This tip is designed for increased BROADBAND speed in Windows XP while using standard Network Interface cards (NIC) that are connected to ADSL modems, or when using any directly-connected USB ADSL modem.

To speed up the Internet connection speed we need to configure a special buffer in the computer's memory in order to enable it to better deal with interrupts made from the NIC or the USB modem.

This tip is only recommended if you have 256MB RAM or higher.

Step #1 - Identify the IRQ used by the NIC/USB modem

Follow these steps:

1. Open the System Information tool by running MSINFO32.EXE from the Run command.

2. Expand System Summary > Hardware Resources > IRQs.

3. Look for the listing made for your NIC (in my case - a Intel(R) PRO/100+ Management Adapter). Note the IRQ next to the specified line (in my case - IRQ21).

In case of USB modems you will first need to find the right USB device used by your modem. Follow these steps:

1. Open the Device Manager tool by running DEVMGMT.MSC from the Run command (or by right-clicking My Computer > Hardware tab > Device Manager button).

2. Scroll down to Universal Serial Bus controllers and expand it.

3. Right-click the USB Root Hub and select Properties. Note that you might need to do so for all listed USB Root hubs (if there are more than one) in order to find the right one.

4. In the Power tab, look for your USB ADSL modem.

5. In the Resources tab look for the assigned IRQ (in this case - IRQ21).

6. This is the IRQ we're looking for.

Lamer note: IRQs and modem names might vary...

Step #2 - Modify the system.ini file

Follow these steps:

1. Run SYSEDIT.EXE from the Run command.

2. Expand the system.ini file window.

3. Scroll down almost to the end of the file till you find a line called [386enh].

4. Press Enter to make one blank line, and in that line type IrqX=4096

where X is the designated IRQ number we found in step #1, in my case it's IRQ21.

Note: This line IS CASE SENSITIVE!!!

5. Click on the File menu, then choose Save.

6. Close SYSEDIT and reboot your computer.

Done. Speed improvement will be noticed after the computer reboots.

Update: The most speed improvement is visible with USB A/DSL modems, however there are reports that this tweak also does good for regular NICs. In any case, it won't harm your system, so why not try it yourself and let me know what you find.

Industry watchers love nothing more than a good old technology war. In the past, we’ve had Token Ring versus Ethernet, GSM versus CDMA and DECT versus CT2. Now, a new technology debate is brewing between HSPA and WiMAX for dominance in the emerging mobile broadband market. But such battles are rarely just about technology, and the mobile broadband debate is no exception.

The GSM world has seen it all before. Over the years, industry commentators have questioned whether investment in GSM-based 3G technology is worthwhile and wondered whether a succession of alternative technologies would render GSM/WCDMA obsolete. In the meantime, GSM/WCDMA operators have been steadily building their 3G businesses – rolling out networks, adding subscribers and delivering ever-enhanced functionality.

Today, the latest commercial releases of HSPA radio networks support download speeds of up to 14.4Mbps – more than a match for most fixed-broadband connections – and they are set to become even faster. GSM/WCDMA radio networks are continuing to evolve to meet growing user demand for mobile-broadband services, through further enhancements in the downlink and uplink, and on to Long Term Evolution.The performance of HSPA and Mobile WiMAX technologies is comparable. Both technologies offer similar peak data rates, spectral efficiency and network complexity. However, Mobile WiMAX requires more cell sites to offer the same coverage and capacity as HSPA. A major hurdle for WiMAX operators will be to overcome the initial high capital expenditure of the radio access network.HSPA is built on the firm foundation of the 3GPP family of standards, and the scale operators get through the established 3G ecosystem makes it very cost-efficient. HSPA can be built out using the existing GSM radio network sites and is a software upgrade of the installed WCDMA networks. Since HSPA devices are also backward compatible with WCDMA and GSM it means users can get nationwide coverage from day one.

By being pitched as a “data play” technology, with voice supported by other radio technologies, WiMAX is perceived as not having to meet regulatory requirements. However, the trend is towards more regulation of VoIP services, especially in areas such as caller ID and location provision for emergency services. WiMAX is unlikely to be exempt from regulatory requirements in the longer term.

