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General discussion

No "Compression" in my Internet?

Dec 13, 2007 5:25PM PST

Finally, I connected to high-speed internet yestterday. Its type is PPPOE (which I have no clue about). When I used to use the 56k dial-up, there was a Compression value (up to 60%) in the Properties dialog in Win XP. My friend has told me once that the higher the compression the faster the speed will be.

But in my current high-speed internet, the compression is 0% - it never changes. I use a SpeedTouch 330 USB modem.

So is it supposed to be like that for high-speed internet types? or should I call my ISP?

Thanks.

Discussion is locked

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Not sure what that compression is.
Dec 13, 2007 6:13PM PST

Nor which Properties window you are thinking about. Every file stored in Windows has a Properties window.

Here's a short explanation of PPPoE;
http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid7_gci214430,00.html

If your internet speed is good, (at least faster than your previous dial-up but should be much faster), then I wouldn't worry to much about how it is working. I am no expert but I don't see what compression would do or how it works. When your computer is connected to the internet, for example when you are surfing web pages using a browser, the computer receives data from the internet at whatever speed and whatever rate is available. For anything to be compressed your computer would have to send out a request to the..... whatever, to compress the data before sending it down to the computer. Then your computer would have to decompress it. That would just delay the data being sent down to you.

Why not have a look at CNET's speed test to see how fast you are receiving and sending data?
http://reviews.cnet.com/7004-7254_7-0.html
You don't have to enter an area code if you don't wish to.

Mark

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What about Software Compression?
Dec 14, 2007 7:25PM PST

Thanks, Mark, for your reply.

My PPPoE connection supports an option called Software Compression. From my readings, I've learned that there are 2 types of compression in a network; Software and Hardware (i.e. the modem's).

Do you think I should enable Software Compression? You've mentioned compression would generally slow down the speed, but then, what is it made for?

Thanks.

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I have to ask,
Dec 14, 2007 8:00PM PST

is there anything wrong with your broadband internet connection at the moment?

Normally network connections are set up automatically by Windows with very little input by users. Unlike in the past when we had to 'delve' in with all sorts of settings.

If your connection is running smoothly, I would leave it as it is.

I found this about Software Compression;
http://207.46.196.114/windowsserver/en/library/251fbfdf-db29-4a23-a20c-8797a9f3ba121033.mspx?mfr=true

It relates to dial-up modem settings and I would not have thought it was applicable to broadband modem connections.

Mark

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..
Dec 16, 2007 4:24AM PST

Yes, the speed is generally acceptable.

Thanks.