14 Steps to Faster Surfing

By Matt Lake and B. A. Nilsson

Back when the Internet was young, we waited forever for our favorite Web pages to load. We didn't know any better.

But now we do. Today, the Web isn't a novelty. It's a vital tool for commerce and communications, and slow-loading pages are a real pain in the butt. A lot of that can't be helped, because the Net--especially in the United States--suffers from massive overload. Current high-speed Internet lines still can't smoothly handle millions of users.

It's not all the Internet's fault, however. Part of the problem may be on your end. Slow hardware, incorrect Windows settings, even your phone line or ISP can all contribute to sluggish Web performance. So, although we can't cure what ails the Internet in general, we will show you step-by-step techniques that you can use to bring your Internet connection up to warp speed.

• Track Your Data
• Time the Sites You Visit
  • Clock Your ISP
  • Bargain With Your ISP
• Improve Your Memory
  • Optimize Your Hardware
  • Defrag Your Drive
  • Pump Up Your Serial Port
• Fine-Tune Windows
  • MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit)
  • MSS (Maximum Segment Size)
  • RWin (Default Receive Window)
  • TTL (Time to Live)
  • Hand-Edit Your Registry Settings
• Create an IP Address Book
  • Change Your Home Page
  • Cut the Graphics
  • Augment Your Cache
• Clean Up Your Connection
  • Upgrade Your Phone Line
  • Cable Modems
  • DSL and Other Alternatives
  • Crank Up Your Modem Speed
  • Speed Limits
  • Shop With Caution
  • Two Modems, Twice the Speed