HSPA also provides global roaming over GSM/WCDMA networks, as well as wide area coverage within many countries. WCDMA has passed the 150 million subscriber mark and is growing at a rate of 6 million per month. Since Ericsson rolled out the first commercial HSPA system in 2004, more than 150 operators in around 70 countries have launched commercial HSPA services – including major mobile operators such as AT&T, Telstra, T-Mobile and Vodafone.

The Global mobile Suppliers Association reports that HSPA services are commercially available in eight countries in the Americas, 13 countries in Asia Pacific, nine countries in the Middle East/Africa, and 38 countries in Europe. HSPA is commercially available today in 26 of the 27 countries that comprise the European Union.

Juniper Research expects there to be about 1.8 billion broadband subscribers globally by 2012, with about 1.2 billion on mobile networks – with WCDMA/HSPA accounting for nearly 70 percent of mobile-broadband subscribers.

HSPA offers excellent mobility from day one, with over 300 HSPA-enabled devices available on the market – including PC cards, USB modems and modules, laptops with integrated HSPA modules, Fixed Wireless Terminals (wireless routers), phones, PDAs and media players. HSPA terminals have fallback toGSM/GPRS/EDGE/WCDMA, and embedded modems will be available in early 2008.

While WiMAX-certified products were likely to be embedded in notebooks and PC cards during 2007, WiMAX-enabled phones will not appear on the market until 2008. It will be difficult for WiMAX handsets to match the volume and cost structure of current mobile phones – especially as the handsets cross multiple frequencies, meaning multiple radios for roaming. Industry analyst Gartner forecasts that worldwide sales of WiMAX-enabled phones as a proportion of total mobile-phone sales will remain extremely low (below one per cent), at least until 2010.

Deploying any type of cellular system incurs capital costs, no matter which technology is deployed. Because the core network behind WCDMA/HSPA is the same as for GSM, a lot of the investment has already been made. GSM/WCDMA infrastructure is already serving more than 2.5 billion subscribers worldwide – delivering tremendous economies of scale.
There is sometimes a misunderstanding that the WiMAX technology is free from Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) issues.

In GSM the setting of reasonable accumulated IPR costs has led to a global market with hundreds of chipset and handset vendors. More than 800 million handsets were sold during 2006. By reaching similar IPR agreements in WCDMA/HSPA, products can be offered to customers with very low IPR costs. We believe the same reasonable accumulated rates – at a moderate single-digit level – should also apply to new players in the HSPA and WiMAX arenas.

For WiMAX, it has yet to be seen which players will win large market share, and so their IPR costs are unknown. However, it is unlikely that IPR will provide any differentiator between HSPA and WiMAX.The unprecedented demand for WCDMA/HSPA means additional radio spectrum is going to be critical. It is estimated that by 2010 more traffic will be generated by data services than by voice in mobile networks, yet until about 2015, the only additional internationally agreed spectrum identified for 3G technologies is the IMT-2000 extension band, being 2500-2690 MHz. When allocating new spectrum it will be important to ensure that licensees can leverage on technologies with economies of scale. This will create the right conditions for the licensees to offer affordable broadband services based on a low total cost of ownership for the network and devices.

Ericsson sees HSPA and HSPA Evolved, with downlink speeds of 42Mbps and uplink speeds of 12Mbps, as the natural mobile-broadband technology choice for the near future, with LTE just around the corner to bring us new levels of performance. Technology choices made today will influence operations for many years to come, so while it remains to be seen if WiMAX can offer a viable business case, building on existing HSPA networks represents the fastest way to deliver mobile broadband to the masses.

Source : THIS DAY

If you are a computer expert, you’ll probably already know about these tips (hopefully this will provide you with a little reminder). If you’re not an expert, don’t worry - these tips are simple, and don’t require a lot of computer experience.
While an old computer will never operate at the same speed as a newer (and bigger & faster) computer, you can help your computer stay as “young & healthy” as possible.

