Adsl Alternative.

[p1p]

I have been trying, forever, to get an ADSL or other high speed connection and been given al the excuses: Next week, No spare capacity, no spare line, too far from connection etc. etc. etc.

About a week ago, I was introduced to Onspeed. A download costing about 1750 Baht, which has increased my internet speed a huge amount. Current speed tests, at high traffic times, show 300+Kb with Onspeed active, and around 40Kb when it is not active. The best speed I have seen in the past few days was over 1300Kb and this compares with the worst at 7Kb without Onspeed..

I heartily recommend it if you can not get Broadband.

To contact them, click HERE.

P.

[huski]

it took me 6 weeks to get a new phone line and DSL from TRUE. nightmare, every excuse was thrown at me

after 3 days they shut off my account which they say is normal for new users. now the connection has been up for a week 24/7 and the speed is extremely fast.

p1p, i went to the onspeed website for more info. i'm curious how those speeds can increase so dramatically. ?? some different protocol running on top of tcp? the mother of all proxy servers?

[sbk]

Me too, I am stuck with dial up and would love to increase my current speed (45.3 )

How does it work?

[Wolfie]

Its a different method of compression, i'm not totaly 100% on how it works, but your speed will remain the same... theres no actual difference. What will happen is the data your transferring will be better compressed, meaning your downloading less information, which then gets decompressed when it reaches your system.

Imagine zipping up a page before downloading it to your browser. Same idea.

Zip up a 100kb text file (which is all HTML really is) and it will come out around 10-20kb. Imagine if your downloading 20kb instead of 100kb... its going to be a lot quicker, even though nothing has changed to the hardware/line speed involved.

Thats how i understand it anyway, i could be wrong (i am wrong sometimes, so i'm told)

[sbk]

I am a very cautious person when it comes to downloading onto my computer so I googled it and got this review from The Guardian:

Not for the first time, a company is offering to "transform your dial-up to near broadband speeds" by running compression software in the background. But two things are unusual about OnSpeed. First, it is a British company. Second, while its servers are awake, it actually works, though this doesn't necessarily mean I'd recommend it.

I tried it with ZD Net's free bandwidth speed tester. It was from a Telewest dial-up connection, and using OnSpeed increased the rating from 45.2kbps to 69.9kbps. Web pages were noticeably faster to download, particularly graphics-heavy ones presumably aimed at broadband users.

For example, OnSpeed reduced the download time for the image-heavy www.b3ta.com from a hopeless two minutes 15 seconds to an unacceptable 90 seconds. However, bear in mind that the system works by compressing the graphics, reducing their quality. This doesn't matter on the majority of sites, where the graphics have no useful function, but it may matter if you want to look at the pretty pictures. If so, OnSpeed has a slider control letting you increase the quality level and so reduce the speed.

Using OnSpeed with a BT Openworld 512K ADSL broadband connection increased the ZDNet speed rating from 490.3kbps to 769.8kbps. Again, web surfing was snappier, but in general use, the difference often seemed pretty marginal. On the B3ta site, for example, the download time was reduced from 16 seconds to 12 seconds. Sometimes the page seemed to take longer, but it was impossible to say whether the delay was caused by waiting for OnSpeed's servers to compress the site, or just the fact that web pages often hang for random reasons.

OnSpeed made no difference to the speed with download managers. When I downloaded a 23 megabyte XviD movie file, it took longer with OnSpeed running: seven minutes and four seconds compared with six minutes and 50 seconds. It also made no difference to streaming video. In other words, OnSpeed doesn't really replace a broadband "always on"connection, but it does speed up your web browser and email program.

Compressing pages on the fly is a very old idea: it's how the proprietary AOL service works. OnSpeed works better because it has better compression, though AOL has the advantage that with tens of millions of users, it can often serve up pages it has already compressed for someone else. Whether OnSpeed will be able to keep up the speed when its servers are deluged with users remains to be seen.

