✔ Advice ✔ Tips ✔ Tutorials ✔ Solutions
Issue 190 October 2008
Supercharge your broadband Go faster for free with our in-depth guide
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Networking with Vista – no problem!
✔ Download managers ✔ Wi-Fi signal tricks ✔ ADSL tweaks ✔ Browser tips
Easy tweaks on p76
“How do I set up a Wi-Fi printer?” Step by step p80 Get the best…
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✔ 22 pages of tutorials ✔ 18 Helpdesk solutions ✔ 16 page pullout guide ✔ 4 ways to better graphics
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40 October 2008
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Boost your broadband Get the best connection possible
Ignore the ISPs and their “maximum broadband speeds” – Joe Cassels helps you get the best connection possible
A
nyone shopping around for an internet connection in Britain could be excused for thinking that we have a state-of-the-art network that enables anyone to hook up to a lightningfast connection. Clever adverts from internet service providers draw you in by offering 8Mbps, 16Mbps and even 24Mbps home broadband, but when you sign up the reality can be quite different. These speeds are possible, but generally for people who happen to live right on top of a local loopunbundled exchange. Most of us aren’t that lucky and settle for significantly lower than the theoretical maximum quoted by our ISPs. To be fair, ISPs can’t control the distance that you live from your phone exchange or the other factors
which can affect the maximum connection that you can achieve. However, by pushing the maximum speed rather than the average one received by subscribers they do create unrealistic expectations. The simple truth is that your phone line is only capable of carrying a certain speed of data using current technology and there’s nothing they can do to change this.
Optimise your connection Thankfully, you could make a big difference to the quality of your internet connection by paying attention to everything on your side, once your broadband connection has “entered your house”. It’s possible to reduce noise, prevent interference and optimise the way applications
handle internet data to give you the best connection possible. By squeezing every last drop of data from your connection you can make a noticeable improvement to its speed. We estimate that your home’s connection speed could increase by up to 20 per cent. We’ll take you through how broadband works and how you can use this knowledge to your advantage. We’ll show you how to measure the quality of your connection and provide advice on how to improve it by minimizing noise. We’ll also give you some guidance on what hardware to use for the best results and how to make changes at the software level to improve speed. We’ll even come up with some ISP recommendations to suit your budget and need for speed.
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October 2008
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Boost your broadband Get the best connection possible
How broadband works
It helps to see how an ADSL signal works, before trying to improve it 1
Copper cable
2
The twisted pairs of cables that make up a phone line are capable of carrying a range of frequencies.
Phone
The telephone plugs into the microfilter so that it only receives voice signals.
3
Voice signal
This lower-frequency band carries voice signals. These are carried at below 4KHz.
4
TELEPHONE EXCHANGE TELEGRAPH WIRES
BT WHOLESALE
MICRO FILTER
PHONE
WALL SOCKET
Data signals
All frequencies above 4KHz are up for grabs by data. They may be divided or distributed over 247 frequency bands, depending on the DSL system used.
FAX ISP
POWERLINE PLUGS
ROUTER
5
PC TOWER
Modem/router
The modem or router receives the high- frequency signals and transforms them back into data that your PC can understand.
ADSL broadband is delivered through your telephone line. The copper wires that were originally designed to carry voice signals are capable of carrying a much wider range of frequencies. By placing all data signals at above the 4KHz that voice takes up, DSL technology makes it possible to cram a vast quantity of data into the phone line.
Distance matters For it to work, ADSL needs the right equipment installed at the phone exchange and in the home that’s receiving broadband. The signal weakens
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Next-gen broadband speeds
LAPTOP
6
■ ADSL2+ ■ ADSL
Microfilter
This splits the incoming signal using filters. Plug this into your phone socket to separate data signals from the voice ones.
as you move away from the exchange. The longer the cable between your home and the exchange, the lower the quality of the DSL signals. This means that most homes can’t get the maximum speed offered by their ISP and some are too far away to be able to get broadband via ADSL at all. The higher frequencies used to carry data are more sensitive to interference and noise than the low-frequency voice signals. Think of a broadbandenabled phone line as a set of two pipes, one inside the other. The smaller, voice pipe is made of a solid material like a metal
DSL This stands for a Digital Subscriber Line. ADSL (asymmetrical) is the most common broadband type and provides faster download speeds than upload ones. SDSL (symmetrical) uploads and downloads data at the same rate.
