Images not loading in Firefox or Safari

[grannysmith]

Okay, I've avoided asking this question for over a year but I just can't take it anymore.

Ever since I got my first macbook pro(Tiger) in 2006, I've had a pretty poor web-surfing experience when it comes to pages with a large quantity of images. Whether it's in Firefox or Safari, it seems it takes forever to load jpegs, gifs, pngs, etc., much slower than in Windows. And more often than not, it'll often just stop trying to load some of the images and leave empty frames instead. An annoying side effect of these situations is that I won't be able to load other websites in separate tabs until I wait 2 or 3 minutes at least. It almost mimics what happens when you just plain lose your internet connection. My best example is www.fark.com. Sometimes posters will post large quantities of images, 100+. Heck, what am I saying, sometimes it's not even that much but Firefox and Safari will still choke trying to retrieve the pictures.

I set aside the macbook for this very reason because I often open multiple tabs at once when I surf..and if one of those tabs just happen to be image-intensive, my whole surfing experience will grind to a halt until whatever process is happening times itself out.

I THOUGHT the problem would be fixed with Leopard..but it hasn't. I've searched the forums but I haven't found anything useful, although I've caught small stories here and there of people having the same issue, but nothing widespread.

The whole problem starts with image files...and sometimes it doesn't necessarily need large quantities to choke. Just a modest amount will do sometimes.

Any ideas?? Is it my router? (WRT54G) My DSL connection? (Yahoo SBC) It happens on either wireless or with cable. My windows boxes don't have this problem. Not having images load is bad enough, but having your browser stall is just insufferable! (I'm also using a brand new Macbook Pro so this problem stems across two revisions)

Oh! Addendum. Myspace pages can definitely choke it too!

 

[Amdahl]

Any ideas?? Is it my router? (WRT54G) My DSL connection? (Yahoo SBC) It happens on either wireless or with cable. My windows boxes don't have this problem. Not having images load is bad enough, but having your browser stall is just insufferable! (I'm also using a brand new Macbook Pro so this problem stems across two revisions)

It could be your router; it could also be firewall software of any kind on your computer.

From Terminal and connected via Ethernet cable, run "sudo ifconfig en0 mtu 600" and see if it starts working. Rebooting undoes the change.

 

[pauclaude]

Okay, I've avoided asking this question for over a year but I just can't take it anymore.

Ever since I got my first macbook pro(Tiger) in 2006, I've had a pretty poor web-surfing experience when it comes to pages with a large quantity of images. Whether it's in Firefox or Safari, it seems it takes forever to load jpegs, gifs, pngs, etc., much slower than in Windows. And more often than not, it'll often just stop trying to load some of the images and leave empty frames instead. An annoying side effect of these situations is that I won't be able to load other websites in separate tabs until I wait 2 or 3 minutes at least. It almost mimics what happens when you just plain lose your internet connection. My best example is www.fark.com. Sometimes posters will post large quantities of images, 100+. Heck, what am I saying, sometimes it's not even that much but Firefox and Safari will still choke trying to retrieve the pictures.

I set aside the macbook for this very reason because I often open multiple tabs at once when I surf..and if one of those tabs just happen to be image-intensive, my whole surfing experience will grind to a halt until whatever process is happening times itself out.

I THOUGHT the problem would be fixed with Leopard..but it hasn't. I've searched the forums but I haven't found anything useful, although I've caught small stories here and there of people having the same issue, but nothing widespread.

The whole problem starts with image files...and sometimes it doesn't necessarily need large quantities to choke. Just a modest amount will do sometimes.

Any ideas?? Is it my router? (WRT54G) My DSL connection? (Yahoo SBC) It happens on either wireless or with cable. My windows boxes don't have this problem. Not having images load is bad enough, but having your browser stall is just insufferable! (I'm also using a brand new Macbook Pro so this problem stems across two revisions)

Oh! Addendum. Myspace pages can definitely choke it too!

Have you found a solution to your problem? I have the same, identical problem, but no solutions (maybe the modem? What's your? I've a USR9112).

 

[Amdahl]

This definitely sounds like a NAT router having trouble dealing with all the connections. (BitTorrent running? Stop it.) If you have a router, check for firmware updates or try removing it and connecting directly.

It could also be a defective proxy run by your ISP, but I would imagine that would have been detected and fixed already, depending on what kind of country you live in. Same goes for the possibility of a defective DNS server.

My earlier suggestion of trying the lower mtu is still something to try, but I think it is a less likely cause.

On the outside chance this is the same slow-loading DNS issue that many seem to have, you could also try manually setting your DNS server to OpenDNS' 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220.

 

[pauclaude]

This definitely sounds like a NAT router having trouble dealing with all the connections. (BitTorrent running? Stop it.) If you have a router, check for firmware updates or try removing it and connecting directly.

It could also be a defective proxy run by your ISP, but I would imagine that would have been detected and fixed already, depending on what kind of country you live in. Same goes for the possibility of a defective DNS server.

My earlier suggestion of trying the lower mtu is still something to try, but I think it is a less likely cause.