1) Disk Cleanup

Performing a disk cleanup regularly is a good idea. Whenever you “surf the internet”, open attachments, delete files, your computer saves a record of your activity. Many of these files are harmless, and individually are very small. But if you spend a lot of time on your computer, before long you’ll take up enough space to slow your computer down a bit.
Disk Cleanup is a Windows utility that helps keep unused and unwanted files from taking up extra storage space on your computer. You can think of it as “spring cleaning” for your computer.
Basically, it removes files that may have once been useful or used but now are just taking up extra room that could be used for more useful programs and files.
To perform a disc cleanup, click on the Start button on the bottom left of your computer screen, then Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disc Cleanup. A small box will pop up, allowing you to select the files to delete (most files are OK to delete, but if you are unsure, it is best to not select the file). Then click OK, and the unused files will be removed.
If you’ve never done a disk cleanup on your computer, now is a good time to get started. Then, depending on how much you use your computer, you can perform a disk cleanup every few weeks to keep your computer running smoothly!

2) Defragmenting Your Computer

Another way to improve the performance of your computer is to defragment your hard drive. What is defragmenting, and why do you need to do it? Here’s a simple explanation:
Basically, defragmenting is putting files back where they belong. With the files in the proper order, your computer will run more efficiently.
You don’t need to hire a computer expert to defragment your computer. It’s simple to do. You just need to plan ahead, because if you have a lot of “stuff” on your computer, it could take a while.
And it’s best not to use your computer while defragmenting.
Not sure how to defragment your computer? You can either click on your computer’s help file (Click the “Start” button on the bottom left of your computer screen, then Help), or click on Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Defragment - for most computers) .
Keep in mind that the actual wording is slightly different depending on the operating system you use (Windows 95, 98, XP, etc) so you might need to refer to your computer’s help file.
Periodically defragmenting your computer will keep it running smoothly!

3) Removing Spyware & Adware

If you’ve ever had spyware or adware on your computer, you know how frustrating it can be - strange things happening, your homepage changing, inappropriate popups, unfamiliar icons.
What exactly is spyware or adware?
Simply, files that are often downloaded onto your computer without your knowledge (or at least without you knowing what they really are).
Unfortunately, many of these programs “sneak” their way onto your computer, so avoiding them entirely is difficult, especially if you spend a lot of time on your computer, surfing the Internet and downloading new programs and files.
Fortunately, there are ways to remove these unwanted files from your computer.
Here are 2 adware/spyware removal programs that are simple to use (and both are free):
Ad-Aware
Spybot
Why does adware/spyware continue to be such a problem? Because most of these programs make money for the people creating and spreading them, unfortunately. So, all we can do is try to avoid them as much as possible, and to remove them when they do find their way onto our computers.
If you do find spyware on your computer, don’t panic. In many cases, you just have some extra “junk” on your computer. But keeping spywaer and adware off of your computer will help it run more quickly and efficiently.

4) Uninstalling Old & Unused Programs

While uninstalling old, unused programs will help speed up your computer, removing the wrong files can cause you some big problems. So, please proceed carefully. And if you are not comfortable, please ask for help from someone you know who is more knowledgeable.
Most programs that you download simply have an “uninstall” feature that comes with them. If you’re like me and you download a lot of free programs or free trials, after a while your computer begins to slow down. That means it’s time for me to remove some of the old programs I don’t use any more (and most I only used once just to see how they work).
To uninstall unused programs from your computer, first click on the Start button on the bottom left, then Programs, then click on the name of the program and Uninstall. If there is no uninstall option, then click on the Start button on the bottom left, then Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs.
Again, if you are unsure whether or not to remove a program, it is best to leave it.
If you follow these instructions, you should find your computer working faster right away.

