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Trying to log in slows the site, eventually stops loading
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Description

Author: Ian.thomson

Description:
For some reason, I cannot log into Wikipedia through AT&T, and any system that I attempt to log into starts loading Wikipedia slower and slower until it stops loading, unless I go through some hoops (given below) to reset everything. After going through those hoops or getting on a fresh computer, when I click "log in," it can take up to five minutes for the page to load (if it does at all), and then it takes longer (again, if at all) to load other pages.

My laptop is a Dell Inspiron with a quad-core 2.5 ghz processor and 8 GB ram, running 64-bit Windows 7, using up-to-date Firefox to browse (with Adblock and NoScript on full blast by default, Wikipedia exempted), with Avast and Microsoft Security Essentials for routine protection and Malwarebytes and Combofix (the legit one) for occasional scans. I'm on a DSL line, and my laptop usually manages to hog 250-500 kb/s of the house's bandwidth.

I've cleared my browser cache, purged server caches, and flushed my DNS. I've restarted my browser, laptop, and router in different orders. I've checked multiple antimalware programs (all up to date) and found no problem. All other computers, laptops, tablets and wifi-connected smartphones in my house can open the main page and articles -- but start slowing down and locking up when I try to open the login page and other "special:" pages. This trouble is only coming up on Wikipedia.

I've tried mobile and desktop, with no benefit (unless I log in on my phone through Sprint's data plan instead of my AT&T internet over Wifi). Checking the recent contributions page, I see that other accounts are still going just fine. I've checked with a friend who is also on AT&T. He's noticing that the site is running slower than usual, and it started lagging when he logged in. He doesn't have nearly as many contributions or as large of a watchlist, but he is otherwise able to continue loading pages.

The only possibilities left for me are either that AT&T owes me a big apology or some sort of bug is preventing select users from logging in. Can't contact AT&T right now, so I can't make any decision on that end yet.


Version: unspecified
Severity: major
Whiteboard: aklapper-moreinfo

Details

Reference
bz73594

Event Timeline

bzimport raised the priority of this task from to Needs Triage.Nov 22 2014, 3:53 AM
bzimport set Reference to bz73594.
bzimport added a subscriber: Unknown Object (MLST).

I assume this is about en.wikipedia.org? Have you also brought this up on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Village_pump_%28technical%29 ?

The "Network" tab of the Developer Tools might also show you what is loading slowly. For more information please see:

Ian.thomson wrote:

I figured since there was a message at technical saying "Bugs and feature requests go on the bug tracker," that I should try here first. Trying there, I was directed to an IRC that doesn't load. For future reference, where am I actually supposed to go to report a problem?

It's stopped locking up, but it's still lagging (en.wikipedia and this site, but not non-Wikimedia sites). It must be a problem with AT&T handling Wikimedia sites in South Carolina.

Ian.thomson wrote:

Wait, no, it's starting to lag to the point of locking up again. I can post if I restart my browser after every post and go straight to where I'm making the post.

Aklapper changed the task status from Open to Stalled.Nov 25 2014, 7:47 PM
Aklapper claimed this task.

Unfortunately closing this report as no further information how someone else can reproduce the problem has been provided.

Please feel free to reopen this report if you can provide the information asked for and if this still happens. Thanks!