and so is capable of carrying water or its signal over long distances. The outer, data pipe is more like a hose, made of a softer material, which can get kinks and blockages more easily. When you extend it over a longer distance, a hose is more likely to get a kink than a much shorter pipe. When using a hose at home, we can remove kinks to ensure a steady flow of water. Optimising a broadband connection is a similar task. You’ll never lift the speed above that which your line can handle, but you can remove potential blockages to make the signal as efficient as possible.
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Measuring signal quality
The quality of the signal reaching your modem or router affects speed Broadband signals are prone to interference. Microfilters separate voice signals and noise from your internet connection in a standard ADSL connection and can contribute to noise reduction. A good-quality modem router will measure signal strength and noise. Log into your router and look for a link to signal quality or ADSL analysis. Two stats to watch include attenuation and signal-tonoise ratio (SNR). Attenuation measures signal loss, so a high figure of, say, 60dB is bad, whereas something lower, like
20dB, is good. With SNR, higher figures are better. Anything above 15dB is good. A low figure like 6dB is poor.
Take a speed test If you’re unable to obtain signal quality statistics, try using a simple speed test, like the one provided at Broadband Choices (www.broadbandchoices. co.uk/speed-test.asp). Test several times on different days for a range of results. If you have a very low signal-to-noise ratio, ensure that you have a microfilter connected to each extension
on your phone line that has a device connected to it. If your microfilters are over a year old and you have a low SNR, consider replacing them. Start by getting just one replacement filter. A high-quality microfilter is the XF-1e (www.adslnation. com/products/xf-1e.php). Unplug all other devices from your phone line and connect the new microfilter to your master socket. Plug in your modem router and a single phone to this and test the signal quality. If there’s a significant improvement over your usual microfilters, replace them all.
POTS This refers to the normal voice phone system – the one that the wiring was originally designed for. It sounds quite technical until you find out that it stands for Plain Old Telephone System.
MICROFILTER This little piece of kit is crucial to any home broadband setup 1
Modem socket
This is an RJ11 socket designed for a modem or modem router.
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2
Face plate
This socket has the microfilter incorporated into the face plate.
Phone plug
This part of the microfilter connects to your phone socket. If you have a phone extension, connect this before the microfilter and then put another microfilter on the extension socket.
5
Phone
Connect your phone equipment here. Check with your phone company to find out the best way to add phone extensions.
4
ADSL socket
Connect your modem or router to this socket to obtain an ADSL broadband signal.
3
Phone socket
Plug your phone, fax or set top box into this socket. This provides a filtered signal optimised for voice.
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October 2008
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Boost your broadband Get the best connection possible
Maximise your wireless signal
Here’s how to reduce inefficiencies in your wireless broadband network Many modem routers also include a wireless access point so that you can connect to your network wirelessly using a laptop or connect several PCs to the internet without installing extra wiring. It’s vital to position the router or access point in a prime location so that all your PCs receive a strong wireless signal. It can be hampered by brick, concrete or plasterboard. Often the signal gets to your PC by bouncing off walls, which can weaken it significantly if it has to bounce around a lot. One way to improve
EXPERT ADVICE Network Stumbler
wireless connection is to use a new router that supports the N standard or a MIMO access point that has multiple antennae. Alternatively, invest in a wireless repeater.
Investigate local wireless networks
Get stumbling If you can’t afford to buy new hardware, experiment with different positions for the access point. If you use a laptop with Network Stumbler (www. netstumbler.com), you can walk around to find the best layout for your computers and router, checking the signal strength as you go.
Network Stumbler. scans all Wi-Fi frequencies and returns information on any local networks found, including the MAC address of the router or access point. When Network Stumbler finds an access point, it chimes and returns the
SSID (the service set identifier used to label a network), wireless channel and whether it’s encrypted or not. This can tell you if there are other networks in the area using the same channel as you. The colour of the icon shows how strong the signal is.