5) Get A High Speed Internet Connection

If you spend a lot of time on the internet, a high speed internet connection is a must. It is more expensive, but for most people the savings in time and effort is worth the added expense.
There are several advantages of having a high speed internet connection - faster surfing, web pages open more quickly, files download faster, and if you send or receive large files, like pictures or video, trying to open these files with a slower dialup connection is extremely frustrating!
If you’re already spending $20 a month or more for your dialup connection (through your phone line) then you’ll find DSL to be comparable in price, and a lot faster.
A cable internet connection might cost a little more, but it is usually the fastest type of internet connection you can get from home.
High speed wireless connections are available for those who travel a lot. And high speed satellite internet is available in areas where other options are not (check your options first, as this is the most expensive high speed connection).
That’s all the tips for increasing your computer speed and helping your computer run more efficiently. We hope you found these tips helpful!

Today, the Internet has become indispensable for many. People narrowing down to this option are opting for technological advancements like broadband, ADSL, Wi-Fi etc. However, the slow speed of connection can be highly frustrating at times especially during downloading. There are a number of ways which allow you to optimize your internet speed.

High bandwidth technologies hold extreme importance for tech-savvy consumers. Among such washing ashore are cable modems which are nowadays being used for high speed Internet connection. It also eliminates the need for dialing in every time you want to go online. The users can continue to receive television through the same cable, whereas data services can be shared by several PCs in a home based LAN configuration.

An Ethernet network is managed over a wide geographic area. In case, there are a few users served by a neighborhood node on this network, all the bandwidth will certainly be dedicated to them. On the other hand, if there will be a majority of users availing cable network will lower the speed. Cable providers generally add a node to an area to reduce such congestion. Use of cable modems has shown their caliber resulting into high speed internet connection. This was one of the ways to speed up the connection through cable modem.

Many individuals see GPRS internet connection on PC as the best means to increase speed of the internet. Opposed to this, a broadband connection with mere 256 kbps can be enough to work online efficiently without any disconnections.

Broadband Internet Access, often acronym to simple “broadband”, is high speed Internet access. They are preferred over dial-up modems which are only capable of supporting a maximum bitrate of 56 kbit/s. Broadband connections provide the double of the speed what dial up connections has to offer and without disrupting telephone use.

Broadband is generally termed as high speed Internet connection as it can transmit a high rate of data. Any connection to the customer of 256 kbit/s or more is considered broadband internet. It offers several advantages for business, home users. Along with putting an end to waiting time for downloads, broadband gives fast access to the information the user requires or wants.

Do you remember using the Internet back when you had to dial in using a modem. If you are unlucky enough to still be using dial-up Internet access, I feel for you. The internet is a growing and dynamic entity and everyone will have broadband sooner or later.

Naturally companies try to offer access to internet in growing number of ways. Assuming the user has the correct hardware, a wi-fi account, and is in range of the transmitters, the service allows the user to connect to the internet at broadband speeds without the use of cables. Users can log on to the internet at these hotspots provided they have an account with the broadband supplier and the necessary wireless equipment, such as a wireless laptop or broadband-enabled mobile phone.

An extra phone is the only way to get calls that cannot be received due to the dial up connection. Fixed line operators are now incorporating wireless with their traditional phone services providing ease of having one device and one bill for both mobile and fixed line calls. You can take it out of your phone bill.

Broadband phone actually uses voice over internet protocol (VoIP) to carry phone calls through the internet. There are also a number of companies that has VoIP as a free service.

Digital Subscriber Lines, or DSL uses the existing customer phone lines to provide internet or intranet access to businesses and homes using high-speed broadband technology of varying levels. But even with all the technology that has gone into the making of the Internet, there seems to be more to be expected than has been seen. It's easy to understand why; the technology industry defines it in different ways as well.

Just be sure you do not choose an ISDN line (because it is getting obsolete) or power line (because the technology is not mature, and it will be some years before the bugs are ironed out). The cheapest broadband deals allow for such technology to reach our homes for less than $10 per month. Ok, on to the two major broadband access methods, cable and DSL. There is cable access, DSL access, satellite access. Although cable broadband internet is a whole lot faster than dial-up, I usually experience a slight delay when opening a webpage.

