DSL and Cable Broadband Speed Tweaks

Increase the performance of your broadband connection So-called broadband speed tweaks are techniques to improve performance of DSL and cable Internetbroadband Internet services first became popular connections. Home networking enthusiasts started experimenting with cable and DSL tweaks many years ago, when

Performance tweaks for low-speed (dialup) Internet often do not work for broadband links. Additionally, while broadband speed tweaks originally focused on increasing the performance of general Web surfing, speed tweaks are now more commonly made to tune specific applications like P2P file sharing systems and games.

First, broadband tweaks should be made only after your network is tested and running reliably. Speed tweaks are performance optimizations only, not designed to fix installation errors or basic network configuration issues.

You should expect broadband tweaks might yield only small speed increases, and then only in certain situations. For example, a tweak to improve the performance of one online game may only benefit that title and then only initially when it is loading. Broadband tweaks may help certain applications like games but at the same time slow down others like Web browsing. In general, assume any performance benefits you obtain may be on the order of 10-20% gain rather than 100-200%.

Finally, speed tweaks also can create instability on some networks. Depending on the type of equipment and Internet service you use, some tweaks will be technically incompatible and need

Types of Broadband Speed Tweaks

The most common broadband tweaks involve adjusting various parameters of the TCP/IP network protocol, typically:

• TCP receive window size
• Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU)
• Maximum Segment Size (MSS)
• Time-To-Live (TTL)

The Microsoft Windows Registry contains default values for TCP/IP parameters. You can apply these speed tweaks to your computers by using a Registry editor or the TCP Optimizer utility (see below) to change some of the default values on each, rebooting the computers each time. Other operating systems like Linux and Mac OS X provide alternative mechanisms to tune TCP/IP parameters.

Another common broadband tweak entails manipulating Web browser settings. For example, suppressing the download of large images saves network bandwidth that can be used instead to download other data faster.

Finally, though less common, a few speed tweaks modify settings on routers and modems. For example, TCP/IP MTU settings can be changed on a broadband router separate from individual computers on the network.

About Web Accelerators for Broadband Tweaks

Speed tweaks have been traditionally applied to the network by an administrator manually, one device at a time, but in recent years software applications have been developed to help automate and maintain tweaks.

So-called Internet download accelerators are pre-packaged software programs that automatically apply speed tweaks to a computer. Installing and running an accelerator program will automatically make the Registry, Web browser and other configuration changes. The more sophisticated applications collect information about your computers and network and apply tweaks intelligently to ensure maximum benefit.

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Various Type of New Networking Features

Windows XP also adds many new network features especially designed to make corporate networking easier and more reliable, including

• Networking has been integrated into the Task Manager to display real-time network usage and connection-speed information.
• An enhanced Netdiag.exe command-line diagnostics tool is provided on the Windows XP CD-ROM.
• An enhanced version of Network Driver Interface Specification (NDIS), version 5.1, with support for PnP and Power Event Notification, send cancellation, better statistics capability, and better performance.
• A new version of the Windows Telephony API (TAPI), version 3.1, with support for H.323-compatible IP telephony and IP multicast A/V conferencing, recording of streaming A/V data for playback, USB phones, automatic discovery of telephony servers, and support for H.323 services such as call hold, call transfer, call diversion, call pack, and call pickup.
• Support for newer network devices, including HomePNA phoneline networks, USB-connected network devices, software-based (also called controllerless or "Winmodem") modems, and infrared-enabled cell phones (as modems).
• Support for Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) devices on a network, and use of UPnP to detect Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) hosts on a network.
• Network bridgingOne computer can run two different types of networks (such as Fast Ethernet and IEEE 802.11b [Wi-Fi] wireless Ethernet) and act as a connection between them. You need a network card for each network type you're bridging.
• Auto-configuration of IEEE 802.11b Wi-Fi networksWi-Fi (wireless Ethernet) networks are harder to configure than wired networks such as Fast Ethernet, because you must synchronize the card to the wireless access point that allows your PC to talk to others. Windows XP Professional detects the correct settings automatically.
• Ability to store and recall settings of various wireless networks the user has connected to in the past for automatic configuration when the same network is encountered again. This feature simplifies moving between multiple wireless networks, such as home and office or different offices. Post SP2, the UI for wireless is more graphical and intuitive, and XP remembers which networks you have previously authorized an insecure connection for, and automatically connects when that network is available in the future. Available networks are arranged in order of signal strength, as show in Figure 1.1

Figure 1.1. Friendlier wireless networking interface reports available networks and remembers last session's settings.

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• An enhanced Connection Manager with new management options, split tunneling (secure VPN and public Internet access at the same time), Favorites feature for storing connection settings for different locations (useful for business travelers), client-side logging for troubleshooting, and support for ICS.
• The enhanced Network Troubleshooter feature, available from the left-hand menu of the Network Connections menu, provides one-stop access to network-related tools in the Help and Support center. You can start Ping and Net View commands to diagnose and check Internet and LAN connections, as well as run troubleshooters for Internet Connection Sharing, Modems, and other home and corporate network configurations. A new Network Diagnostics tool scans the network and tests your network card. As shown in Figure 1.2 at the end of the testing process, it displays the results of its tests for Internet service settings, computer information, and network adapters (including modems).

Figure 1.2 The Network Diagnostics tool displays the configuration of both hardware and software components on your network.

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• Support for encrypted folders with multiple users.
• Remote desktop support via Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), enabling users to access their computers remotely from anywhere with network access, including other offices, at home, or airport kiosks.
• Improved Group Policy feature with hundreds of new policies provided, making it easier to choose a predefined policy instead of needing to modify one.
• Remote Assistance to allow network or Internet-based help desk personnel to view a user's display and provide training or technical assistance. This feature can be centrally enabled or disabled as desired.

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