[Guide] Speeding up Firefox the right way

[Liger]

Speeding up Firefox the right way

Speeding up Firefox seems to be a meme going around the blogsphere lately. Most of the tips I?ve seen, though, are only for broadband connections with the latest hardware and only include some of the settings that would affect performance.

The Firefox Tweak Guide has the full details on how to speed up Firefox regardless of your connection or hardware, reprinted in part below. Don?t forget that the easiest way to tweak user files is with chromEdit extension.

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Common to all configurations

These are the settings that seem to be common to all configuration files regardless of connection speed or computer speed with a couple of additions - plugin paths can be found with about :plugins and the bookmark menu delay is turned off.

user_pref("network.http.pipelining", true);

user_pref("network.http.proxy.pipelining", true);

user_pref("network.http.pipelining.maxrequests", 8);

user_pref("content.notify.backoffcount", 5);

user_pref("plugin.expose_full_path", true);

user_pref("ui.submenuDelay", 0Fast Computer Fast Connection

user_pref("content.interrupt.parsing", true);

user_pref("content.max.tokenizing.time", 2250000);

user_pref("content.notify.interval", 750000);

user_pref("content.notify.ontimer", true);

user_pref("content.switch.threshold", 750000);

user_pref("nglayout.initialpaint.delay", 0);

user_pref("network.http.max-connections", 48);

user_pref("network.http.max-connections-per-server", 16);

user_pref("network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-proxy", 16);

user_pref("network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-server", 8);

user_pref("browser.cache.memory.capacity", 65536);

A couple settings of note - Firefox is allocated 4096 KB of memory by default and in this configuration we give it roughly 65MB as denoted by the last line. This can be changed according to what is useFast Computer, Slower Connection

This configuration is more suited to people without ultra fast connections. We are not talking about dial up connections but slower DSL / Cable connections.

user_pref("content.max.tokenizing.time", 2250000);

user_pref("content.notify.interval", 750000);

user_pref("content.notify.ontimer", true);

user_pref("content.switch.threshold", 750000);

user_pref("network.http.max-connections", 48);

user_pref("network.http.max-connections-per-server", 16);

user_pref("network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-proxy", 16);

user_pref("network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-server", 8);

user_pref("nglayout.initialpaint.delay", 0);

user_pref("browser.cache.memory.capacity", 65536Fast Computer, Slow Connection

user_pref("browser.xul.error_pages.enabled", true);

user_pref("content.interrupt.parsing", true);

user_pref("content.max.tokenizing.time", 3000000);

user_pref("content.maxtextrun", 8191);

user_pref("content.notify.interval", 750000);

user_pref("content.notify.ontimer", true);

user_pref("content.switch.threshold", 750000);

user_pref("network.http.max-connections", 32);

user_pref("network.http.max-connections-per-server", 8);

user_pref("network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-proxy", 8);

user_pref("network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-server", 4);

user_pref("nglayout.initialpaint.delay", 0);

user_pref("browser.cache.memory.capacity", 65536Slow Computer, Fast Connection

user_pref("content.max.tokenizing.time", 3000000);

user_pref("content.notify.backoffcount", 5);

user_pref("content.notify.interval", 1000000);

user_pref("content.notify.ontimer", true);

user_pref("content.switch.threshold", 1000000);

user_pref("content.maxtextrun", 4095);

user_pref("nglayout.initialpaint.delay", 1000);

user_pref("network.http.max-connections", 48);

user_pref("network.http.max-connections-per-server", 16);

user_pref("network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-proxy", 16);

user_pref("network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-server", 8);

user_pref("dom.disable_window_status_change", true);

One of the changes made for this particular configuration is the final line where the status bar is disabled for changing web pages to save processor timSlow Computer, Slow Connection

We have entered the doldrums of the dial-up user

user_pref("content.max.tokenizing.time", 2250000);

user_pref("content.notify.interval", 750000);

user_pref("content.notify.ontimer", true);

user_pref("content.switch.threshold", 750000);

user_pref("nglayout.initialpaint.delay", 750);

user_pref("network.http.max-connections", 32);

user_pref("network.http.max-connections-per-server", 8);

user_pref("network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-proxy", 8);

user_pref("network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-server", 4);

user_pref("dom.disable_window_status_change", true);

______________________________

Note :

A fast connection is anything above DSL or even DSL included. A slow connection is 56K.

A fast PC is anything more than 1.6 GHz

A slow PC is anything less than 1.6GHz

Thats all.

Edited March 21, 2005 by Liger

[ThunderRiver]

Is there any reasons why they did not make it so by default?

[SaLiVa]

Is there any reasons why they did not make it so by default?

585421505[/snapback]

So that you can get your hands dirty and tweak it yourself!

Thanks for the guide, though I think I'll stick to the basic tweak settings, this is too much work for my hearts concern :)

[LiquidGUI]

Fantastic guide Liger, very useful, nice work!

[Bhav]

user_pref("network.http.pipelining.maxrequests", 8);

585421494[/snapback]

anyone that uses this part...and the rest of the guide, should NOT be allowed to browse the net.

this alteration in particular hammers servers...why the hell do you need to open 8 connections to the same server???

i think there was a explanation by the mozilla team for why these (stupid) settings are not default. something along the lines of...although parts of the page may load quicker, the overall time to load the whole page often takes longer.

pray that they never make these settings default.

