older KDE versions (i.e. IPV6 is handled better now), and I don't know how to turn off IPV6 (if that would be the fix) or flush the nameserver cache.

Any suggestions would be sincerely appreciated.

casfindad

[T-Diddy]

Re: Slow internet connections, unknown host error

I have also noticed this weird behaviour. Even worse, sometimes Kmail won't recognize my smtp address for my home email, sometimes it does. Over the last few days it never seems to be able to read my remote Calendar (claims the URL is not valid, but nothing has changed). Even ssh is giving some weird behaviour, most notable is that I cannot ssh into my machines at school anymore.

With regards to Firefox, it is definitely running slower and yet does not have these issues when I boot up with Windoze XP.

Any ideas would be a huge help.

Cheers,

t.

[suplero]

Re: Slow internet connections, unknown host error

Are you using a router?

Check the DNS server in the network settings.

When I install or use the live CD the DNS server is automatically set to the router address - mine comes up 192.168.1.1, which isn't a valid address. This takes a while to fix.

I set the address manually and don't let dhcp set the dns, and it runs fine.

One possible thing to check...

[T-Diddy]

Re: Slow internet connections, unknown host error

Hi suplero,

I actually am using a router. Strangely, I had no issues for the last couple of months, and then all of a sudden this.

So, you sugest I set my iptables to read only the router's address, then let the router deal with how it talks to my internet provider. Is that correct? Do you know of any step by step instructions offhand?

Cheers,

t.

[suplero]

Re: Slow internet connections, unknown host error

I don't think IP tables is needed.

start "System Setting", and go to Network Settings

Change to Administrator mode, enter password, and then click on the DNS tab

For me, the default DNS is 192.168.1.1, which is for my router.

I change this to the DNS settings for my interent provider, and then click apply.

I usually click the "apply" button until it greys out, and then everything ethernet just works.

[T-Diddy]

Re: Slow internet connections, unknown host error

Sweet! Thanks for the tip. I was used to trying to do everything from the command line. I had to do something similar ages ago (pre-Kubuntu days) and was hoping not to reproduce that horrible experience.

I'll give it a whirl later today.

Cheers,

t.