Curse

Mario 64 Master · Apr 03, 2005, 04:52 PM // 16:52

Am I the only one who has been having trouble trying to navigate www.guildwars.com recently? For the past month or couple of months, whenever I try to access any of the pages, all of the graphics in particular load extremely slowly. It's taking probably 2-4 minutes for a page to load completely. Sometimes pages that I've already taken the time to load come up quickly, but sometimes it seems like they download themselves all over again.

I'm also having problems downloading the videos from the video section. The kingdom of ascalon videos will download fine but the other ones won't even start. I think it may have something to do with fact that the links that aren't working start with "ftp" instead of "http" but I don't know much about ftp or what that implies is wrong with my computer/settings.

I have not had any problems at all with any other websites except for guildwars.com. I'm using Firefox 1.0.2 with a dsl connection.

DarkWasp · Apr 03, 2005, 04:59 PM // 16:59

I had that problem, but then it happened with every site. It was BellSouth's fault, the servers were going crazy on them.

bobert · Apr 03, 2005, 06:20 PM // 18:20

guildwars.com loads in about .5 seconds for me

March Hare · Apr 03, 2005, 06:34 PM // 18:34

It could be FireFox... Double cheack that you are running the current version, if not try Maxthon, I've benn running that without to many problems (other than multipopup sites that open Explorer - THE BANE OF MY SURFING EXISTANCE

)

See if that helps

Kirbie · Apr 03, 2005, 06:43 PM // 18:43

im having similar problem too
either with IE or Firefox, guildwars website loads "slightly slower" than other websites. (if cache is all cleared..so that everything has to load. if cache is not cleared, then page loads faster, since some informations are stored in your computer for faster viewing.)

but for downloading video stuff...it works fine for me

Loviatar · Apr 03, 2005, 06:47 PM // 18:47

it takes me about 4-5 seconds before it has loaded everything and after that anything else on the site menu is a blink and it is there

Nascent · Apr 03, 2005, 07:01 PM // 19:01

I've actually recently noticed that I'm having the exact same issue, but not with the guildwars site. For me, its the EB Games website.

FireMarshal · Apr 03, 2005, 07:43 PM // 19:43

I have slow loading times on www.guildwars.com too.

Gaile Gray · Apr 04, 2005, 01:44 AM // 01:44

Hmmmm... Interesting that this seems to be scattered. I'm trying to think of variables, and surely the browser that you use, and the version number, are relevant. During one of our events, the entire state of Arizona had difficulties due to their preponderant ISP taking a dive, but if you've had this problem for a number of weeks, it probably isn't ISP related.

Unless...

My ISP has a tendency to try to "strangle" it's customers for every last drop of bandwidth. Their technician admitted it to me. They start you out with good service and, say, a supply pipe that is more than adequate. But as more people come on board, they try to stretch that supply over the growing number of customers, and eventually everyone is slowed to a crawl. I've had to have service at least three times, because as much as I use the computer, I notice when things change. Each time, they'd shamefacedly admitted I wasn't getting enough bandwidth, and they've done something to the routers or the booster stations or whatevers in order to improve my service.

If your problem is with more than simply www.guildwars.com, try asking your ISP about possible slowages in service for your area. If it's just www.guildwars.com, let me know if the problem improves by late this week. We're making some internal changes and that may improve your upload speed.

Thanks for the reports!

thaumaturge · Apr 04, 2005, 02:26 AM // 02:26

Yes I noticed this mainly near the March BWE. I thought it was just excess traffic at the time, but it seems to happen off and on. It doesn't matter which browser I use the site can often load very very slowly. Even today it's slow for me.

Jugalator · Apr 04, 2005, 03:04 AM // 03:04

My brother played yesterday during the BWE, and I was there and saw gw.com loading very slowly, same thing as reported with noticeable slowness on e.g. image loading. When I got home same evening, it was as speedy as usual. So I'm not sure if it's YOUR server getting overloaded. And besides, this recent scandinavian BWE is quite small compared to the others, and when I've been to gw.com on the larger BWE's, I haven't noticed anything special then either.

So to me it seems like routers on the path to gw.com occasionally getting crowded or going bad somehow... Maybe that's hitting entire networks "upstream" getting this slowness.

I don't think my brother is a victim of a "strangled" line; we're usually having just fine in-game download speeds from his house. (according to the GW loading screens)

FYI, my brother uses a DSL connection on swedish Telia, and I use a fiber connection on swedish Bredbandsbolaget. But it could be that he currently has no problem anymore...

Something that can help when diagnosing problems like these, is to use the command "tracert www.guildwars.com". It helps to show congested servers along the path to guildwars.com, and sometimes even in which geographic area they're situated. Unfortunately www.guildwars.com currently doesn't accept PING packets, maybe done by the web admins to minimize the risk of PING floods and such attacks. So this command doesn't work very well.

The site is loading quickly here and now anyway.

Davion · Apr 04, 2005, 03:16 AM // 03:16

Sometimes I have this problem as well. HOWEVER, I know it is ISP related. My internet provider restricted the bandwidth that I receive to the point that I can nolonger dual access the net. (I run two computers, this one..and another one I use purely for working.) This has in turn impeded my work progress. I now have to run everything off this one computer because the ISP for my other nolonger will carry a sufficient signal for internet use.

