Optimize Firefox for a Better Internet Connection
By using Firefox, you can optimize your internet connection to get better speed and usability as you move around the internet. This article begins with some basic points, then explains how to manually optimize Firefox so as to improve your internet connection.
Steps
- Understand that you can't get more than what you pay for. If your bandwidth is 10 Mbps for example, it is impossible to browse faster than that, unless you upgrade your plan. Know your bandwidth limits.
- Know the difference between bytes and bits. B (byte) is 8 b (bit). Typically, the connection speed is measured in bits per second (bps): Kbps( kilo-byte per second), Mbps (megabit per second) and so on. If you are uploading with say 5 MB/s (or Mbps), it means you actually upload with 40 Mb/s ( or Mbps).
- Get the browser Firefox, if you don't already have it. It can be downloaded at: http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/. Most people will say to get Chrome, but, with a few tweaks explained in the following section, Firefox can overtake Chrome in terms of speed. (Firefox has unique security features, better webpage rendering, and by moving toolbar items here and there, it can become wonderfully compact.
- Download some freeware to optimize your connection: The TCP optimizer (http://www.speedguide.net/downloads.php), and the IObit Toolbox (http://www.iobit.com/tbdownload-promo.html)
- Run IObit toolbox's Internet Booster. Make sure you disable the following: "Use Http/1.1Pipelining" and "Use Http/1.1 Pipe-lining when a proxy server is configured". You will manually tweak them later. Input your internet access speed (click Set Bandwidth), then click "Optimize Firefox".
- Run the TCP Optimizer. (As administrator in Windows vista/7). Again, set your bandwidth, check the "Optimal" Setting in the bottom right area, Apply Changes, Exit, then Reboot.
- Open Firefox to start in-depth manual optimization.
Firefox Optimization
- Open up Firefox. Type about:config in the address bar and hit enter. Promise you will be careful and proceed to the next step.
- In the Filter area, type "pipelining". Change the Value of "network.http.pipelining" from false to true. This is done by double-clicking it. Do the same thing for "network.http.proxy.pipelining", change it from false to true.
- Right-click anywhere inside the page and select new, then Integer. Name it "nglayout.initialpaint.delay" and set the value to 0.
- Right-click anywhere inside the page and select New, then Integer. Name it "content.notify.interval" and set the value to 500000.
- Right-click anywhere inside the page and select New, then Integer. Name it "content.switch.threshold" and set the value to 250000.
- Right-click anywhere inside the page and select New, then Boolean. Name it "content.notify.ontimer" and set the value to true.
- Right-click anywhere inside the page and select New, then Boolean. Name it "content.interrupt.parsing" and set the value to false. This is the last tweak. Close Firefox.
- Get a good adblocker addon. The best and most popular is AdBlockPlus. Make sure you also Install The Element hiding helper for AdBlockPlus add on. After installing, Close and open Firefox. Now the websites should be 90% free of ads.
- Tell sites not to track you. Go to Options, then click the Privacy tab. Check "Tell websites I do not want to be tracked".
- Enjoy a faster and cleaner browsing experience!
