Linux Desktop Hacks

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Chapter 8, Desktop Programs

#61 Eliminate Annoying Browser Stalls

HACK

This tells your computer to check the DNS first, and if it cannot find the IP

address from the DNS, to try looking up the IP address in your local file

called /etc/hosts.

If the line looks more like the following, it checks the local file /etc/hosts

first, and then checks with a DNS if it can’t find the IP address from your

local file:

hosts: files DNS

In most cases, browsers are slow to load pages or stall on something such as

a graphical element, because the DNS is having trouble resolving the

domain name into an IP address.

Short-Circuit the DNS Request

You can short-circuit this process in a few steps. First, make sure the line in

your /etc/nsswitch.conf file looks like the latter example, where

files pre-

cedes

DNS. If your /etc/nsswitch.conf file places something other than files

first, rearrange the order to make sure files comes first.

Next, determine the domain name that is causing your browser to load a page

slowly or get stuck loading a web page element. Here’s how to track down the

troublesome site. Keep your eye on the status bar in your browser. If you are

experiencing the kind of problem I’ve been describing, the status bar usually

reads something like “Looking up www.someadvertisementsite.com” or “Wait-

ing for www.someadvertisementsite.com” while is it slow or stuck. The status

message won’t change until it can ...