The other issue with programs such as OnSpeed is privacy, and its potential exploitation. If all your pages are going via OnSpeed then it knows what you are doing, and this information is valuable for serving advertisements. You should definitely read the privacy policy at www.onspeed.com/privacy.php before signing up, and that's why I will be signing off. A dial-up user might take a different view. OnSpeed costs £24.99 a year (Windows only at present) .

[p1p]

My comments, such as they are worth, are that I have found a massive increase in speed. Maybe this is because the Onspeed compression works better over the noisy lines I suffer outside Chiang Mai than normal surfing, which constantly has to resend packets. I can only presume that bto be the case.

I use Star Downloader as my download manager and, again I have noticed an increase in speed. Offline Explorer, which I use to datamine, fairly zips through loading sites now.

My speed increases are much greater than Onspeed quotes, or those quoted in the Guardian. I can only assume it is because there are more problems in web surfing from Thailand than from a clean UK connection!

I have it now and I can not see going back.

[Ano-mini]

Hello People,

This information looks harmless, the software is probably harmless and does maybe even the stuff it is promising.

But I have a bit a problem with COMMECIAL links that look like useful information.

So everybody has to realize that P1P gets 9.40 Euro for everybody who signs up with the links in his posting. (http://www.onspeed.com/partner.php)

This is a great idea; maybe we all have to do this.

[Firefoxx]

Internet accelerators have been available for a long time. They basically do two things: compress pages and reduce image file sizes. Images can be dramatically downsized if the quality is reduced, and you sometimes can't tell the difference.

They're reducing the amount of data you have to load in order to view the same (well, basically the same) page. The amount of reduction depends on the page content. They don't actually make your link any faster or more reliable.

[p1p]

Hello People,

This information looks harmless, the software is probably harmless and does maybe even the stuff it is promising.

But I have a bit a problem with COMMECIAL links that look like useful information.

So everybody has to realize that P1P gets 9.40 Euro for everybody who signs up with the links in his posting. (http://www.onspeed.com/partner.php)

This is a great idea; maybe we all have to do this.

Sorry about that. I just copied and pasted the link they gave "If you wish to recommend to a friend."

Still, if anybody signs up, they can go direct to www.onspan.com or they can click the above link. The price will be the same but I will buy a drink for any who follow my link! (Drink will need to be in Chiang Mai!)

[Ano-mini]

Hello P1P,

I agree, I never say it is a bad thing; we all can help another…..

I found that the software you promote does really increase general internet speed, maybe not the amounts they let us belief but still an acceptable amount.

I will even extend your header, this is not only an alternative for ADSL it is even an alternative for people who are not happy with there ADSL connection.

That you found it, post it, and introduced it to us…I can agree you get some benefit (I have no official saying in this, just my feeling)

[sabaijai]

I was concerned that onspeed wouldn't support my browser of choice, Opera. Then I read through onspeed's website and Opera appears to be onspeed's browser of choice, too. Since Opera is the fastest browser there is (or it was last I read comparisions of all the main ones available), I think I'll give onspeed a try, since ADSL is already oversubscribed in my area of Chiang Mai and there are no further connections available.

[joka]

it works for me, the ad blocker is nice too, even with opera i couldn't stop the bangkok post from continually trying to reload ads. this has cut the ads totally out, and can actually download an e-bay page in less than five minutes.

[sabaijai]

I just ordered and paid for onspeed. I used onspeed's own speed test before and after installation.

throughput before installation: 35k (170 sec to download 754k)

throughput after installation: 37k (161 sec to download 754k)

Onspeed's own user stats report I've earned less than 1% speed increase.

Hardly what was promised. I'm not doubting it has worked for others. It's a complete bust as far as I'm concerned. I feel absolutely no subjective increase in downloads and the figures bear that out.

I've checked all the settings and everything conforms to the user FAQs, the program is enabled, etc.

I'll try juggling the settings some more but if unable to get any more increase, will definitely be requesting a refund.

