Optimization for High Speed Connections (Firefox)

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Optimization for High Speed Connections (Firefox)
(2007/09/21)

Firefox, when first installed, is optimized for dial-up connections. This makes sense since dial-up is still fairly common. There are a few configuration settings you can change to take advantage of if you have a higher speed connection like DSL or cable.

Chances are that you have already seen these changes on a multitude of other sites, but here they are anyway...

Back up your Firefox Settings First

Firefox keeps all of it settings in a folder under Application Data which hides under your Documents and Settings folder.

The fastest way to find it is Click on the Start button and select Run. Enter %appdata%\mozilla\firefox\profiles and press enter or click on OK. A file explorer window will open up with a folder with a somewhat unique name such as dww8c7ie.default.

On my computer the full path displayed was:

C:\Documents and Settings\btrupp\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\dww8c7ie.default

It is best if you back up the entire folder on a regular basis. For these changes, you only need to make a backup copy of prefs.js. Firefox should not be active when you are doing the backup so the settings will be complete.

Now if bad things happen, just close Firefox, and copy the backup of prefs.js back to its original location.

Entering the New Settings

Start Firefox. Click on the address bar or press Ctrl-l to place the cursor on the address bar.

Enter about:config and press enter. The configuration settings page displays.

Find network.http.pipelining and double-click on it to set it to true. Note that the status field also changes from default to user set.

Find network.http.pipelining.maxrequests and double-click on it to bring up the 'Enter integer value' dialog box. Change the value from the default of 4 to a larger number like 15.

Find network.http.proxy.pipelining and double-click on it to set it to true also.

Add a new parameter for nglayout.initialpaint.delay.

Do this by do a right-click anywhere on the preferences list and select New / Integer. Enter nglayout.initialpaint.delay as the Preference Name and press enter or click on OK. Set its value to 0 (zero) and then press enter or click on OK to save.

Finally

Now restart Firefox and see how much faster screens paint,

Tags: Old Articles

Brad Trupp