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Sat 23 Aug, 2003 05:48 am
One of my friends has her internet connection dropping out all the time when she downloads email, since she installed new virus software - PC Cillin(?) - which vets email prior to its arrival, and hence slows down the system a lot.
Another friend said tonight that she may have a telephone line (she is on dial-up, obviously) that has lots of "noise". he said to call up the telephone company and get them to do a particular test - but he had forgotten the name of the test. He said they just fluffed around uselessly until he got them to do this test.
Does anyone have any idea what test he is talking about?
They blow compressed air down your line. You need to tie a cloth or paper bag around the receiver so the 'phone-dust' doesn't get everwhere.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
Yeah, its a "Line Noise" test, or "Signal-to-Noise" test, more accurately. Noisy lines can be a big problem, and frequently do cause 'net connection drops. BTW, Trend Micro's (
www.trendmicro.com ) PC-Cillin is a fairlyrobust Antivirus/Firewall combo ... and Trend updates their Definitions list more frequently than some others. If the app is set to auto-check for updates every 12 hours, you're about as up-to-date as you can be.
i love my pc-cillin. love it. e-mail delivery doesn't effect speed here. must be a peculiarity of your friend's system.
No - 'tis her PC-Cillin apparently. Mostly they vet after emails arrive - this one before they get let in. It is all geek to me, but apparently it is so.
She must have a very special version of it. Mine updates the virus definitions, and does a virus check every two hours - no system disturbance noted when email arrives (i ran a check on the settings again after i posted earlier today). Does she get a LOT of email?
I would not have thought so - but she does not check it often, so I guess it mounts up. Drives me nuts when trying to communicate with her.
You would think I would not NEED to email her, since she and I work together all week - but, so it goes...
Are you not on broadband, Beth?
Hi Deb,
Aside from line noise, another trick to verify you're getting the best quality is to call the phone company and complain something like that the highest baud rate you can get is 1200 baud. If you complain your 56Kbps modem is working at only 28Kbps, the phone company will tell you're getting 2400 baud and they won't do anything. But if you complain you're only getting 1200 baud they have to fix the line cuz most guarantee a minimum of 2400 baud telephone lines.
To improve your line they'll first create a direct line between your line and the local switch, then they check your line to see if you have too much of a voltage drop, and if you do they may condition it a bit.
Thankee Monger - I will pass that on!
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