On the outside chance this is the same slow-loading DNS issue that many seem to have, you could also try manually setting your DNS server to OpenDNS' 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220.

Thanks for help me.

I've an USR9112 modem and a Linksys WRT54G wifi router.

I've tried the macbook and the router in a different city, with another modem and DSL provider, and I have'nt found any problem.

I've already tried your previous suggestion, and I've also changed DNS to public ones. I think that may be a modem incompatibility (o some particular setting to try, but I don't know it) or a problem with my provider (Tiscali, Europe), but I can't imagine that I'm the one and only with this kind of problem with Tiscali.

The core of the problem is that p2p programs, FTP transfers, HTTP transfers, Apple updates, all those go very well, at the maximum DSL speed. And I can browse internet partially, with the described problem; also with Google image search, I cant'load thumbnails.

 

[Amdahl]

The core of the problem is that p2p programs, FTP transfers, HTTP transfers, Apple updates, all those go very well, at the maximum DSL speed. And I can browse internet partially, with the described problem; also with Google image search, I cant'load thumbnails.

That makes it sound more like an ISP problem. I doubt it is the modem, but maybe the DSL modem actually has a router inside it? You may need to ask Tiscali.

If you download Firefox 3, you can test whether the number of connections is the problem. In Firefox, go to address about:config and you will be able to change the settings network.http.max-connections to 6 and network.http.max-connections-per-server to 2. These low numbers should make the problem go away if it is related to an ISP proxy or malfunctioning router/modem. If not, then your problem is very puzzling.

If the lower connections make the problem go away, you can then try setting network.http.pipelining to true. That should restore some of the performance with limited connections. But if the problems return when you do that, there is definitely a bad ISP proxy involved.

 

[pauclaude]

Many, many thanks!

I've set:

network.http.max-connections to 6
network.http.max-connections-per-server to 2
network.http.pipelining to true

and now the images load perfectly!

What was the cause, Tiscali or USR? And should I change some setting of the modem, or simply use only Firefox to browse internet?

 

[Amdahl]

If you are sure it is not your router (since it worked in another city?), then you should call Tiscali and inquire about whether your DSL modem has a router built-in (or firmware updates available), or whether Tiscali has any sort of proxy, accelerator, or cache server on the network that might be the cause of your problem. Obviously, you can tell them that installing Firefox, and then setting very low limits on connections made the problem go away. If you get a good tech, they will be helpful. If not, try calling another day.

Until then, I guess you are stuck with Firefox as your browser. Which isn't too bad, really. But, do also check your router for firmware update in the meantime as well. It could still be the problem.

 

[pauclaude]

Yes, the Linksys router works perfectly in another city, with another modem and ISP.

I've seen that the DSL modem USR9112 has router settings inside, but I use the linksys router for connections. The modem has the last available firmware, so I will call Tiscali, but with no much hopes.

I have always used Firefox as browser, so I've no problems to continue to do it. I only will remains with the curiosity to understand why I have this problem.

 

[pauclaude]

Just one more thing.

The problem is inside the new Macbook Pro communication system.

I've tried an old Powermac G4 (400mhz), OSX 10.4.10, with the same modem and the same ISP: no problems at all.

 

[Amdahl]

The problem is inside the new Macbook Pro communication system.

Probably not. 10.4.10 uses Safari 2, which probably doesn't use as many simultaneous connections as Safari 3. Move to 10.4.11 w/Safari 3, and see if your problem gets worse.

 

[macbooker15]

kinda the same problem

Hey, i Have firefox 3 and safari 3...(or do I have the developers copy of 4?) and for some reason the images in the apple store do not load. All other pictures load, except the ones in the store. Also I can't watch the Get a mac ads. Whats even more strange is that while this happens in firefox, safari can view them just fine...What do you guys think?

 

[Amdahl]

Hey, i Have firefox 3 and safari 3...(or do I have the developers copy of 4?) and for some reason the images in the apple store do not load. All other pictures load, except the ones in the store. Also I can't watch the Get a mac ads. Whats even more strange is that while this happens in firefox, safari can view them just fine...What do you guys think?

You can check About Safari to see which version you are running.

You can see pictures in both browsers, or just not Firefox? If just not firefox, then use the about:config instructions in my earlier post, and lower the default settings to half of their default values and turn on pipelining. Firefox 3 went WAY overboard with their maximums. If this doesn't help the pics load, then perhaps you should report the problem to your ISP for help, since (for me at least) the Apple store images come from Akamai, not Apple.

Your problem could be any of those discussed above, it's just that your problem only kicks in at a higher number of connections, and perhaps Apple store is the only site triggering that many connections.

 

[macbooker15]

You can check About Safari to see which version you are running.

You can see pictures in both browsers, or just not Firefox? If just not firefox, then use the about:config instructions in my earlier post, and lower the default settings to half of their default values and turn on pipelining. Firefox 3 went WAY overboard with their maximums. If this doesn't help the pics load, then perhaps you should report the problem to your ISP for help, since (for me at least) the Apple store images come from Akamai, not Apple.