[sabaijai]

Below is the list of Troubleshooting options on onspeed's online Help menu. Not a single one addresses what to do if you're getting no or negligible speed increase.

Where can I find a "step-by-step" procedure for installing ONSPEED on my computer?

During installation, a dialog appears warning that email acceleration is disabled because another LSP was detected. Why is it?

...use ONSPEED (Web-Browsing Related)

Why am I not able to connect to the remote service?

Why can't I right-click on an image to get the "Original Image?

Why can�t I load/open some specific websites when the Accelerator is enabled?

Why is Netscape/Mozilla not working with the Accelerator?

Why do some Java-applets (such as certain games on www.pogo.com) not work?

I am using Zonealarm, ONSPEED is not working, what could be wrong?

I am an AOL user, ONSPEED is not working, what could be wrong?

...use ONSPEED (Email-Browsing Related)

During installation, a dialog appears warning that email acceleration is disabled because another LSP was detected. Why is it?

When the Accelerator starts, a dialog appears warning that another application is using port 25 or port 110. Why is it?

...uninstall ONSPEED

How do I remove ONSPEED from my computer?

Edited October 18, 2004 by sabaijai

[sabaijai]

it works for me, the ad blocker is nice too, even with opera i couldn't stop the bangkok post from continually trying to reload ads. this has cut the ads totally out, and can actually download an e-bay page in less than five minutes.

Are you using Opera with onspeed?

I just tested throughput again using MS IE and got 306K, nearly a 10-fold increase over the normal IE performance.

Then I tried it with Opera again and got a measly 42K.

So it appears that, despite what onspeed's website claims, it's not really compatible - as a speed increaser anyway - with Opera, despite the apparent endorsement of Opera.

Just curious if everyone's grand results come with IE only?

[p1p]

it works for me, the ad blocker is nice too, even with opera i couldn't stop the bangkok post from continually trying to reload ads. this has cut the ads totally out, and can actually download an e-bay page in less than five minutes.

Are you using Opera with onspeed?

I just tested throughput again using MS IE and got 306K, nearly a 10-fold increase over the normal IE performance.

Then I tried it with Opera again and got a measly 42K.

So it appears that, despite what onspeed's website claims, it's not really compatible - as a speed increaser anyway - with Opera, despite the apparent endorsement of Opera.

Just curious if everyone's grand results come with IE only?

My previous tests were all running the IE engine with Maxthon on top.

Seeing these comments I decided to run concurrent time trials using Maxthon/IE, Netscape (4.7), Opera (7.53) and Firefox/Mozilla (1.0).

The computer is a P4, 2.8GHz, 1 Gig Ram and a 56K modem with quoted connection speed 42.6Kb/s

Results were as follows:

Browser__________No Onspeed______With Onspeed

Mozilla/Firefox________11Kb_____________17Kb

Netscape_____________11Kb_____________17Kb

Opera_______________12Kb______________18Kb

Maxthon/IE___________11Kb_____________219Kb

The Maxthon/IE image quality was demonstrably lower than the other browsers with onspeed running but the speed increase is massive!

I am copying these results in an email to Onspeed with a request for clarification whether they will soon be genuinely supporting my alternate browsers of choice.

(The computer was also rendering a video file for production of a DVD at the time these tests were running.)

[sabaijai]

I've just notified Onspeed that I want a refund and have uninstalled the program. Aside from the fact that it doesn't work with Opera, it screwed up my Eudora setup so that I couldn't receive email, only send. At first I thought the problem was my server but it wasn't.

It really sped up IE but I really can't stand to use IE after using Opera for two years now. The other thing was that image clarity was reduced a lot, and I rely a lot of graphics because I buy and sell stuff on eBay.

If it hadn't screwed my Eudora setup I would probably have kept it, and used it with IE when I needed speed more than resolution.

I just hope they give the refund as promised (14-day money-back guarantee).

