marco121068

I can't upgrade to broadband without committing to a 12 month contract (and I'm not going to be here for that long!) so I'm stuck with my 43kbps for now.

I signed up to this a while ago but hadn't got it set up right so thought it was a waste of money - but last week went to their help system and it now works a treat.

It's really speeded up my web browsing and makes a huge difference to the speed the pages load (though it doesn't anything to download speeds) and it's only £25 a year.

http://www.onspeed.com/en/?MgM=accggjejii

Steve2438

This would also help and save yourself £25

Speeding Up Your Connection-i.e. cleaning house
Internet Explorer
Tip: Clean up history and seldom used files
Open the tools menu on the top bar on Internet Explorer and the following screen will appear. If you have saved web pages and no longer need them-delete Temporary Internet Files. Clear History frequently.


Remove Cookies
Some Web sites store information in a small text file, called a "cookie," on your hard disk. Cookies contain information about you and your preferences. For example, if you inquire about a flight schedule at an airline's Web site, the site might create a cookie that contains your itinerary. Or it might only contain a record of which pages within the site you visited, to help the site customize the view for you the next time you visit.

Only the information that you provide, or the choices you make while visiting a Web site, can be stored in a cookie. For example, the site cannot determine your e-mail name unless you choose to type it.

Allowing a Web site to create a cookie does not give that or any other site access to the rest of your computer, and only the site that created the cookie can read it. Internet Explorer is set up to allow the creation of cookies; however, you can specify that you be prompted before a site puts a cookie on your hard disk, so you can choose to allow or disallow the cookie; or you can prevent Internet Explorer from accepting any cookies.

You can specify different settings for different security zones. For example, you might want to allow Web sites to create cookies if they are in your Trusted sites or Local intranet zone, prompt you before creating cookies if they are in your Internet zone, and never allow cookies if they are in your Restricted sites zone.

Tip: Go to C:\WINDOWS\Temporary Internet Files
Open this folder and review all of the cookies in this folder. Delete any cookies you do not want saved or cookies for sites you do not often visit.


Understanding security zones(copied from Internet Explorer Help Files)
Internet Explorer divides your Internet world into zones, so that you can assign a Web site to a zone with a suitable security level.

You can tell which zone the current Web page is in by looking at the right side of the Internet Explorer status bar. Whenever you attempt to open or download content from the Web, Internet Explorer checks the security settings for that Web site's zone.

There are four different zones:
Internet zone: By default, this zone contains anything that is not on your computer or an intranet, or assigned to any other zone. The default security level for the Internet zone is Medium.

Local intranet zone: This zone typically contains any addresses that don't require a proxy server, as defined by the system administrator. These include sites specified on the Connections tab, network paths (such as \\computername\foldername), and local intranet sites (typically addresses that don't contain periods, such as http://internal). You can also add sites to this zone. The default security level for the Local intranet zone is Medium.

Trusted sites zone: This zone contains sites you trust—sites that you believe you can download or run files from without worrying about damage to your computer or data. You can assign sites to this zone. The default security level for the Trusted sites zone is Low.

Restricted sites zone: This zone contains sites you don't trust—that is, sites that you're not sure whether you can download or run files from without damage to your computer or data. You can assign sites to this zone. The default security level for the Restricted sites zone is High. In addition, any files already on your local computer are assumed to be very safe, so minimal security settings are assigned to them. You cannot assign a folder or drive on your computer to a security zone. If you want, you can change the security level for a zone; for example, you might want to change the security setting for your Local intranet zone to Low. Or, you can customize the settings within a zone from the default settings in Low, Medium Low, Medium, and High.
Tip: Security zones are set by clicking on the security tab in the above tool menu.

gedge

Do a quick google for 'mtu'.
It's a system value that determines network packet sizing.
Usually the default value in Windows is not ideal, especially for dial up connections.

It is basically a size limit for the packets of information transferred between your PC and the internet. If it is set too large then you are wasting connection time. If it set too low then a lot of time and effort is put in to splitting packets in to manageable sizes.

Win98 or Me require a manual configuration.
There are some tools available that'll figure out and change you settings to optimize this, or you can do it manually. It's not too difficult - I can explain if you want.