Your problem could be any of those discussed above, it's just that your problem only kicks in at a higher number of connections, and perhaps Apple store is the only site triggering that many connections.

The apple site works in safari 4, but not in firefox 3, even with the about:config edited

 

[Amdahl]

The apple site works in safari 4, but not in firefox 3, even with the about:config edited

Try the lower numbers of 2 and 6 for max connections, and see if that does anything. If not, your problem is something entirely different. It's hard to believe this is the only site that doesn't work, but it does connect with the Apple ads not playing; they are also sourced from Akamai, in my experience.

Is there anything you might have done to block Akamai?

 

[pauclaude]

Probably not. 10.4.10 uses Safari 2, which probably doesn't use as many simultaneous connections as Safari 3. Move to 10.4.11 w/Safari 3, and see if your problem gets worse.

No, as I wrote before, I have always used Firefox, also with the old G4; so the problem happens only with macbook-->USR9112-->tiscali. A bad HW problem, I suppose.

 

[Amdahl]

No, as I wrote before, I have always used Firefox, also with the old G4; so the problem happens only with macbook-->USR9112-->tiscali. A bad HW problem, I suppose.

Probably a defective Internet connectificator.

 

[Pledgecameron]

Probably a defective Internet connectificator.

I don't know why Amdahl is blowing off this problem so flippantly as a router problem. I have this problem with Firefox and Safari using Mac OS X 10.5.4 (and now 10.5.5) everywhere I go with my MBP. Is it Amdahls assertion that everyone of those locations has the same router? I don't have any problems using Firefox on my Windows XP virtual machine (using VMware Fusion), which I'm finding I'm using almost primarily for my web surfing.

 

[macbooker15]

I don't know why Amdahl is blowing off this problem so flippantly as a router problem. I have this problem with Firefox and Safari using Mac OS X 10.5.4 (and now 10.5.5) everywhere I go with my MBP. Is it Amdahls assertion that everyone of those locations has the same router? I don't have any problems using Firefox on my Windows XP virtual machine (using VMware Fusion), which I'm finding I'm using almost primarily for my web surfing.

Yeah this happens everywhere for me too, but i can always see pics on the regular site, just not store.apple.com.

 

[Amdahl]

I hope you find your solution; just keep in mind that in a Windows dominated world, many bugs aren't found until a non-Windows system comes along to expose them.

 

[messienessie]

Forgive me for bumping up this old thread, but I have to express my enormous gratitude to this forum and especially to member Amdahl at post 6 for his solution to this problem, it has made my day.

I too have been annoyed by this problem of google and yahoo images not showing for many months now it has been really bugging me. I use windows (don't shoot me) and firefox and even tried IE but images would still not show, my ISP is Tiscali and I think that is where the problem lies.

When I followed Amdahls instructions my images worked like a dream, such a relief and easy when you know how.

Thank you thank you Amdahl.

 

[Amdahl]

Glad it helped someone. Maybe it is a Tiscali problem, or the hardware they give customers. If you can figure that out, and inform Tiscali, you could help a lot of people.

 

[cyberpoint]

Thanks Amdahl!

I joined this forum just to be able to post my thanks for fixing the problem. I don't actually use a Mac normally, I'm using a Windoze laptop and have had this same infuriating problem. I'll post a description here in case anyone else is Googling for it as did.

I'm seeing this in both Firefox and IE, and it mostly affects a few specific sites, not everything. So I can search for images on Google, but the images often never loaded, ditto on Yahoo actually. On MeetUp, which I use a lot, the pages almost never render properly, so it wasn't getting the css files, I had to keep hitting reload and eventually I get lucky. It seemed to work in bursts, too. So I'd not get anything for about five minutes then suddenly it would start giving me the images for a while or rendering properly and then stop again. Bizarrely, I have a spare laptop and that works perfectly okay, on the same WiFi router, to the same ISP obviously, TalkTalk in my case.

Here's what worked:

> In Firefox, go to address about:config and you will be able to change the
> settings network.http.max-connections to 6 and network.http.max-
> connections-per-server to 2. These low numbers should make the problem
> go away if it is related to an ISP proxy or malfunctioning router/modem. If
> not, then your problem is very puzzling.
>
> If the lower connections make the problem go away, you can then try
> setting network.http.pipelining to true. That should restore some of the
> performance with limited connections. But if the problems return when you
> do that, there is definitely a bad ISP proxy involved.

So now everything works and at full speed.

Thanks guys!

 

[Philly]

An old thread, I know, but we have been having the issue of images not loading for a few weeks now. To give an instance, if I type in "toaster" on google and select Images, one would expect to get pages of pics of toasters. We only get six or so, and then a lot of blank squares...

This is happening on both the iMac using Snow Leopard, and on the G4 laptop using Leopard. Happens with Firefox and Safari.

I just used the above technique of reducing Firefox's connections and it worked. But what does this deduce...? Is the problem the browser, or the ISP...? Or the router..?

AND, most importantly for me, how do I make Safari work...?

Thanks!

 

[Philly]

Anyone...?