TCP Optimizer: Jumpstart That Internet Connection

When I bought my first modem way back when Windows 3.1 was the "meanest ever" operating system (remember that good ol' File Manager?), I became an addict at IRC trivia chatrooms. I'd spend hours online and that's saying a lot considering everything back then was on dial-up Internet. I swear I could not get off the Net.

Nowadays however it seems I could not get ON the Net. The past weeks I've been frustrated by a slow Web. Sites loaded like sloths, connections dropped off frequently. "Could not connect to Blogger.com" - familiar ain't it. Don't even get me started on file uploads - it just seems never ending.

I called up my ISP and ordered for an upgraded service. I'm supposed to be running on a 512-kbps service for crying out loud. My old dial-up seemed faster. Anyway, guess what my ISP said. It will take a while; about two to three weeks. The Internet had become for me a long waiting game.


Internet Gridlock by 2010

According to a recent report, things can get a lot worse. The increasing demand for broadband may bring the Internet to a screeching halt as capacity can be overrun as early as 3 years from now. Admittedly though, the report may be a tad too alarming. However I am inclined to believe the plausibility of the scenario. Already many of us experience the many boos and bahs of a bandwidth-lacking global network.

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Optimize The Net

In the meantime, while the powers-that-be line up undoubtedly expensive propositions how the rest of us may continue to enjoy the Internet when that time comes, we have to make do with what we have. There's a nifty tool from speedguide.net which I tried recently and it seemed to have given my connection a corrective slap. SG TCP Optimizer aggregates a slew of Windows system settings that is supposed to improve your Internet connectivity. It's similar to other net optimizers and boosters in the market, except that SG TCP Optimizer is freeware. And as far as I can see, it's free from malware as well.

Just download the program (see resource link below) and enable it. Select Optimal Settings at the lower left-hand side of the dialogue box and ok it. It automatically creates a backup of your registry although it is always best practice to manually backup your system before fiddling with it. It will then ask you to restart your system.

Personally, it was not a jaw-dropping change for me but there was a noticeable increase in some Web operations. I'm ok with that for now. Until my connection upgrade anyway.

A Need for Speed - Where to Test Your Internet Connection's Speed

"Incoming!!!"
My wife sent me a text message earlier today asking me which "speedtest" I use. Apparently this new compound word, while non-existent in any English dictionary, is fast becoming the direct term of choice to reference testing one's Internet connection speed.

A rough content analysis of search returns for the exact term "speedtest" nearly always refer to a program or measure of how fast a network connection is vis-a-vis the Internet. I predict "speedtest" will have a formal dictionary definition sooner than anyone might expect.

In the meantime, I replied to my wife the first thing that comes up for a search on speedtest. Ookla Net Metrics boasts of a free "Global Broadband Speed Test" service in Speedtest.net.

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Unlike other Internet speedtests it doesn't ask for your Internet connection type. Perhaps its assuming that users read the title bar for the site which states quite clearly that its a broadband test. Theoretically however, it should work for any kind of Internet connection.

It automatically locates a user upon access, as the flash-enabled interface will zoom in on the world map to the country where the user is presumably accessing the site, most likely via IP address geo-location.

You are then asked to select the nearest servers, designated as blue and golden (suggested) pyramids, on the map. You may click on the suggested location or alternatively you may test how fast your connection responds with a server from the other side of the world.

As an online diagnostic application, it is sleek and fast. The interface is laid-out like a sports car dashboard. It also reminds me of that 80's juvenile movie "War Games" - with a world map etched against a black backdrop and projectile arcs shooting from pyramids onto populated cities.

It measures your "ping" echo, as well as download and upload speeds. You will be provided links to your speedtest results which you can post to your forum, website or blog similar to the image below.

You can do comparative tests for different country servers via "My Results" which will show you a results history for your IP address. The "My Summary" section will give you an overview of your IP address' performance including a Global Rank and your Country Rank.

Over at the "Global Stats" tab you can see the average speedtests for continents, countries and ISPs. You can even drill down the selection for the best ISP for a particular city, in case you plan to shop around for a better Internet service provider.

Got access to your web servers? You can host a "Speedtest.net Mini" as a free service for your website audience. You may even fully customize and re-brand your own speedtest by licensing Ookla's technology (see "Why License A Speed Test").

By the way, Japan leads in both broadband upload and download speeds. Which partly explains why Japan leads in blogging according to the Technorati April 2007 State of the Live Web report.

So there. Next time you need a speedtest, you know where to go.

"Bloggers Get Healthy!" - Check Your Body Fat and Other Ways to Measure Health

"So, the greater the pizza size..."
Some time ago, I did an article (see "Healthy Alternative...") urging my fellow bloggers to take some time out at least thrice a week to get some light exercise into their routine. The tip is intended for non-bloggers also, in case you're wondering. So did you fellows take the advice?

Well, did you?

For those of you who failed to heed the call of the stairmaster or your local aerobics instructor, here's a quick check to see whether you're qualified for the next sumo wrestling world cup.

There are of course devices in the market that can measure your body fat quite accurately. However, these digital monitors won't your reduce body fat but rather it will strip away your hard earned blog advertising revenue. Keep that cash and stay wealthy and healthy at the same time.

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What you do is you get your grandma's trusty old tape measure and head on over to HealthCentral.com's Health Calculators at their CholesterolNetwork site. Here you'll find a few online tests to gauge your health's status.

Body Fat Percentage and Body Mass Index (BMI) are two important measures relevant to finding out whether your likely prone to weight-related health risks. You need to know your height, weight, waist and hips measurements, plus you will also need to measure your wrist's and forearm's girth. Plug those numbers in on their calculators and you'll get a close enough picture of how healthy you are.

There's also the Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) measurement which relates to whether you're body is shaped like an "apple" or a "pear". Apple shaped body types have extra weight concentrated around the waist which is correlated to greater health risks. You may visit healthyforms.com and use their cool graphical WHR tool.

My scores aren't pretty but I'll share it to the rest of the web universe as a baseline. I'm currently keeping to a workout program and I'm confident these numbers will improve a few dozen blogs from now.

Body Mass Index (BMI) - 31.8 (High Risk, Overweight)
Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR) - 1.08 (Apple, Overweight, Health Risk)
Body Fat Percentage - 22.1% (18% is healthy for Asians like me)

Remember that keeping a healthy weight is a key factor in avoiding heart ailments as we grow old.

What about you? How do your health scores add up?