[MrA]

anyone that uses this part...and the rest of the guide, should NOT be allowed to browse the net.

this alteration in particular hammers servers...why the hell do you need to open 8 connections to the same server???

i think there was a explanation by the mozilla team for why these (stupid) settings are not default. something along the lines of...although parts of the page may load quicker, the overall time to load the whole page often takes longer.

pray that they never make these settings default.

585422535[/snapback]

Um... What the hell? The point of piplining is not to open many connections to a single server, but to shove many requests though a single connection. Ususally, you can only make one connection at a time though a single connection. Therefore, you'd have to open many connection at once to download a single page w/graphics. If you don't, you'll have to wait for one request to finish before starting another. The problem with pipelining is that some server don't support it (pre HTTP/1.1). Also, it will hammer servers because many requests are comming through at the same time through each pipe.

It should be noted that a limit of 8 requests per pipe is hardcoded into mozilla (unless you remove the limit and recompile). I use firefox with this limit removed, but I keep max-requests to 4.

[L0u1s]

Well I've posted yesterday that it was working fine, but today it's again slow as normal...

I've checked if the boxes where filled in with the correct numbers (it was correct)

So do you guys know what the problem is ?

thx alot !!!

Edit: urm crap I've posted this in the wrong topic... Sorry about this post (delete it plz)

Edited February 6, 2005 by Musachi

[Liger]

Well I've posted yesterday that it was working fine, but today it's again slow as normal...

I've checked if the boxes where filled in with the correct numbers (it was correct)

So do you guys know what the problem is ?

thx alot !!!

Edit: urm crap I've posted this in the wrong topic...  Sorry about this post (delete it plz)

585423837[/snapback]

:blink: :laugh:

Dont worry I did that once too :p

Bhav - Take it easy! Noone compelled you to do it :p

[wasabi]

May i please have a definition of what exactly is a "fast" and "slow" computer/connection?

(in my eyes i maybe fast but to others its super slow....thats why i never understood this chart)

i have:

PC : 2ghzP4,256ram,32atimobile

Web :just did a test (have seen slightly higher results)

555 / 228

Your download speed : 569053 bps, or 555 kbps.

A 69.4 KB/sec transfer rate.

Your upload speed : 233890 bps, or 228 kbps.

which one of the firefox tweaks should i use?

thank you

[Liger]

May i please have a definition of what exactly is a "fast" and "slow" computer/connection?

(in my eyes i maybe fast but to others its super slow....thats why i never understood this chart)

i have:

PC : 2ghzP4,256ram,32atimobile

Web :just did a test (have seen slightly higher results)

555 / 228

Your download speed : 569053 bps, or 555 kbps.

A 69.4 KB/sec transfer rate.

Your upload speed : 233890 bps, or 228 kbps.

which one of the firefox tweaks should i use?

thank you

585428323[/snapback]

A fast connection is anything above DSL or even DSL included. A slow connection is 56K.

A fast PC is anything more than 1.6 GHz

A slow PC is anything less than 1.6GHz

[wasabi]

thank you for explaining

[AppleDave Veteran]

Great Guide Liger thanks a lot, I can already see some difference in my already blazing fast Firefox speed!

[905punk]

would this be considered a fast connection :p

2005-02-08 12:46:19 EST: 5117 / 579
Your download speed : 5240028 bps, or 5117 kbps.
A 639.6 KB/sec transfer rate.
Your upload speed : 593471 bps, or 579 kbps.

[oddcrap]

Now, only if this was possible in IE.

[TimRogers]

I'll have a go with this!

[Gary King]

What's wrong with pipelining? So, aye or nay?

[CrisCr0ss]

thanks alot it wrkd nicely

remeber you must use crhome edit after restarting firefox

go to tools>edit user>user.js

and then paste your config click save and restart firefox

Thanks again, with the other tweaks it worked great.

[QuarterSwede]

Or you can just use about:config and filter to change the settings. Restart Firefox and you're good to go.

Funny thing is, after I changed my settings it was blazing fast but after a day of use it was back to being the regular speed.

[Pestul]

Does the increased memory cache really have that much of an impact?

[TheWebJunkie]

Thanks for this guide i will be boosting the speed of my firefox :)

[kars85]

user_pref("content.notify.backoffcount", 5);

user_pref("content.interrupt.parsing", true);

user_pref("content.max.tokenizing.time", 2250000);

user_pref("content.notify.interval", 750000);

user_pref("content.notify.ontimer", true);

user_pref("content.switch.threshold", 750000);

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can't find the "content" one's in the chromedit or about:config settings...where are they?

[aman01]

I found this guide at others forum. Where you get this guide or you got this guide from that Lowyat forum? This speeding up Firefox technique has already been seen at least 4 month ago.

You steal this guide from MozillaZine. This is the address:

http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.ph...page=15&start=0

and this is Lowyat.net forum thread about this same speed tweak

http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=82701

[iron2000]

If Neowin is so pro-Firefox maybe there can be a Firefox Guides subforum.

And all the Firefox guides will be moved in.

:p

By the way, I've been to Lowyat too.

Sort of gives a Neowin feel as most Neowin threads show up there too..

[Nelsinho]

good job dude thanks a lot (Y) (Y)

[McLaren_F1]

Yeah Nice Guide. Using the fast computer and fast internet connection :p