Slow browsing on Windows Server 2012 R2

[olaf]

Hi Neowin!  I haven't posted in quite some time, but I still lurk.  I'm returning to the IT forums, admittedly, out of desperation.  I cannot seem to find any solution to this problem, even with extensive searching.  At the moment I'm running a copy of Windows Server 2012 R2, but as a workstation.  I'm connected to my router wirelessly (using a Linksys WMP54G NIC with Ralink RT61 drivers), and web browsing is initially very, very slow.  It's a strange problem.  Initially loading a domain takes a very long time (about 20 seconds), but other pages on that domain load at an appropriate speed.  If I restart the browser, the problem is back (i.e. loading google.com takes ages, but further Google result pages load quickly).  Strangely, download speeds and speed tests reflect my connection (about 20 mpbs down, 5 or so up) accurately, and the problem is confined to web browsing.  I have confirmed that this problem occurs for Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer.  Other computers on the same wireless network have no issues, but these machines are running either Linux or Windows 7.  This machine had no problems when it ran Windows 7.  I also ran the Windows 8.1 Preview on this machine with no issues.

 

Now that I'm running Windows Server 2012 R2, I have this problem.  At first the peculiar issue with domain names (pages on the same domain load fast after the initial slow loading) lead me to believe there was a problem with the DNS cache, but the behavior is unchanged by DNS cache flushing.  Firewall on/off also makes no difference.  For what it's worth, the behavior is also time sensitive - if I don't do any web browsing for awhile, even pages on the same domain load slowly again.  This is kinda driving me nuts - network speeds are clearly okay on the whole, so it leads me to believe I just have something configured incorrectly - Windows Server 2012 obviously doesn't come configured for workstation use out of the box, so I'm thinking I probably have some issue with security policies that I'm just not aware of.  Are any of you wonderful folks on Neowin aware of problems like this?  Or, even better, solutions? :D

 

I'd greatly appreciate any help.  I have good reasons for wanting to use 2012 R2, but this is pretty frustrating.

[+BudMan]

Can you PM this wireshark and would be happy to take a look see.

[Manarift]

Id start with a few basics

 

Download latest drivers for your wireless adapter

Test to make sure that it doesn't happen on a wired connection for that computer

Restart modem/router or both and then computer

Make sure your area doesn't have allot of traffic in area for that wireless band single you are using for your router.

Clean out dust from computer, router and modem in case there's a build up of dust

[olaf]

Thanks for your reply :) The drivers are as new as they can be (it's an old card), everything has been restarted and is clean, and the geometry of my flat is such that a wired connection is impossible.  I have other computers running Windows 7 and Linux that have no problems.  This machine was also fine when it ran Windows 7.

[+BudMan]

Where do you point for dns, is this server setup as AD DC?  Does it point to itself for dns and then a forwarder or roots?

 

What I would do is a sniff with say wireshark and see exactly what is taking so long.  This should show you right away what issues your having.

[olaf]

It's not really clear to me what steps on Wireshark are actually taking up the time... Wireshark's logs are also a bit advanced for my level of networking experience, but I'm happy to try to sort through them.  I thought I might add, in case it's useful, that I did try a few things:

 

1) I did manage to find a sufficiently long cable and tried connecting directly to the modem.  Plugging directly into the modem makes no difference (Same problem)

2) Going through a VPN does make a difference - Web browsing is normal speed through a VPN.  I don't consider this a permanent solution, but it might help with the diagnosis of the issue.

3) Changing the DNS server also makes no difference.

 

Right now this thing points to Comcast DNS servers but Google DNS servers do the same thing.  I should note that I'm using this as a desktop OS, not as a server OS (so I'm not using it as a server at all).  Frankly, it almost seems to me as if some type of proxy is being forced, but netsh reports that no proxy is being used (Direct access).

[olaf]

Sorry for the delayed reply.  I did manage to fix this, it turns out having ECN capability enabled was causing the problem.  Disabling results in a normal browsing experience!  Thanks for everyone who took the time to reply.  I really appreciate everyone's time and info!  

[+BudMan]

Is that enabled by default, thought 2012 called it DCTCP for Data Center TCP, which requires ECN sure..  Have to fire up my 2k12r2 vm and take a look see - you would of clearly seen that in a sniff.  Is that what you did?

 

You do need support for ECN, what do you know enabled by default - this is a brand new 2012r2 standard vm install - only windows update have been run on it.

 

 

Yeah that could cause you some issue if don't support it. 2k8r2 did not have enabled by default.. MS use to have a test site where you could see if your connection supported - but think it was pulled down or moved.