Slow administrator

This may not be a problem at all, but I am struck how much slower MySQL
Administrator (and Query Browser too, for that matter) is when running
over our network and not on the local machine.  It is particularly
noticible how long it takes to initially connect and then to retrieve
database info in the catalog section.
 
Is this normal behaviour?  If not, does anyone know any simple ways to
speed it up?
 
Paul Green