Korean Job Discussion Forums

[SuperHero]

Lately my internet connection at home has been really slow. It started at around the beginning of March, but I finally had enough and had the thrunet guy come around my house. Anyhow he does a speed test and everything shows okay, but even so several web sites load slow (CNN 6-8 seconds).

After noticing that he goes snooping around the computer and tells me that I have SP2 installed, like it's a bad thing. He then attempts to uninstall it, which I promptly vetoed. He tells me that my computer would be better off without SP2. At this point I tell him, that I will no longer be using thrunet. I had him talk to my wife on the phone, and she confirmed that we should remove SP2 in order to optimize our system. Yeah, optimize it for security problems...

Which ISP would you recommend? I'm thinking about KT, but maybe hanaro is okay too...

[Gord]

I use KT and have no issues at all.

I suspect the optimization he refers to in SP2 is the outgoing unresolved ports. Before SP2, twenty different programs could each have twenty different ports open and unresolved (trying to connect to a server or other connection and waiting for a reply). Under SP2, this limit is ten globally.

So with older P2P programs that aren't expecting there to be any limit, they'll be going gangbusters trying to open as many ports are possible to each computer listed as having the data you want to download. So it is possible for one P2P app to heavily cripple your ability to browse in any sort of speedy manner. Newer P2P apps allow you to set the maximum number of unresolved ports open.

On the same note, if your computer has fallen victim to a virus that is trying to copy itself to other computers, this port limit is still in effect and will limit your ability to connect to the Internet.

There is a registry hack or patch available to remove this limit. You may want to do that first to see if the problem truly is with your ISP and not your machine.

[SuperHero]

Gord thanks for the tips.

I'm not complaining about the speed when running p2p programs, only when it is just firefox or OE. I updated my virus definitions and ran a scan three days ago, no virus and I've also run adaware.

I guess, I'll go look for that hack now.

[SuperHero]

I found two hacks, set a system restore point and ran one. Restarted and voila everything is lightning fast.

I'm currently downloading 13 audio books with azureus and my browsing speed is faster than it previously was when I wasn't running p2p....

All hail the alpha geek, GORD!

[the saint]

I have thrunet and my only gripe with them is their blatant lie concerning having ENglish service. It's sub-English at best.

Speedwise no issues... glad you are up to speed now.

[SuperHero]