Speeding up your Internet connection
There are ways to ‘tweak’ the speed of your connection. These generally involve a bit of experimenting, to find out which solution (or which combination of solutions) work best for your PC-and-modem configuration.

Ensure optimum modem conditions
When a modem manufacturer says that a modem works at XYZ speed (e.g. 56K modem), what they are really saying is that is the highest speed that the modem can achieve under ‘optimum conditions’. However, optimum conditions are difficult to achieve in real life. Here are some tips on how to improve the conditions under which your modem operates:

1. Ensure that your modem has sole use of the telephone line. Unplug any other device(s) that use the same telephone line.
2. Do not use extension cords.
3. Move any electrical equipment away from the modem (especially cordless and mobile phones and fans).
4. Ensure that your modem does not overheat. Make sure that it is not covered by materials that would prevent it from cooling (e.g. papers, books etc.)
5. Ensure that your modem is configured correctly.

Most modems will auto-configure themselves straight out of the box, either when your computer’s Operating System automatically detects and installs it, or when you run the accompanying installation software. It is always best to check that the modem has been correctly identified by your computer.

Windows users can follow these steps to check that their modem is correctly installed:

1. Double-click on My Computer.
2. Double-click on Control Panel.
3. Double-click on Modems.
4. Click once on the name of the modem to highlight it.
5. Click on the Diagnostics tab.
Click on the More info button.

Your PC will then ‘interrogate’ the modem and display a list of its settings and features. You don’t need to understand what this list means. The fact that it compiles the list demonstrates that the modem is correctly installed.

Ensure that your modem is using the latest software
Modem manufacturers generally update their modem driver software on a regular basis, and make it freely available for download on their Web sites. You should check your modem manufacturer’s Web site on a regular basis to ensure that you are using the latest software for your modem.

Follow the online instructions with respect to downloading and installing the software updates.

Experiment with the speed settings
Windows allows you to specify the speed at which your modem and your computer ‘talk’ to one another. Set it too high, and your modem may transmit more data than your PC can handle at a time, which may cause errors. Set it too slow, and the modem will not run as efficiently as it could.

You may wish to experiment with different speed settings to find the optimum setting for your modem. Follow these steps:

1. Double-click My Computer.
2. Double-click Control Panel.
3. Double-click Modems.
4. Highlight your modem (if necessary) and click on the Properties button to display the Properties dialog box.
5. Click on the Maximum Speed pull-down menu and select the desired speed.
6. Click OK.

Use ‘Web accelerator’ software
There are a number of software packages that claim to significantly boost the speed of your Web browsing. These software packages don’t magically double the speed of your modem. Instead, they use a number of different techniques to reduce the amount of data that your modem has to download while you are browsing the Web; including

1. Creating a larger ‘cache’ where the program stores copies of Web sites that you regularly visit. When you visit the site again, it loads the data from your hard disk, so you don’t have to wait for it to download again.

2. Using ‘pauses’ in your Web browsing session to download new pages. For example, you might connect to a new Web site. Once the homepage is downloaded, you will probably spend a few minutes reading its contents. While this happens, your modem is usually idle. The software takes advantage of this and starts to download other pages from the Web site so that as you explore, it can load them from your hard disk, giving the impression that the Web site is loading faster.

3. Allowing scheduled downloading of selected sites. If you frequently access particular sites, you can configure the software to regularly download information from the site, either when your PC is unattended, or while you are doing other activities when online (such as reading email).

Suggested software: Note: This software is not supported by Intertech Country Internet. If you require technical assistance, please refer to the software vendor’s Web site.

InterQuick - http://interquick.deerfield.com/
NetManager - http://www.vinn.com.au/netmanager.htm

Use modem ‘tweaking’ software
Tweaking your computer’s modem and network settings in an effort to squeeze a little extra speed is not for the faint of heart. Luckily there are several excellent utilities (some free, others shareware) that will perform this task for you.

Suggested software: Note: This software is not supported by Intertech Country Internet. If you require technical assistance, please refer to the software vendor’s Web site.

TweakDUN - http://www.pattersondesigns.com/tweakdun/
Accelerate2000 - http://www.webroot.com/acc1.htm
EasyMTU - http://members.tripod.com/EasyMTU/
iSpeed - http://www.hms.com/Default.htm