Perhaps most people do not notice the latency associated with cable internet, but it got my attention right away. So are cable television modems, which have similar speeds. Approximately 4 million people in the UK use ADSL with an extra 2 million using a cable connection, meaning 6 million people in the UK have an always-on internet connection.

The fact is that anything less than the speed supplied by a broadband cable has become inadequate for today's internet users.

Providers
However it has emerged that broadband providers touting such products are not revealing the full story to their customers. The key will be for broadband providers to develop the services that broadband allows for, and to deliver them to as many households as possible. High-speed Internet services are growing in popularity because intense competition from broadband providers is continually driving the product exposure in the marketplace to new highs, and prices to new lows. Connecting to the Internet for the first time in your home or office is as easy as securing a fixed telephone line (which you probably already have) and signing up to one of the dozens of Broadband Providers, like AOL and others.

Satellite
Bummer indeed, but you still have broadband Direct PC by satellite and it seems to make it through those clouds and so you can surf the NOAA website and get the latest results or watch video streams of the local TV station right. Broadband Internet by Satellite is about the coolest invention in the World and indeed it has helped the unconnected become connected even if they live in the middle of nowhere. Did you know you can get a special satellite antenna hooked up on your motor home or recreational vehicle that will enable you to get the Internet anywhere in North America.

Television
So they are bundling broadband with other products, such as home phone, digital television and mobile. The acronym is used to describe services which broadcast on-demand television programming to consumers, delivered via a broadband connection on normal telephone line to TV screens. Broadband television is a means of providing TV programs via the Internet. Broadband Television is being hailed as the biggest change in the way we watch television since it was first invented.

With the advancement of technology and new innovations in the field of communication, high speed Internet connection is slowly emerging as the most preferred means of Internet access today. High speed Internet connection has not only entered our offices and houses, but the local Internet service provider also offers various Internet access packages and cheap prepaid Internet plans for accessing high speed Internet services.

Modern day people are very busy and also much inclined towards instant gratification. They hardly have time and patience to wait for anything, so naturally in case of accessing the Internet also people do not approve of a very slow process. That is why high speed internet connection is gaining more preference in comparison to dial-up connections.

Now, what exactly high speed Internet service is? High speed Internet service is a fast Internet service that transfers data much faster than the 56K telephone modem.
You can access high speed Internet service with the help of standard telephone dial-up modem which ties up the telephone line. Most notable advantage of high speed Internet is that it is almost five times faster than the standard dial-up connection, and is also cost effective. Today many of the Internet service providers, including AOL and Netscape, offer high speed Internet access without even charging any extra amount.

In case of broadband service, you can avail as high a speed as 70 times than the standard dial-up connection. Moreover, broadband uses Digital Service Line, cable, satellite, or radio towers to access the internet and does not tie up the telephone line while you are on the net. In broadband connection, to access Internet anytime he wants, the user does not require to wait for the modem to dial.

With a high speed Internet access you can certainly find innovative and innumerable ways to enhance the speed of your work. Further, the cost factor also hardly matter, because with various service providers, like AT&T, Cingular, Nextel, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon offering multifarious access packages featuring Internet speed range, cost and facilities the users can avail advanced Internet access in a quite affordable price.

So, downloading videos or a 400MB file, listening to radio in few minutes is no longer a distant dream. With a myriad of prepaid Internet packages and cheap plans you may even expect a lot better performance from your high speed Internet connection.

Hello and welcome to the new Broadband Internet Blog, the source for information, insight, and updates about Broadband.
We thought now was the right time to open the door and start a conversation with the Web community about what's happening with the Broadband and their transformation in new era.
We intend to use this blog to:
- Provide authentic messages about Broadband Internet and their querrys for our volunteer community. - Highlight enhancements, both current and future.
Additionally we want to hear from you.
What do you think about Broadband Internet? Why do you use it or what edge do u find to use them on others? Is there something you would like to see fixed? When you've been around as long as we have, some people are bound to have great things to say, while others might have a few choice words based on their personal experience. Either way, we want to hear it :)
We plan on posting every week so grab the opportunity for being updated about latest in the printer world.

Deepti Sharma