Improving the Internet Connectivity of the School

The popularity of internet really grows today. Wherever you go, in home, school or office, internet is very popular and is widely used by many people.

How does internet work? The Internet is based on a series of standard technical protocols which allow various computers located around the world to access specified files on other computers and then view those files. Specifically, the protocol in question is TCP/ IP. TCP/IP allows computes to describe data to one another over a network. Every computer hooked to the Internet understands these two protocols and so can communicate amicably. TCP/IP is, as that fancy little slash mark suggests, actually two separate things that work together. TCP - transmission control protocol - takes the information you want to send over the Internet and breaks it down into small chunks of data called "packets." IP - Internet Protocol - takes over and routes those packets through computers to get them to their destination. When the packets arrive at the destination computer, TCP reassembles them into something recognizable. These two protocols allow information to be addressed, routed, and reassembled. You use this technology every single time you use the web. There are other protocols involved too. STMP - simple, text mail protocol - works with e-mail. FTP - file transfer protocol - is essential for uploading and downloading files to and from other computers. That familiar http in your browser's location or address bar stands for hypertext transfer protocol. All of these protocols ensure that the computers attempting to communicate with each other - through e-mail or web pages or any other mechanism - understand each other. Your computer connects to an Internet Service Provider. You may be dialing up or you may be using high bandwidth method, such as DSL or cable, to connect. Your computer connects to your ISP's server. Once there, your ISP provides you with the gateway to connect to any other computer that has opened itself up to the world. When you type in a domain, that domain is translated into a number - the IP address - and you are taken to that specific computer. Once there, your web browser allows you to look at specific files. These files can include programming, text, pictures, sound, or video in various combinations.

In schools, internet is important especially for students in their researches. Almost all of the information today can be found in the World Wide Web. Here in University of Southeastern Philippines, internet is used by almost all of the students. They can go to the virtual library, or they can go the Computer Nodal located at the second floor Engineering Building to surf the web.

But there are some problems on the internet connectivity of the school. Sometimes, the internet is slow. Sometimes it cannot be accessed. These are some of the problems of the students on the internet connectivity of the school.


How to improve internet connectivity of the school?

Use fiber optic cable
Fiber-optic cable is a networking medium capable of conducting modulated light transmissions. Compared to other networking media, it is more expensive, however, it is not susceptible to electromagnetic interference and is capable of higher data rates than any of the other types of networking media discussed here. Fiber-optic cable does not carry electrical impulses, as other forms of networking media that employ copper wire do. Instead, signals that represent bits are converted into beams of light. Even though light is an electromagnetic wave, light in fibers is not considered wireless because the electromagnetic waves are guided in the optical fiber. The term wireless is reserved for radiated, or unguided, electromagnetic waves. Fiber-optic cable used for networking consists of two fibers encased in separate sheaths. If viewed in cross section, you would see that each optical fiber is surrounded by layers of protective buffer material, usually a plastic such as Kevlar, and an outer jacket. The outer jacket provides protection for the entire cable. Usually made of plastic, it conforms to appropriate fire and building codes. The purpose of the Kevlar is to furnish additional cushioning and protection for the fragile hair-thin glass fibers. Wherever buried fiber-optic cables are required by codes, a stainless steel wire is sometimes included for added strength. The light-guiding parts of an optical fiber are called the core and the cladding. The core is usually very pure glass with a high index of refraction. When the core glass is surrounded by a cladding layer of glass or plastic with a low index of refraction, light can be trapped in the fiber core. This process is called total internal reflection, and it allows the optical fiber to act like a light pipe, guiding light for tremendous distances, even around bends. More than one spectrum of light can be transmitted through the cable. Although this gives a higher bandwidth, it decreases the distance at which the cable can carry data.

