Apache Slow Over http, Fast Over https

I have an Apache server running Debian.

I am having this very strange situation where loading a page takes about 2 to 3 times longer to load over http than https.

The primary use of the website is Magento, but I am seeing similar results with other things that we have loaded on the website.

I don't have the first clue where to even look on our server or what the problem could be.

Does anyone have any insight as to what could be going on, or where to look?

Solution 1:

To test whether it is on you ISP side, try disabling https and change your apache server to listen on port 443 instead of port 80 for web traffic. If the problem disappears http (port 80) traffic is being shaped somewhere along the line. Remember to change the URL to http://server.com:443,

Solution 2:

Could the HTTP VirtualHost have "HostnameLookups On"?

Are the stanzas identical with the exception of SSL directives?

Cheers

Solution 3:

It turned out that the problem was there were far too many Apache connections than the server was configured to handle.

We had sent out an email and the servers connections were being dedicated to transferring images.