Accessing the Web and Other Resources Takes a Long Time

Solutions:
During particularly busy times, your Internet access provider—along with other servers and gateways on the Net—might slow down substantially. Some providers report that the hours 12 noon - 3 PM and 9 - 11 PM Eastern time are "prime time" because many users from all the North American time zones are online for fun as well as business. If you experience consistently slow performance within a specific time frame, try logging on at a different time (the early morning hours are typically the least busy).

If your modem speed is slower than 14.4 kbps , accessing the more elaborate graphics and other resources on the Web will be difficult, if not impossible. To enhance the speed at which your computer accesses information on the Net, replace your modem with a model that transmits data at 28.8 kbps or faster.

Some Internet access providers require that you dial into a special number in order to take advantage of higher speeds (namely 28.8 kbps). Double-check your connection settings to make sure you are dialing in to the number that will offer you the best performance.

Most Web browsers allow you to turn off the automatic downloading of graphics when accessing a Web site, thereby speeding access time. Although Web sites will not look as attractive when you choose this option, you will access the text and hotlinks (the "guts" of most sites!) much more quickly. And, you can always load the picture later on by clicking on your browser's RELOAD or REFRESH button, or by clicking on the blank placeholder of the page graphic (usually designated by a "?" or other icon).

Sites that rely on plug-in or helper applications , or that contain special features such as Java applets , usually take longer to load than less complex sites.