changing default browser...

I really like firefox and everything, but with my 56K connection it has a slight disadvantage with explorer. I just wanted to know how to make my internet explorer the default browser again.

 

Open IE / Tools / Internet Options / Programs Tab /
check "IE should check if it's the default browser" / Apply / Ok

 

Open IE, click - Tools > Internet Options > Programs > then near bottom tick box for 'Internet Explorer should check to see if it's default browser' or something similar.

Why don't you try Slim Browser? It's based on the IE engine, has tabbed browsing, can perform windows updates without opening IE and is a lot safer than IE.

 

And, there are others. IE has to be present, because much of it is part of the OS.
I have had cable for many years, so I can't think of any reason why IE would have an important advantage over anything else, under optimal conditions.

 

Hi fre_rios25,

I believe Moz based browsers are much faster than IE in general. I know this can always be true on broadband, & believe it's true on dialup too.

If you do some googling, you'll find free & paid software that optimizes the settings for your connection type. Maybe try: firefox optimize speed browser settings.

Or some sites will give you tips on manually experimenting with the settings. Ill paste below tweaks for broadband. Maybe for dialup you might slightly reduce instead of increase the #s (just a guess), but you might experiment with the increases too. I don't think you need to restart the browser. The ones to look at are:

Cable, DSL: optimize Mozilla, Netscape 7.x or Firefox make it work faster?
Add or edit the following preferences by typing about:config in the browser's address bar (where you would normally type a web address):
network.http.max-connections 24 to 32 (experiment higher)
network.http.max-connections-per-server 8 (experiment higher)
network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-proxy 4 to 8 (experiment higher)
network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-server 2 to 4 (experiment higher)
network.http.pipelining false to true (experiment higher)
network.http.pipelining.maxrequests 4 to 8 (experiment higher)

To edit a preference, type "network" into the Filter field. Then, right-click on the respective preference and select Modify from the context menu.
Changing these preferences will speed up your surfing noticeably, especially on pages with many images or if you are simultaneously loading multiple pages.

 

Or install the Tweak Network extension which will do it for you.

It has two settings, default and power user.

 

Wow keithy397,
Followed your great link, thank you. Adds to my post & looks like a tool for the thread opener (& other Firefox users). ALL should know that the default browser settings aren't/can't be best for their PC/connection out-of-the-box on browser install.

That Extension's info & screenshot looks easy & great.

Many Extensions listed as Firefox only do also work with Netscape. Unfortunately, this one doesn't (it wouldn't install). I'll bookmark it for future reference if/when I leave my beloved Netscape. Based on what I'm reading about the Netscape 8 Beta, I think eventually I'll be moving to Seamonkey or Firefox, probably Seamonkey unless it breaks Extensions & Themes with the frequency of Firefox.

Again, great post/link!

 

Marklet

I couldn't get the install to work either. Go to the homepage on the same post and scroll down to the file. If you get a download exception, just add the site to you exceptions. Then it installs ok.

 

Bill,
My guess is you're talking about a whitelist in Firefox. I use Netscape 7.2 & had software installation allowed in the browser & temp turned off Mobile Code blocking in ZA firewall. Some Firefox developed Extensions install & work on Netscape. Some don't install. Some install & don't work.

I think my own settings are ok based on my manual tweaking. If I could install that Extension, I would have copied my settings & then tried the Extension's changes.

 

I, always, try to install from the .xpi file. Everything went well with 7.2, up to the installation point, when I was told "install script not found). I did not try the same file with FF, it is too confusing (I am using 1.02, and I want to place the extention only in 1.01).

 

Same message that I got. Tried both from the webpage & from saving to desktop & dragging it in. Same result & not unusual for many Firefox extensions (some work in Netscape; some need a separate porting). Sometimes a request to the Developer works; but usually not; sometimes other people do the porting & then the Developer accepts & includes it).

There's a Firefox extension I'd really like to have in Netscape but the Developer is strictly Firefox centric. It's an Extension that allows editing & reordering your context menu. If anyone knows an Extension that does that in Moz or Netscape, please do post the data. Thank you.

 

That's the Menu Editor extension, and it is very good.

You guys having trouble downloading from my links, have you given permission to install? Firefox always asks for permission if you haven't downloaded from a particular site before. The text usually appears under the toolbars asking for permissions.

 

No problem downloading. It's the install script that doesn't work on those 2 Extensions in Netscape (see prior posts in thread).