Win2K and XP have a option to switch on an automatic detection. If you are ok with editing your registry? then do this:
Navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\Tcpip\Parameters
check for the keyword 'EnablePMTUDiscovery'
if not there then add.
The value data should be 1 (decimal).
Don't attempt this if your not sure what you're doing.

ozzieeagle

Mozilla firefox, seems a lot faster than Internet explorer, I tried onspeed, basically it just lessens resolution on jpegs etc, Onspeed got annoying in the end. Onspeed users, may like to try Firefox.


reason I quoted Jules and chris, I've been having a right old stoush, with a browser hijacker, called IST.ISTbar, which has basically become part of IE on my PC, After stuffing around with my dual boot system, for about 2 weeks, with every spy removing program I could think of, Including running them and turning off system restore. I decided stuff it, I'll take it out of the Registry, Yeah well I did that for sure, one tree too high LOL, somehow now, my TV program doesn't work, and I see strange colours. LOL !!


Yes make sure you know what your doing when playing with the registry. dammit !


BTW, Does anyone know if you can actually remove IE from Win xp and 98, 'cos the kids keep finding the hidden shortcuts I've got to the damn thing, just opening IE, runs the Hijacker again.

gedge

Off the top of my head, have you tried renaming the IE object?
In my XP it's here
"C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe"

No scrap that. I just tried, but the OS recreated a new copy of it within a few seconds.
Will think about it and let you know.

marco121068

I'm running Mozilla as I got fed up with the popups and hijackers. Sometimes the resolution on jpegs is reduced, but on the whole it works quite well and I'm happy with it.

Flying Banana

I had problems with IST bar a while back, no idea where it appeared from as I didn't clickon any links for it or open anything dodgy. Had the same prob with it keep coming back.

In the end found this on symantec website which got rid of it at last.

http://securityresponse.symantec.com...re.istbar.html

You can't remove IE from the system totally but it is possible to disable it totally and make sure windows uses your alternative browser.

A good explanation here:

http://www.clantools.net/cgi-bin/ult...9;t=002092;p=0

ozzieeagle

Thanks FB, I've been Googling for that IST bar, and was having no luck for some reason, Great tips

Scossie

I tried Firefox for a couple of weeks, but wasn't too impressed.
I went back to Crazy Browser, which I'm using now. Like the idea of having lots of tabs open at the same time.
I know you can do that with Firefox. It's just that Crazy Browser makes it easier.

A lot of BE people complain about popups. I reckon that's cos they're still using Internet Explorer. I don't think I've ever had a popup come up while I've been on BE.

I've recently upgraded to iinet Broadband 2, which is the bloody bees knees!
I can get download speeds of up to 1000k!

My mate is on the same plan, & is a downloadaholic. He's been downloading films like Lord Of The Rings in about 20 min's using bit torrent.

garrisondamn

The Google address bar works good for me for blocking pop ups and has an Auto Fill section for forms etc.

http://toolbar.google.com/

Siren & Brian

So have you gone with the phone package too???? cos doesnt that get it upto 8mgs???? These companies promise alot but I like to here it first hand if it really does happen.

Flying Banana

I'm with iinet too, have been impressed, always get 1.5Mb no probs, their customer service were excellent and really knew their product and the one occasion I've had to ring tech support I got someone on the end of the line with good technical knowledge and decent fault finding skills, called me back several times with more info and eventually turned out Telstra had buggered up the line on some routine maintenance.

You'll only get the 8Mb connection if a/ you're fairly close to the exchange and b/ if iinet have installed their upgraded equipment in the exchange (list on their site of upgrade progress.

Scossie

Yup. I've gone with the whole phone/net package.
No more Telstra. iinet provide everything including line rental.

I'm not a great downloader of stuff from the net, but my mate is.
He reckons it's fantastic, & he's a Systems Programmer so knows what he's talking about.

chew

http://www.download.com/3000-8022-10372089.html


Use this tool(free) it stops spyware from loading on your computer

gedge

For antispyware you could use this:
Microsoft® Windows AntiSpyware (Beta)
It's a pretty good effort from BG, although I'm unsure whether it'll remain a free download or not. I expect it will, or will become a part of future Windows.