Monday, November 12, 2001		Article

Joints in cable can hinder connectivity
Vipul Verma

HUMAN beings biggest friend is a computer, in modern times. Today the world has become a vast network of computers spread across the globe. Thus any computer, which is being used for surfing the Internet is in a way a part of the networking. Though, the literal sense of networking in terms of connecting two or more computer through LAN cards or direct cable remains equally important, however the horizon of networking has broadened. The more advanced form of networking, which is being used by corporates and large firms involve even more advanced technologies like use of routers, satellite connections etc. So practically, no matter whether we use networking on a stand-alone machine in some ways or the other, we are a part of networking. Therefore, it makes networking one of the most important aspects of the understanding computers today for every computer user.

If you have two or more computers, then it makes sense to have a network installed on your systems. With a network, you cannot only share the data between two computers easily and effectively but you can also share the resources, like sharing printers with many other PCs or sharing CD ROMs., which would be otherwise impossible minus network. You can even share your Internet connection, with as many PCs using one telephone line and modem with network installed on your computers. So, the benefits of having a network on your PCs are immense. However still some persons avoid using network, due to the psychological jargon of complexity involved in the field of networking.

Actually there is no complexity involved in networking anymore and with the modern operating systems; networking has rather become a child's play. Moreover, the use of tips and tricks can make the task of networking even easier. For the purpose of boosting the performance of the network, we have divided networking in two broad categories:

1) Network using LAN

2) Network using modem.

Networking with LAN is rather fun in small office and home PCs. However you must take certain care for effective networking. First of all ensure that you have correctly inserted the LAN cards on the motherboards and the cable connecting the PCs either directly or through a hub is fixed properly and is not loose. The loose cable connections can often create problems in the network and may thus interrupt the working. If the LAN is being set up in the secured environment, which is not exposed to strangers then it is always better to have all resources shared so that accessing of data is unrestricted. However, you can still provide the passwords for accessing other computers that will take care of the security concerns from unscrupulous hands. However, you need to take a lot of care if you are connecting to the Internet in the unsecured environment, as your system may remain exposed to the hazards of hacking and other kind of invasion to the privacy of the network. In this case it is advisable to have a firewall installed on your PCs.

Talking of the networking using modem, the first thing, which comes to mind of most computer users, is the Internet. No doubt, that Internet is one of the biggest forms of networking but there are some other applications like hyper-terminal, which uses the modem for establishing connectivity with other PC. Though, for using applications like hyper terminal, you would not need any special settings and the only setting required is that you'll have to configure the settings both for receiving and sending the data. Some other applications like ProComm Plus are also popular software for connecting two PCs using modem through telephone line. However, for connecting to the Internet using modem you may need some special settings for better performance, which are as follows:

First of all make sure that you have set the speed of the COM port to at least 57,600 and better if you set it to the maximum. Second for fast connectivity, you may also drop the setting for log on to network. Normally logging on to the network takes sometime and frustrates the Internet surfers. Next, do not use the wait for dial tone setting unless it is required. This setting may not work on every computer and can affect the performance of the PC. Also in modem configuration, uncheck the settings like "Enable modem error control" and "enable modem compression" and you can only keep the "Enable hardware flow control" setting enabled. This will further boost the performance of your Internet connection.

Normally, the biggest problem of the Internet users is related to frequent disconnections. The disconnections though could be because of the problems at the end of your ISP, yet in most of the cases, this problem could be associated with the factors associated at your end. First, the major cause for the frequent disconnection is the faulty telephone line, which can be a major stumbling block for a smooth uninterrupted Internet connection. The cuts and joints in your telephone line may cause your connection to drop very frequently. Replace the faulty telephone lines at first instance and avoid using extentions and gadgets like Fax machines on the line, which you would like to use for connection to the Internet, These cares can solve a majority of your disconnection problems, however if the problems still remains, then you can add the setting S10=50 in the Extra settings Box of Advance settings Tab. You can add this setting by right clicking on the Connection icon in the Dial up networking in My Computer. This will open the Connection properties window on your computer screen. Now click on configure and then click on connection tab. Now click on the Advanced tab located near the bottom and enter the setting in the extra settings box. Now click OK and close all open windows by pressing OK. This setting will make your modem wait for 50 seconds to disconnect, if there is no data transfer despite the ping response. Normally, this is sufficiently good period for restoring activity on your Internet connection and thus avoiding disconnection. Another effective tip for better Internet performance is to always use the latest and updated drivers as they incorporate the latest developments in the drivers to give the best performance.