NETWORK STUMBLER Perfect your wireless connection with this excellent free program 1
Channels
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SSIDs
Click here to see the different wireless channels and select one to scan on that frequency only. You may choose to do this if you want to see if the channel that you’ve selected has any interfering devices on it.
5
This provides a list of the wireless networks found by their signal identifiers. Those appearing in grey are no longer being received. Those in green have strong signals.
Audio notification
Select this option to get an audible chime whenever a new network is detected. Very useful if you’re wandering around and need to look where you’re going.
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4
Signal strength graph
This plots the signal strength as you move about or make changes to the wireless network. Aim to get a strong steady signal that stays in the green area.
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Access point
This shows the MAC address of the network detected here. Select it to see a graph of connection strength. You can walk round with a laptop to find where the signal is strongest.
Boost your broadband Get the best connection possible
Rewire your phone line A simple wiring trick could boost your signal... 1
2
Back box
This forms the bell circuit. In some cases disconnecting this wire reduces noise, improving the broadband signal. Unhook it very carefully using an IDC tool.
This may be surface mounted or set into the wall. It essentially holds the phone wiring in place behind the face plate so that it’s not possible for the wires to work themselves loose.
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Orange/white wire
Phone cable
This is a cable made up of either four or six smaller wires. Not all of them are used to carry voice or data signals.
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Phone socket
This is the reverse of the socket into which you plug your phone cable. Note that a phone socket is wider and thinner than a network connection.
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Connector block
Here the wires from inside the phone cable are pushed into each connector using a push down tool. There are generally six connections here, but some older boxes only have four.
Another part of the broadband signal puzzle can lie in where your extension phone wiring is routed. If you have it running alongside mains cables or near other power supplies, they can be a source of noise. Try rerouting them to improve the signal. If this doesn’t work, consider altering your phone socket wiring. This is a relatively simple task, but bear in mind that BT owns the master phone socket on your line. If you tamper with it in any way that causes you to lose your phone signal, it can charge you to put things right. This applies to other phone companies, too. Most phone cables include six coloured wires that are joined to a connector block within the
3
Face plate
This holds the active part of the phone socket, including the connector block and the socket itself. It screws into the back box to hold itself in place.
phone socket. You can see this by removing the screws from the face plate and lifting it away. Make sure that you have no devices connected to this socket before you open it.
Four or six wires? Some installations only use four wires. If this is the case, you won’t be able to see an improvement by rewiring, so close the socket up again. Where there are six wires, one pair is used for the bell circuit. This can act as an antenna, collecting and amplifying noise from all over your building. Disconnecting the bell wire removes this source of noise and most phones will still ring as long as they’re behind a microfilter.
Master socket This is the main phone socket in your house, generally installed by BT. It’s the first one to receive your phone signal and one from which any extensions are connected. Using the master socket can boost your speeds significantly if you usually rely on a long extension socket.
The bell circuit is carried on the orange and white wire, which you can disconnect using an IDC tool. These are available from electrical shops or online retailers such as Screwfix (www.screwfix. com). Just lift the wire away from the connection block and reassemble the socket. Alternatively, you can invest in an ADSL Master Faceplate Splitter. This replaces the one supplied by BT and provides filtering within the phone socket once wired up. Installations within the past year by BT will already have these in place, but you can buy one of your own from Solwise (www.solwise.co.uk) or Maplin (www.maplin.co.uk) for around £10-12.
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October 2008
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Boost your broadband Get the best connection possible
Program edits
Applying application changes can make your connection seem faster So far we’ve considered physical ways to improve your connection by removing interference and ensuring that your filtering is up to scratch. However, there are ways in which software can help. These don’t boost your bandwidth as such, but they can ensure that you use what you’ve got to best effect. Web browsing is unlikely to take up your whole connection, but there are still ways that you can make it faster. If there’s a site that you use quite often that doesn’t change its content often, it’s worth considering storing a copy locally. WinHTTrack is a program designed to help you download whole websites and recreate the internal links in your copy, so you can browse them quickly from hard drive without using your connection at all. You can get a copy from www.httrack. com/page/2/en/index.html. Alternatively, you could use someone else’s cache
alongside compression software to bring stored pages to you more quickly. Onspeed (www.onspeed.com) uses this approach, making pages take up less data so they arrive at your PC faster. It’s a subscription service, costing £25 a year and it comes in versions optimised for dial-up or broadband connections. A similar free service is Google’s Web Accelerator (http:// webaccelerator.google.com). This is specifically designed to improve broadband web browsing. Just install the software to enjoy slightly faster, cached browsing.
