Automatically Detect Proxy Settings

While playing around with my Network Settings as I am want to do from time to time I must have turned on Automatically Detect Proxy Settings. I thought, perhaps erroneously that it would be a good thing. Seems like a good idea, yes? But recently my browsers, whichever i use have been sticking, for sometimes up to a minute while obtaining Proxy settings. So I googled it and found a lot of articles on the subject. One which dated from 2012 suggested (for PC) that turning off Automatically Detect Proxy Settings in Network Settings might help. So I gave it a shot and low and behold my web page loading time has reduced by half.
So that set me wondering what the best Proxy settings might be. For example I have Exclude Simple Host Names ticked but perhapes that is unnecessary and Use passive FTP mode by default. No other options are configured, so what are the best or the default settings for these preferences?

You are not running a proxy, therefore the proxy setting options are of zero relevance to you. As you discovered, telling the machine you are running a proxy when you aren't -- causes problems.

Generally, "playing around" with network settings when you don't know what they are or do -- causes problems.

No doubt you are correct but I have no "reset to default settings" button so I am unsure of the settings mentioned above.