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Got a need for Speed?

Years ago, the phone line brought the Internet into the homes of millions of people and the 56k modem was an acceptable means of access. Today, many surfers have upgraded to cable and DSL to speed up their web experience.  While no one would argue that cable and DSL are much faster than dialup modems, they do have their problems.  The increased popularity of cable Internet is causing more and more congestion and decreasing connection speeds while DSL users find that their speeds fluctuate depending on how far they are from the central connection switch.  

So once again we find ourselves asking the question, “How can I make it go faster?”  

No Tricks, Just Tweaks

There are a few ways you can improve the speed of your Internet connection.  Modem and overall computer speed tweaks can have a significant effect on your Internet and computer speed.  If you’re computer savvy, you can make these changes yourself, however, many users choose not to take that risk.

One of the most effective ways to change your settings for optimum speed is to use one of the many utility programs available on the Internet. Most of these utilities run under the Windows platform. Some will change TCP/IP settings in the Windows Registry such as the MTU or MSS size.  Other utilities will alter the parameters in Windows .ini files or replace system library files.

For the most part, many of these programs are very easy to use and come with preset optimization settings that will work with most systems.  As to how well they work depends largely on your expectations.  If you think a web accelerator is going to make your dialup a blazing fast connection then you may be in for a big disappointment.  However, if you want your connection to be the very best it can be, optimization software may give you the results you’re looking for.

You Get What You Pay For 

Consider purchasing a program versus downloading freeware from the Internet.  Some web accelerators contain a number of tracking routines and other advertising schemes, which make them not worth considering. Still, many companies who charge for their software will track your surfing habits anyway and sell the information.  Stick with programs that have been developed or reviewed by known and respected companies.  Additionally, some companies will post notifications on their web site that their software is not spyware.

To get you started, following is a list of a few favourite accelerators from safe and secure sites with strong privacy policies.  They also offer money back guarantees so if you don’t get the desired results, you can take advantage of their return policy.

SpeedPak combines Ascentive Software’s winROCKET, a computer optimizer, and webROCKET, an Internet optimizer, into one package at an affordable price.

ActiveSpeed has a patent pending Intelligent Optimization Engine that intelligently tracks your usage patterns and optimizes your connection by up to 375%.

Turbo Surfer increases your Internet speed by 220% with automatic optimization and includes a pop up blocker, a high speed download manager and will even increase your video card speed.

Propel will make your dial-up connection up to 5 times faster and is verified as No Spyware. Propel also includes pop up and ad blocking.

Even if you receive only a minor speed increase from optimization software, you’ll still save a lot of time.  Saving just a few minutes for every download can make the investment worth it.

Please understand that if you choose to use any of the programs listed here, you are doing so at your own risk.  Micro2000 cannot provide any guarantee of the above products.  Every system is different and has different configurations. We can only provide you with the best, most reliable information we can to help you make informed decisions.

Other Options

There are a variety of things you can do on your own to help performance so consider making tweaks manually. Making changes by hand lets you be more methodical and helps you more easily understand where modifications were made and where they can be undone. You may not be able to identify the changes made by a utility program and therefore undoing them can be difficult or impossible. SpeedGuide.net offers many tips, tweaks, and speed patches you can check out.

Visit Broadband Reports' tweaks page for a Java applet that tests your TCP/IP settings. Click on the Start button and the applet will identify your parameters and give you a list of suggested tweaks. Scroll down the page for explanations and links to tools you can use to make the changes. Dr. TCP, one of the recommended tools, is not a patch, but rather a shortcut into your registry.  It allows you to tweak the TCP Receive Window (or RWIN), which greatly improve download speeds.

You can also speed up performance through caching in your browser.  Your browser's cache setting gives it the ability to store web pages you visit as well as check for newer, updated pages. You can set your browser to never check for newer versions and load pages that you have already visited right off the cache of your computer (temporary Internet files). You may get lightening fast response, but there is the downside of missing any new content on the page. You would have to click refresh every time you suspected new material has been posted, which is not exactly an enjoyable way to surf. Another problem is if you set your browser's cache too high, the accumulation of Internet files may bog down performance.

To change cache settings: open Internet Explorer and click on Tools, then Internet Options. Under the General tab, click Settings for Temporary Internet Files. Now choose how you want your browser to check for new pages.  To get the details of each selection, click the Question Mark in the top right, move your cursor to any selection, and then click.

Depending on why you are visiting a site, its images may not be important to you — yet they are the slowest things to load. You can set your browser so it won't automatically load images, but you may not want to do so permanently as many pages will be difficult or even impossible to use.

Lastly, you can avoid peak times.  From about 11am EST to 6pm PST, the information super highway is packed with traffic and just like physical highways, as traffic increases, speed decreases. If you are having trouble visiting busy sites, or if your browser is creeping along, try again later during non-peak hours.

Final Thought

Because there are so many different PC configurations it is impossible to pinpoint exactly what will make your Internet connection faster. All we can do is help point you in the right direction. Do your homework and use reliable and trustworthy technical advice to guide you.  And lastly, always remember to back up your system prior to making any changes.

Disclaimer - The Micro 2000 Tech Tip is a free service providing information only. While we use reasonable care to see that this information is correct, we do not guarantee it for accuracy, completeness or fitness for a particular purpose. Micro 2000, Inc. shall not be liable for damages of any kind in connection with the use or misuse of this information.