Single file only When it comes to downloading big files, you’re going to want to use as much of your bandwidth as possible. Using a web browser for downloading can be inefficient because it calls for single files at a time, and servers divide the available bandwidth between
Free Download Manager is an excellent option for downloading
Web caching This involves storing a copy of web pages either on your own PC or by your ISP to ensure that they can be fetched quickly. This removes the potential bottle necks between the ISP and the remote web page.
each request they receive. You’ll rarely use all of your connection if you download this way. It would make more sense to install a download manager such as Free Download Manager (www.freedownloadmanager. org). The program divides up download files into chunks, requesting several at a time, so that you can use all your bandwidth. The program integrates with Internet Explorer so that you can use it whenever you download a file. At the time of writing it doesn’t work with Firefox 3, although it supported previous releases. If you use Firefox 2 then see the walkthrough to find out how to use the handy DownThemAll extension.
STEP-BY-STEP Downloading with DownThemAll
1
Install the add-on
Launch Firefox and then browse to https://addons. mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/ addon/201. Click “Add to Firefox” and opt to install the add-on when prompted to. Restart Firefox to complete the installation.
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2
Select the Download Options
Once installed, browse to a file you want to download and right-click it. Choose “Save link with DownThemAll!”. Then browse to the save location you want, check the file information and click Start.
3
Download the file
DownThemAll presents a window showing the progress of the download. You can add other downloads as this one is coming down. The add-on divides each file into manageable chunks that can be downloaded simultaneously.
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Choosing a broadband router
Your hardware selection will affect the quality of your broadband signal 1
Power connector
Unlike many USB modems, good routers require an external power supply. This enables them to provide internet access to several PCs without needing a gateway computer turned on.
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5
Antenna
Routers featuring a wireless access point usually have an external antenna like this one. Some don’t, but those with antennae generally provide a wider range of wireless signal.
ADSL socket
Connect the RJ11 cable supplied with the router from this socket to the ADSL or modem port in your microfilter, which in turn is plugged into your phone socket.
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Status lights
2
These show if the router is receiving power, if the ADSL line is connected correctly and if you’re online. The line indicator should show a steady light on if the router is receiving DSL signals correctly.
Ethernet connections
These light up to indicate a wired LAN connection to a PC or another network device. The lights may blink irregularly as data passes through each port.
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Wireless indicator
This light displays the state of the wireless signal, if present. If the light is off or blinking in a steady rhythm it may indicate wireless problems. Irregular blinking indicates the passage of data.
The hardware that you use to connect to your phone line plays a big part in maintaining a good connection. Avoid using a simple USB modem and opt for a modem router that provides an ADSL connection to several PCs. Even if you only have one computer connected to the net, it’s still better to go via a router as most provide a level of firewall protection that modems alone don’t. Modems often require you to install driver software before they’ll connect, whereas a router simply needs your connection information and an Ethernet connection to your PC to provide web access. In most cases, routers are configured via a web interface.
Connect yours up to the phone line, ensure that it has power and connect one of the Ethernet ports to your PC. Now launch a web browser and enter the IP address of the router, which is usually 192.168.0.1, but may vary. You’re prompted for a username and password to enter the web configurator. These are commonly left blank initially or both set to “admin”.
Make your changes It’s really in the web configurator that you’ll see what the router is capable of. If buying one from a shop then ask to see it working so you can find out what configurations are possible. There’s only so much you can tell from the outside of a router. Good ones should
Ethernet This refers to the network leads, adaptors or sockets provided in standard wired networking in the home or office. All recent PCs and laptops have Ethernet ports which you can use to connect to a router.
have four or more Ethernet ports and should support both ADSL2+ and gigabit Ethernet to ensure that improvements in connections and your network can be accommodated. In the web configurator you can see how easy it is to make changes to the set up, whether you can save a backup configuration file and what tweaks you can make. Some routers provide parental controls, blocking inappropriate content before it reaches the family PC. Others have scope for quality-of-service tweaks that enable you to prioritise bandwidth for certain applications. Ensure that any router you buy includes signal monitoring, so you can find out the signal-to-noise ratio.