Did I ask them about it? Yup.. Not there problem. The inhibitor was put in place to prevent "anyone" from gaining free cable TV access on my line. (assuming they meant me too). The only problem is...... I don't watch TV. Nor do I care for the oblivion channels on it. I watch the news, and maybe I see one or two shows on network a week.

And yes..... am still in a point of contention with my provider over this..but only alternative in my area is to return to dial-up access. Gotta love corporate Demographic Monopoly.

Kirbie · Apr 04, 2005, 04:39 AM // 04:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaile Gray

If your problem is with more than simply www.guildwars.com, try asking your ISP about possible slowages in service for your area. If it's just www.guildwars.com, let me know if the problem improves by late this week. We're making some internal changes and that may improve your upload speed.

every other website loads very fast...except guildwars.com.(all cache cleared)
whether i use IE or firefox, when i enter guildwars websites, the page loads slow, especially all the pictures(like graphical box of news, gallery, faq, professions, etc, first letters of each news, and beta weekend events logo, etc).
ill let you know if i notice improvements.

Mario 64 Master · Apr 04, 2005, 08:45 PM // 20:45

I just did a couple of complete refreshes on the home page and it took somewhere between 60 and 65 seconds each time for the page to load. By comparison, the 800mhz computer in school with download speeds of probably 1/3 or 1/4 my real computer loaded the page in about 5 seconds.

I don't know too much about my internet connection... What I do know is that the service is SBC Yahoo SpeedStream and it usually downloads at about 150kbps from average websites. I live in Trumbull, Connecticut which is probably a pretty popular place for DSL, but if my normal download speed on other sites is well over 100kbps, that can't be the problem, right?

I'll try checking back once or twice a day and report if anything improves.

Kityn · Apr 04, 2005, 08:58 PM // 20:58

I have some ideas.Not sure if it is or not 100% accurate.Could be version of web browser maybe?I use IE 6.Sometimes the page will lock for about 10 or more seconds,but not a common occurance.If it's a computer at school,how many on the same network?Maybe spyware?Maybe need latest browser updates?Maybe need java updated?(I'm not sure if the site uses much of java).Maybe something else needs an update.I dunno.That's all that I can think of.BTW I have a 700mhz P3 so I don't think that is the prob.

Loviatar · Apr 04, 2005, 09:08 PM // 21:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mario 64 Master

I don't know too much about my internet connection... What I do know is that the service is SBC Yahoo SpeedStream and it usually downloads at about 150kbps from average websites. I live in Trumbull, Connecticut which is probably a pretty popular place for DSL, but if my normal download speed on other sites is well over 100kbps, that can't be the problem, right?

I'll try checking back once or twice a day and report if anything improves.

are you talking 150 kiloBITS/sec (kbs) or

150 kiloBYTES/sec

the first is 3-4 times dial up (56k)

the 2nd is about 24x dial up

a good site recommended by my dsl tech is

http://www.broadbandreports.com/spee...com/1086203887

to get an accurate idea of what you are really getting

my usual is above 2500 kps and big downloads are around 18 megabytes/min

tastegw · Apr 04, 2005, 09:20 PM // 21:20

the only problems i have been having is with guildwars.ogaming.com.
their site only attempts to load about 1/3 of the time i click on it. its really annoying to me, how can you run a fansite with thousands of memebers and have your servers running like bad all the time.

but i have noticed a small problem every so often when i click to get to this site.

sometimes it just dont load, so i reclick it in my "favorites" and it jumps right to it and the site is loaded in .3 sec or so. really odd.

but as far as guildwars.com, never had a problem loading that page. .5-1 sec every time.

Mario 64 Master · Apr 04, 2005, 11:31 PM // 23:31

Your download speed : 1292734 bps, or 1262 kbps.
A 157.8 KB/sec transfer rate.
Your upload speed : 135455 bps, or 132 kbps.

I am talking about kilobytes...

bobert · Apr 04, 2005, 11:45 PM // 23:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mario 64 Master

Your download speed : 1292734 bps, or 1262 kbps.
A 157.8 KB/sec transfer rate.
Your upload speed : 135455 bps, or 132 kbps.

I am talking about kilobytes...

I don't think that is your test..lol that's Loviatar's speed results I believe. Because when I click the link he sent i get the exact same thing as you pasted.

anyways... mine is:

2005-04-04 19:43:08 EST: 1806 / 332
Your download speed : 1850111 bps, or 1806 kbps.
A 225.8 KB/sec transfer rate.
Your upload speed : 340164 bps, or 332 kbps.

try this link for the speed test.

Mario 64 Master · Apr 04, 2005, 11:53 PM // 23:53

Doh.

Well here are my real results...
Your download speed : 683630 bps, or 667 kbps.
A 83.4 KB/sec transfer rate.
Your upload speed : 309307 bps, or 302 kbps.

Edit: This doesn't seem very accurate though, as I just tried the test again and now it's giving me a much lower result, only about 42 KB/sec. I don't know if it has to do with their server load as the test is working but it sure doesn't seem too sure of itself.

Edit: I've run a few more tests on various servers closer to me and the most common result seems to be in the 130-135 range.