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Introduction: Numerous web sites concerned with system tuning carry details of a registry tweak which can significantly speed up Internet transfers using Win95 Dial Up Networking. It works by changing some of the network protocol parameters. By default Win95 assumes that you are connected to a shared local area network and uses appropriate values for this arrangement. Most home users, however, connect via a modem using the Point-to-Point protocol (PPP). By using values more suited to this type of connection it is possible to reduce the amount of time spent splitting data files into packets and subsequently reassembling them. This is particularly noticeable during long ftp transfers and when downloading streaming audio or video. PPP-Boost is a small freeware utility that allows you to try this technique for yourself. Simply run PPP-Boost, select the recommended settings and reboot your PC. This utility is freeware meaning that you can do what you want with it (as long as it does not besmirch our reputation). Conversely, you accept any risk involved in using it. As with any utility that modifies your registry settings it is prudent to make a copy of the registry before using it. How PPP-Boost works (put simply). PPP-Boost modifies three registry entries that relate to Internet Protocol communications. The first MaxMTU determines the size of the information packets. By default Windows 95 uses a packet size of 1500 which is correct for Local Area Network operation. However, the standard packet size for the dial up Internet access is 576. The second parameter is RWIN, the receive window size. This can be regarded as a throttle or speed control for the internet server. If the server sends data too slowly performance is degraded. Similarly, if the server sends data faster than your modem can accept it then time is wasted as the data must be resent and performance is down again. The best results are acheived if the date rate from the server matches the throughput of your modem. If you wish to experiment with different values for RWin you should ensure that the value chosen is multiple of 536 (each 576 character packet is made up of 536 data and 40 header characters). A standard 28K modem has a throughput of about 3.5K characters per second. An Rwin value of 3216 (6 X 536) would be ideal for use with a 28.8K modem. However, many people find that a slightly lower value of 4 X 536 (or 2144) works best. The following table shows the optimal and recommended Rwin settings for different modems.
The TTL parameter is the Time To Live counter for a network packet. Basically, this is the number of network routers that a packet will cross before giving up and deciding that the destination machine does not exist. It does not directly affect performance but the rapid growth of the Internet and the increasing use of firewall and proxy servers mean that the Windows default value of 32 is no longer large enough to reach every machine on the net. The PPP-Boost recommended value of 64 is more than enough and there is no gain from increasing it further. Other Modem speed improvements. If you running an early version of Windows 95 (pre OSR2) there are two updates from Microsoft which you should install on your system. The first is the improved unimodem driver which is faster than the one supplied on the installation discs. This is avalable from ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/softlib/MSLFILES/UNIMODV.EXE The second is the Microsoft ISDN accelerator pack. You should install this even if you do not use an ISDN connection as it contains more efficient WinSock software. This is available from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows95/info/isdn4w95.htm Note: these updates are incorporated into the OSR2 release of Windows 95. Using PPP-Boost It is recommended that you back up your registry prior to making changes. PPP-Boost includes a utility that will copy the registry files to specified location. In the event of a problem the registry files can be restored, returning the machine to its original state. See below for details on how to restore the registry. To use the program simply run it, click on the recommended settings and the OK button. PPP-Boost will then search your registry for a TCP/IP configuration with the IP address of 0.0.0.0 and make the appropriate changes. This indicates that the IP address is assigned by your ISP each time you connect. If you use a fixed IP address for dial-up Internet access PPP-Boost will not detect it and will give the following error message:- 'Could not detect a suitable TCP/IP entry' PPP-Boost will then exit without making any changes. You will be prompted to restart your computer for the new settings to take effect. If you want to confirm the changes use REGEDIT to check the following entries under HKey_Local_Machine:- \System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Class\NetTrans\00?? (where 00?? is one of a list of network configurations) and \System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Vxd\MSTCP Restoring The registry. As a precaution, PPP-Boost provides a simple registry backup facility. This will copy the two regsitry files ('user.dat' and 'system.dat') to a specified location. In the unlikely event of a problem these may then be copied back to the original location to restore the computer to its original state. To restore the registry files
Frequently asked questions To answer the most common questions:-
In addition to PPP-Boost we offer a number of educational, technical and multimedia programs for the Windows 95 operating system. Demonstration versions can be downloaded from our website at www.c3sys.demon.co.uk We currently offer the following software :-
Contact Information Be sure to visit the C3 systems website and check out our growing range of technical, educational and multimedia software. email: enquiires@c3sys.demon.co.uk websites http://www.c3sys.demon.co.uk http://www.demonweb.co.uk/c3sys |