Crucial Flaw

[whooshman]

Despite my extreme ignorance, I have succeeded in creating an "Internet Appliance" out of TinyCore -- pppd;  Firefox;  Flash;  OSS sound......  Only problem:  Tinycore is impossibly slow.  Takes two to ten times as long for each and every website, as compared to my  "Damn Small Linux" setup.  Anyone have any idea what might cause the slowness?

-Whooshman

[Guy]

There are many possibilities. Here are some things to consider.

Is it the same computer?

What is the speed of the cpu?

How much ram?

Is the internet connection the same speed?

Do you use backup? Have you configured it to exclude certain files? Do you use Xfe? If you have a a large backup, and a small amount of ram, it can overload the ram.

Include the following in /opt/.xfiletool.lst, for Firefox and Xfe.

home/tc/.mozilla
home/tc/.xfe

You should use persistent /home.

[whooshman]

The reason I ask about a "flaw" in Tinycore is that I use _EXACTLY_ the same hardware fo DamnSmall and TC  [[and Ubuntu]].  I have _no_ configuration files.  I _do_not_ have a hard drive -- just 3 optical drives and USB sticks.  To change systems, I change CD's and reboot.  I do a lot of rebooting.

[Guy]

It may be because you are not saving cache. This would make it slower, but not ten times as long.

When you first install a new operating system, websites (particularly those with pictures) load slower. The operating system saves them in cache. When you go to the same website again, files which have not changed may be loaded from cache, so browsing is faster.

If you are not saving cache, it would be like a fresh install every time. If that is the case, and you go to the same website again during the same session, it should load at a normal speed.

For cache, you need persistent home (it can be done with backup, but backup would take too long).


There are other possibilities. You could have a slower internet connection.

[whooshman]

Since I "install" my various operating systems  [[into RAM]]  several times a day, most websites are "first time" only and always.  And Tinycore is definitely slower upon "first visit" on all sites.

I see no reason for the connection speed to be slower.  All exactly same hardware.  Re-enter pppd config manually [[same]] for every boot.  One question:  How do you enter the two nameserver addresses into pppd config?  I have just entered them one after the other,  on the pppd config entry line box.  One blank space between the two addresses.  DamnSmall and Ubuntu obtain nameserver addresses automatically [[via DHCP?]].  This is ONLY difference visible between TC & others.

[bmarkus]

I can imagine your first name server time outs; it can slow down your system. Compare /etc/resolv.conf in TC and other system.

[MikeLockmoore]

I second what bmarkus said... especially if you connect through a router or wireless access point.  It really made a difference in my Internet performance when I created a way to update the /etc/resolv.conf file with a real DNS IP address.  Search through the forums for discussions about DNS and /etc/resolv.conf.
--
Mike L.

[thane]

FWIW, I'm running a similar "internet appliance" setup using Opera, Flash, and alsa, but not using wireless (RoadRunner cable). My response times have been fine, faster than both my home Windows box and the one at work.

[curaga]

It might also matter that in DSL you likely have Flash 7, very much lighter than Flash 10. If the typical page has 5 flash ads, the effect grows.

[thane]

Yeah, I usually leave Flash off unless there's something specific I want to see. Luckily most of the websites I go to aren't Flash-heavy though.

[Guy]

How do you enter the two nameserver addresses into pppd config? I have just entered them one after the other,  on the pppd config entry line box. One blank space between the two addresses.

They should be on separate lines.


Before connecting to the internet, using the Root Text Editor, open the file /etc/ppp/options. Add the line:

usepeerdns

After adding this line, when you connect to the internet, the computer will get the IP addresses of the domain name servers, and write them in the file /etc/ppp/resolv.conf.

Connect to the Internet.

Copy the file /etc/ppp/resolv.conf to /etc/, replacing the existing file. Using the Root Terminal, type:

cp -p /etc/ppp/resolv.conf /etc/

You can now use the internet.

[removed due to policy violation]/dial.html


Another option is to type, or copy and paste, them to /etc/resolv.conf

It should look like this, using the numbers of your dns.

nameserver xx.xx.xx.xx
nameserver xx.xx.xx.xx

[whooshman]

For the few who use dialup - learning from advice above on ppp scripts, I edited the ip-up script to unremark a "ping" command.  I set "ping" to 30 sec.  I also tried setting my modem speed to the actual speed of the modem.  I had been setting modem speed in pppsetup as high as possible because I thought it did not matter as long as the "setup" speed exceeded the real physical speed.  With these two changes - correct modem speed and "ping", dialup web is comparable to other distros.  Thanks to all....

[Guy]

pppsetup is now updated, so it automatically gets the IP addresses of the domain name servers, and writes them to /etc/resolv.conf.

If you are still using the old one, update to the new one.