DR. MAC'S COMPUTER CLINIC
No. 19

IMPROVE YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION - PART 2
BOOST YOUR MODEM SPEED

Dear Readers - Welcome!

Last time you learned how to change your DUN, Telephony and Browser settings to boost internet connection. This time, we'll learn how to get the most out of your Modem.

ANSWER : At the end of this Clinic! (Don't cheat!)

This is NOT difficult! You do NOT need a degree in rocket science first! Just follow the process below, one simple step at a time. Remember, different version of Windows may have boxes which look a bit different, but the settings all do the same thing.

• To get to your modem settings, double-click the "Control Panel" shortcut on your desktop (Yes! We told you how to make shortcuts long ago - way back in Clinic 3)
• If you haven't made this shortcut yet, click on the big "Start" button - Settings - Control Panel.
• When the control panel opens, you will see the icon for your modem. It usually looks like a yellow telephone!
• DOUBLE-click over the modem icon. A box like this opens up :

If you only have 1 modem, only one should be listed This tells you what kind of modem you have - the make, and if it is internal or external. After the box has opened up, click on "Properties"

• The following box opens up. Make sure the "General" tab is selected :

(Adjust the settings for the General tab first - THEN come back to this tab.)         Use the little down-arrow and select 115200 N.B. Make sure there is NO tick in this box. It must be BLANK. Now, go to the top and click the "Connections" tab.

• After changing "Maximum speed" to 115200, and making absolutely sure that the "Only connect ..." box is BLANK (NO tick must be in there) click on the "Connections" tab. The following appears

The correct readings should be: Data bits : 8 Parity : None Stop bits : 1   Call preferences : Your PC Doctor has his settings like this - but they are optional     Now click on Port Settings

• After clicking on Port Settings, the following box opens :

Make sure Use FIFO buffers is ticked.

Using your mouse, slide both buffers to the High position Now click on O.K. (at the top)

• After clicking O.K. you will be back at the "Connections" box. On the right side, click on "Advanced" and the following opens :

Tick : Use error control Use flow control Compress data Hardware (most times it shows "Software" - change it!)     AND ... do you have a "squawking " modem when you dial up the internet??? Read on ...

• Does your modem sound like a chicken having its neck twisted every time you dial up your ISP ? Then type M0 in the "Extra settings" box to shut it up! Please note, this is a Capitol "M" followed by a ZERO (Not the letter "O" for Orange!) This does not work for every make of modem, but it works for most, so it's well worth a try.
• When you have completed these settings, click "O.K."

By "tweaking" the settings for your modem, you can increase data-transfer speeds.

Remember - internet speed also depends on the quality of your phone line, the number of people on the line, the number of people logging in to the same ISP as you, and the quality of their servers.

BUT - by following all the steps in Clinic 18, and also making the settings above, you have boosted your internet connection and should get a speed boost.

NEXT WEEK: How to Defragment your PC CORRECTLY!
(Hint : You MUST use another program FIRST!)

Until then, Happy, Safe, and FASTER Computing!

Dr. Mac

Dr. Mac's Computer Clinic LIBRARY All the Computer Clinics that have appeared on the idf50 web-site are HERE

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