My computer is so slow and I have dial up access. Is there anything to speed it up? My connection speed sometimes is only 28800. I have AOL and sometimes it says “not responding.” Why?
Dialup Access
Despite huge expansions of technology, not all communities have access to high speed Internet access. For example, DSL connections require physical proximity to the phone company’s “central office” and cable Internet access isn’t available in all areas. In addition, broadband Internet access is quite a bit more expensive than dialup which means that many people opt to stick with their current service, especially in today’s economy.
While dialup access was fine back in the days before broadband, now that high speed connections are so popular, Web sites have become more graphically rich. Flash videos, huge graphics, and large downloads are more prevalent than they were just a few years ago. This is fine for high speed users, but it makes it tough for dialup users to navigate the Web. “Not responding” errors are common as is sluggish Web surfing in general.
Web Accelerators
But all hope is not lost thanks to the introduction of Web accelerators. If you’re stuck with dialup for whatever reason, consider using a Web accelerator. These tools are often offered in conjunction with an Internet access provider. For example, Netzero offers “Netzero HiSpeed.” This service accelerates your standard dialup access by up to five times!
Now, this isn’t lightning fast by any means, but it’s definitely faster than the standard dialup speed you’re currently experiencing. Web accelerators use several technologies to speed up your surfing experience including data compression, caching, and communication optimization. Web accelerators make pages, text, and graphics load faster but are ineffective as far as streaming video and downloads are concerned.
AOL Dialup Advantage with TopSpeed
Since you have AOL, you might consider switching to its Dialup Advantage plan. Using your standard modem and “TopSpeed” technology, you should notice an increase in Web page loading. Again, this won’t affect downloads and streaming video, but pages and graphics should load much faster for you.
Slow Computer
A Web accelerator will help with your Web page loading speeds, but will not help your slow computer in general. The AOL “not responding” error also may be related to other issues that are affecting your computer’s performance. If you’ve noticed that your Internet connection has gotten significantly slower, your computer may have spyware on it that is hogging your Internet connection to send messages back to a third party. Because spyware and viruses are notoriously responsible for slow computer performance and disrupted Internet communications, we strongly urge you to run a complete system scan using both an antivirus and an antispyware product. Read our Antivirus Mini Reviews to help you select the best application for your computer and your budget. In addition, visit our PC Performance category for more tips on speeding up your computer.
