Showing posts with label Firefox. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Firefox. Show all posts

12.13.2009

Firefox Fixes

I started using OpenDNS again -after not being overly excited with the Google public DNS results- and I am back to the annoying OpenDNS ‘guide’ results when I enter keywords into the address bar of Firefox (instead of the keywords being submitted as a Google search). I did a little searching and found that there is a setting to fix this:

  • In the Firefox address bar, type 'about:config’ and press enter.
  • Accept the ‘I’ll Be Careful: I Promise’ prompt
  • Search for ‘keyword.URL’.
  • Modify the entry for ‘keyword.URL’ to be:
    http://www.google.com.my/search?q=

After this is done, multi-word searches in the address bar will now be sent to Google. (Single word searches will still default to the OpenDNS guide.)

Firefox also slows down over time (much like Windows). I found a freeware program SpeedyFox from Crystalidea that will optimize the Firefox sql database and allow it to run a little better.

7.26.2009

Google Analytics slowdown with Firefox 3.5

For the past few weeks I have noticed that several websites will hang while opening in Firefox 3.5 and the status page will display:

Contacting ssl.google-analytics.com…

This can go on for a few seconds- causing tabs to freeze until a response is obtained. I did a quick search and found a fix by adding the following to the c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts file:

# [Google Inc]
127.0.0.1 www.google-analytics.com
127.0.0.1 ssl.google-analytics.com

In addition, a few other host file tweaks can cut down on the advertisements from Google in other web sites:

127.0.0.1 adwords.google.com
127.0.0.1 pagead.googlesyndication.com
127.0.0.1 pagead2.googlesyndication.com
127.0.0.1 adservices.google.com
127.0.0.1 imageads.googleadservices.com
127.0.0.1 imageads1.googleadservices.com
127.0.0.1 www.googleadservices.com
127.0.0.1 apps5.oingo.com