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unnessessary connections at startup'n'while browsing

  • 2 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 53 views
  • Last reply by genetix

genetix
genetix
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Details: Windows 8.1 x64 (Problem persist over clean format / install of system). Firefox: Arch: x64 (but x86 will work just the same) Version: 57.0.4 (Quantum)

Problem: I'm getting over 300-400 connections made with blank page at start-up. According to firewall most are to different servers port seems to be 80 or 443 (after troubleshoot steps below).

Troubleshoot steps: - Have read and tested: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-stop-firefox-making-automatic-connections - Every single article almost at forums and from google. - Currently trying to DNS few IP addresses.

Question: Why do I see a single connection made by firefox.exe when starting the browser? Do I need to block firefox completely to firewall or "HOSTS"-file and block each IP / hostname it connects to at start-up? (which is kinda tricky)

I really don't see why and where would firefox connect when no updates are checked, no websites are connected, no tabs should be updated, no bookmarks should ever be checked and yet this browser seems to connect half the world even by starting up the browser, if the case is that these are some sort of prefetching or similar would it be possible to turn all of it off, have firefox automatically terminate every connection also after it makes connection to any server after no data transfer is being done?

To put it very very simple way "If I take FTP client and connect to 127.0.0.1 port 21, there is only 1 singular connection made to address 127.0.0.1 at port 21" of course HTTP(s) is a bit different as css, js, php, html will in most cases load from multiple websites, however, that is most likely not more than 10 connections per website at absolute maximum yet I get hundreds of connections while not even connecting to anywhere.

-UPDATE-

Seems, connections are made to CloudFront, Google, some website saying nginx is correctly installed and so on, there is no browser caching enabled, tested with deleting folders:

- "%appdatalocal%\mozilla" - "%appdata%\mozilla"

and yet it makes connections to same places (did only DNS few different servers).

Details: Windows 8.1 x64 (Problem persist over clean format / install of system). Firefox: Arch: x64 (but x86 will work just the same) Version: 57.0.4 (Quantum) Problem: I'm getting over 300-400 connections made with blank page at start-up. According to firewall most are to different servers port seems to be 80 or 443 (after troubleshoot steps below). Troubleshoot steps: - Have read and tested: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-stop-firefox-making-automatic-connections - Every single article almost at forums and from google. - Currently trying to DNS few IP addresses. Question: Why do I see a single connection made by firefox.exe when starting the browser? Do I need to block firefox completely to firewall or "HOSTS"-file and block each IP / hostname it connects to at start-up? (which is kinda tricky) I really don't see why and where would firefox connect when no updates are checked, no websites are connected, no tabs should be updated, no bookmarks should ever be checked and yet this browser seems to connect half the world even by starting up the browser, if the case is that these are some sort of prefetching or similar would it be possible to turn all of it off, have firefox automatically terminate every connection also after it makes connection to any server after no data transfer is being done? To put it very very simple way "If I take FTP client and connect to 127.0.0.1 port 21, there is only 1 singular connection made to address 127.0.0.1 at port 21" of course HTTP(s) is a bit different as css, js, php, html will in most cases load from multiple websites, however, that is most likely not more than 10 connections per website at absolute maximum yet I get hundreds of connections while not even connecting to anywhere. -UPDATE- Seems, connections are made to CloudFront, Google, some website saying nginx is correctly installed and so on, there is no browser caching enabled, tested with deleting folders: - "%appdatalocal%\mozilla" - "%appdata%\mozilla" and yet it makes connections to same places (did only DNS few different servers).

Modified by genetix

Chosen solution

Well, not sure what "network.captive-portal-service.enabled" actually does can't see any change. (Assuming it has something to do with keeping connection alive longer, what I did read at forums)

But found out kinda reason why, this file: - "webappsstore.sqlite"

Located at profile "%appdata%\Mozilla\Firefox\profiles\#.default\"-folder, It's not large as deleted it multiple times, but updates constantly.

I have no idea what it collects, but seems, if I close browser -> delete it -> lock it as read only. It doesn't make the connections, while as soon I let it write anything even while I can see the addresses in it backwards with any text editor(using notepad++) to be correct what I see connections made at firewall.

Now, question would be:

Why does Firefox connect to every single address while starting up, what is written to this sql db?

I could say this is the solution at least solving the original question "where does this software get it's 100-400 connection addresses".

- Uploading image from comodo firewall after locking down that above sqlite DB.

(Uploaded image containt only internal network -> youtube.com opened.)

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All Replies (2)

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 10 Contributor
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Could you also disable this one and see whether it makes any difference:

(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button accepting the risk.

(2) In the search box above the list, type or paste captiv and pause while the list is filtered

(3) Double-click the network.captive-portal-service.enabled preference to switch the value from true to false

genetix
genetix Question owner
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Chosen Solution

Well, not sure what "network.captive-portal-service.enabled" actually does can't see any change. (Assuming it has something to do with keeping connection alive longer, what I did read at forums)

But found out kinda reason why, this file: - "webappsstore.sqlite"

Located at profile "%appdata%\Mozilla\Firefox\profiles\#.default\"-folder, It's not large as deleted it multiple times, but updates constantly.

I have no idea what it collects, but seems, if I close browser -> delete it -> lock it as read only. It doesn't make the connections, while as soon I let it write anything even while I can see the addresses in it backwards with any text editor(using notepad++) to be correct what I see connections made at firewall.

Now, question would be:

Why does Firefox connect to every single address while starting up, what is written to this sql db?

I could say this is the solution at least solving the original question "where does this software get it's 100-400 connection addresses".

- Uploading image from comodo firewall after locking down that above sqlite DB.

(Uploaded image containt only internal network -> youtube.com opened.)

Modified by genetix