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Make more of your bandwidth Employ router tweaks for a more efficient broadband connection Some routers enable you to preserve parts of your bandwidth for a certain task. So if you want to ensure that you can always receive email even if someone else on your network is downloading a huge file, you could reserve 10 per cent of the downstream connection for email. This is known as setting up a quality of service (QoS) rule and it’s a powerful technique. The small portion of the download bandwidth that’s reduced is unlikely to be noticed, whereas the inability to receive an email is likely to stand out
like a sore thumb. This kind of apportioning is best used when your connection is in constant use and you have vital services to maintain.
NAT
Get to be choosy Routers that support QoS rules may include some common ones that you can select, like ones to ensure that Skype calls can always be received or there’s always a little room for web browsing, but there are some cases, like specific games where you may need to get a little more technical. Routers can identify traffic arising
SETTING UP QoS RULES
Network Address Translation dictates how a PC can receive data, and how it passes that data on.
from specified IP addresses or a range of them to identify a particular network, or they can pick up on the port number that the data arrives or leaves by. For example web browsing normally uses port 80 and FTP port 21. To prioritise specific applications, consult their help files to find out which port and protocol they use so you can set up a QoS rule for them.
“To prioritise specific applications, consult their help files to find out which port and protocol they use”
QoS rules setup differs between routers, but there are some basic guides 1
QoS setup
Log into your router’s web configurator and select the QoS rules setup. This may be under advanced settings or under NAT, depending on the router.
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2
Enable QoS control
Before you can set up any rules, you need to enable quality of service control. This is usually done by ticking a box, like this one. This releases the rest of the controls.
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Direction
This determines the direction of data flow for the rule to act upon. This may be set to IN for downstream, OUT for upstream or BOTH for both ways.
Rule setup
Here you can set up the details of the rule, by selecting a service if your router has presets included or by port number and protocol. This enables the router to identify the traffic that you want to isolate.
5
Reserved bandwidth ratio
Here’s where you can specify a percentage of your total bandwidth to the rule that you’ve set up. Be aware that some services need more bandwidth than others.
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4
Class name
This provides a useful label for your QoS rule. It makes sense to name it after the program or service that you’ve set the rule up to protect.
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Best ISP deals
We’ve picked our top broadband choices to meet all possible internet requirements
Be Unlimited
URL www.bethere.co.uk/homebroadband.do Monthly price £18 exchanges that Be Unlimited sounds like have Be’s equipment an incredible deal. Up installed. As with all to 24Mbps download, other connections the up to 1.3Mbps upload actual speed depends with unlimited usage, on the distance from the subject to a fair use exchange. There’s a £24 policy. Of course, not connection charge and everyone can get this blistering speed; it’s only you get a Be Box router thrown in. available at unbundled
Plusnet
URL www.plus.net Monthly price £10 downloads are unlimited. Plusnet offers a number Use a download manager of broadband deals, to schedule them for the but its Broadband Your small hours and you’ve Way Option One offers got a cheap unlimited a cheap monthly rate with a relatively low 2GB package. Note that it’s download limit. However, not suitable for watching web video because if you opt to download you’ll quickly exceed outside the hours of your limit. 8am to midnight, any
Orange
URL www.orange.co.uk/time/broadbandaccess Monthly price £17 inc calls if Orange mobile customer with TalkTalk’s best Orange offers some deal, although usage is excellent deals for existing unlimited compared to mobile customers on Talk Talk’s 40GB cap. A fair unbundled exchanges with usage policy prevents you line rental and phone calls from totally unrestrained bundled in. The best price downloading, though. is certainly competitive
Talk Talk
URL www.talktalk.co.uk Monthly price free, with phone plan at £17 per month (£13.75 first three months) on a local loop unbundled Talk Talk’s much-flaunted exchange that offers Talk free broadband offer comes Talk, so it’s not universal. when you arrange for your It’s not unlimited either, but line rental and a call plan the monthly limit is pretty to come from the company. generous at 40GB. Talk Talk’s The deal is very good, but router costs £30. it’s only available to users
Tiscali
URL www.tiscali.co.uk Monthly price £15 (£7 for the first three months) opt to bundle phone calls Tiscali provides one of with Tiscali. “Unlimited” the best value unlimited means that there’s a fair broadband deals that’s use policy, but if you steer available across all clear of peak times for exchanges. You can get downloading, you’re unlikely slightly better deals on an unbundled exchange or if you to fall foul of it.