[p1p]

I've just notified Onspeed that I want a refund and have uninstalled the program. Aside from the fact that it doesn't work with Opera, it screwed up my Eudora setup so that I couldn't receive email, only send. At first I thought the problem was my server but it wasn't.

It really sped up IE but I really can't stand to use IE after using Opera for two years now. The other thing was that image clarity was reduced a lot, and I rely a lot of graphics because I buy and sell stuff on eBay.

If it hadn't screwed my Eudora setup I would probably have kept it, and used it with IE when I needed speed more than resolution.

I just hope they give the refund as promised (14-day money-back guarantee).

What happened with Eudora, and what version are you running?

I also use Eudora and have noticed only improvements in speed, both sending and receiving.

[Richard-BKK]

Hmmm,

Maybe Onspeed is the SPAM filter I was always looking for.

But serious I never hear about Onspeed messing with email settings??

With kind regards,

Richard

[p1p]

Onspeed replied to my email within an hour! I enclose the main gist of their message below:

Can you please make sure you have altered the proxy server settings in the other browser.

Firefox 0.8 or later

a.. Open Firefox

a.. Select Tools -> Options

a.. Select Connection Settings

a.. Check Manual Proxy Configuration

a.. Set HTTP Proxy to "localhost" with port 5400

a.. Select OK

Opera 7 or later

a.. Open Opera

a.. Select Tools -> Preferences

a.. Select Network

a.. Click Proxy Servers

a.. Set HTTP Proxy to "localhost" with port 5400

a.. Select OK

a.. Click Apply then OK

The acceleration really should not be browser-related.

yours,

ONSPEED Customer Services

I changed proxy settings as they said and the results of consecutive tests were as follows:

IE/Maxthon ______1059 Kb

Opera __________1065 Kb

Mozilla __________1306 Kb

Netscape ________1066 Kb

I did not run tests without Onspeed running.

Note. a) At the time of these tests my 56K modem reports 40Kbps connection.

Throughout these tests I have my data miner going with ten downloads running constantly.

[sabaijai]

p1p - I'm not entirely sure Onspeed was to blame with the Eudora problem. What happened was that immediately after installing Onspeed I could no longer check email with Eudora. It just timed out, over and over. After I uninstalled Onspeed the problem was still there. Then disappeared yesterday. So I can't say for sure it was Onspeed's fault, there may have been other factors.

I'm impressed you heard back within 24 hours. I wrote a total of three emails to them, using the Customer Service contact on their website, and didn't receive a single reply (it's been 4 days now). Had I received the instructions you did, I could've given it a try.

So the upshot is you're getting the same throughput now for both IE and Opera? I may have to crawl back to Onspeed and cancel the refund if that's all it takes. But if Eudora hangs up again ....

Incidentally do you know what happens when you change/add the proxy to "localhost"?

[p1p]

I'm no expert, but it seems to have little effect, except that I need to remove the proxy if I am not using Onspeed. (With Opera, Firefox & Netscape.)

However, in practical terms that does not happen, because when I need high quality graphics, a quick right click on the onspeed icon and change the Settings to "Original image quality", followed by a quick page refresh and I am there.

[Wash]

I paid for and tried Onspeed and did not cancel before the two week trial period but after using it for several weeks was disenchanted by the constant reminders of how many hours of internet time I had saved using the software when in fact the tests I ran showed only marginal speed improvement when using McAfee speed check. So if you are relying on the propoganda that their statistical reporting gives you it is up to you.

I found the need to mess with graphics settings and reloading pages all the time to get viewable images took far more time than any savings it was giving me in download times. So I cancelled the service requesting the balance be refunded as is their policy. But for whatever reason the cancellation overhead costs equalled or exceeded the refund due and there was no refund.

I guess there are more things that are in the eyes of the beholder than beauty!

IMHO

[sabaijai]

Wash and p1p, thanks for all additional info. I may let it rest here. Finally got a reply from Onspeed. They didn't respond to technical questions, but did say they could issue a refund if I can send the order transaction number.