STEP-BY-STEP Getting details about your exchange
1
Find your exchange
Browse to www.samknows. com/broadband/checker2. php and enter your phone number and postcode. This provides enough information for the checker to find your exchange and work out roughly how far you are away from it.
2
Check available speeds
Samknows can tell you if ADSL is available at your exchange, and possible speeds. Click BT ADSL to find out what BT products are available. Choose LLU xDSL to find out if there are any unbundled services.
3
Examine the locality
Click Locality to see the users connected to your exchange. You’ll also be provided with a straight line distance between you and your exchange, although the phone cable length is likely to be longer.
PCAnswers
October 2008
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Boost your broadband Get Getthe thebest bestconnection connectionpossible possible
Top ten questions to ask your ISP If you plan to change ISP, gather as much information as possible…
1
Is your service available to me?
2
Will I be locked into a contract?
Many ISPs only supply users connected to unbundled exchanges, but they rarely advertise the fact up front.
Many ISPs lock you in to a 12- or 18-month contract – multiply the monthly cost by the length of the contract to find out how much you’re committing yourself to.
3
Is this price a special offer?
The tempting price on the advert is often only valid for three months after which there’s a price rise. Take this into account when working out the total cost of your contract.
4
Is the price capped for the duration of the contract?
If you’re locked into a contract, make sure that the ISP can’t spring any nasty surprises on you part way through it
5
Is there a data cap? What happens if I go over it?
Check that you won’t ring up a huge bill should you inadvertently go over the data limit set by your ISP.
EXPERT ADVICE MAC Codes
6
Do you restrict P2P data sharing?
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Do you use traffic shaping?
Many ISPs clamp down on peerto-peer applications, regardless of what data is being shared.
Some draconian traffic shaping policies can harm download speeds after an event such as an online backup.
8
What is the realistic speed I can expect?
Most ISPs should be able to give a rough estimate of the likely performance of your connection before you sign up.
9
Do you provide free equipment?
If the ISP offers a free wireless router, it’s a good idea to find out what model it is before you decide whether it’s really an incentive.
10
Is there a connection charge?
Most ISPs enable you to transfer from another provider for free, but charge for connection if this is your first broadband account. Some charge you for switching, too. ■
JARGON BUSTER Data Cap This is a limit on the amount of data you can send or receive. Traffic shaping Some ISPs use this so that users don’t hog the data at busy times. Bandwidth The amount of data available per second on a connection. Fair Use Policy This prevents users maxing out their connections for long periods. Downstream/Upstream The direction of data flow. Downstream is data received; upstream is sent data. Router A device that enables internet connection sharing by forwarding data to and from a number of PCs. Modem This changes the analogue DSL signals into digital data and vice versa. Dial-up modems convert data from sound. Broadband ones use higher frequencies.
8
To change ISP find out your migration authorisation code Once, changing ISP was an arduous process. Broadband connections are tied to your phone line and, unlike a dial-up account, you can’t simply enter a different number when you want to change suppliers. You needed to get the old and new ISPs to agree to the change and perform the migration, which was a complex process until the development
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of the MAC code. Now you can request a Migration Authorisation Code from your existing ISP and quote it to the new ISP – the transfer should then take place in a couple of weeks. MACs are made up of numbers and letters and can be between 17 and 19 characters. When you request a MAC, your ISP should provide one within five working days.
Go to www.maccode.co.uk to get your MAC