Fiber optic systems have many attractive features. These include improved system performance, immunity to electrical noise, signal security, and improved safety and electrical isolation.
Other advantages include reduced size and weight, environmental protection, and overall system economy. Advantages of Fiber Optics
• System Performance
• Greatly increased bandwidth and capacity
• Lower signal attenuation (loss)
• Immunity to Electrical Noise
• Immune to noise (electromagnetic interference [EMI] and radio-frequency interference [RFI]
• No crosstalk
• Lower bit error rates
• Signal Security
• Difficult to tap
• Nonconductive (does not radiate signals)Electrical Isolation
• No common ground required
• Freedom from short circuit and sparks
• Size and Weight
• Reduced size and weight cables
• Environmental Protection
• Resistant to radiation and corrosion
• Resistant to temperature variations
• Improved ruggedness and flexibility
• Less restrictive in harsh environments
• Overall System Economy
• Low per-channel cost
• Lower installation cost

Router Maintenance

Routine maintenance is key in keeping a router in peak condition. Follow these steps to keep a router working properly.

Step 1: Take the Router Apart
Open the top of the router and take a picture before you start taking things apart. Detach the wires that connect the brushes to the motor and replace the brushes.

Step 2: Replace the Switch
To replace the switch, pull one wire off the old switch and put it in the same position on the new switch. Then, do the same with the second wire. This ensures that the right wire is going into the proper side of the power switch. Do not use pliers to pull on the wires.

Step 3: Eliminate Dust Inside the Router
Dust inside the tool can interfere with electrical contacts. Compressed air can sometimes blow too hard on delicate parts, so use a brush to gently dust the inside of the router.

Step 4: Make Sure All Parts Are in Good Shape
Check the collet. If it needs to be replaced, make sure to get the correct model that will fit your router. Next, check the base. If the base needs to be replaced, unscrew it and replace with a new one. If the base is still usable, but has a few scratches on it, rub the base lightly on a piece of sandpaper to smooth them out. Make sure to do this on a flat surface. Spray lubricant on the plunge rods. Wipe the excess lubricant off and check the action to make sure the router plunges smoothly. If it does not move freely, check the springs. They may need to be replaced.

Simple Steps:

1. Do some basic maintenance on your PC. Run Disk Defrag, a scan disk, a virus scan, a malware scan, and clear your recycle bin. An unusually slow Internet connection experience is often the only sign that your computer is infected with viruses or other malware. Delete old files and temporary files. Never allow the free space on your C: drive to be less than 10% of the total size or twice the installed RAM (which ever is larger). A well maintained PC will operate much better than a PC that has never had any maintenance. Google or your local computer repair store should be able to help you with this if you don't know how.

2. Reset Your Network. Sometimes restarting your network if you have one will drastically increase the speed of your connection.

3. Optimize your cache or temporary Internet files. These files improve your Internet connection performance by not downloading the same file over and over. When a web site puts their logo graphic on every page your computer only downloads it when it changes. If you delete the temporary files it must be downloaded again. if you disable the cache, it must be downloaded every time you view a page that uses it.

4. Never bypass your router. Most routers include a firewall that is very difficult for hackers to defeat. If you don't need to use Wireless then hook your computer directly to your router. Routers will only slow down your connection by a few Milli-seconds. You won't notice the difference but the hackers will.

5. If you are using a Wireless router, make sure it doesn't conflict with a cordless phone or wireless camera. Wireless routers come in two varieties; 802.11bg (2.4Ghz) or 802.11a (5.8Ghz) If you are using a 2.4Ghz Cordless phone and 2.4Ghz Wireless router then your Internet connection speed will slow while you use the cordless phone. The same is true of wireless security cameras. Check on your phone and camera, if it's 900Mhz then it's fine. If it says 2.4Ghz or 5.8Ghz then it could be the cause of your slow connection speed while they're in use.

6. Call your Internet service provider (ISP). Sometimes you just have bad service. They can usually tell if your connection is substandard without having a technician come to your home. Just be nice and ask.

7. Upgrade your computer. If your computer is slow, it doesn't matter how fast your Internet connection is, the whole thing will just seem slow. You can only access the Internet as fast as your PC will allow you to.

8. Replace your old cable modem. Any solid-state electronics will degrade over time due to accumulated heat damage. Your broadband modem will have a harder and harder time 'concentrating' on maintaining a good connection as it gets older (signal to noise ratios will go down, and the number of resend requests for the same packet will go up). An after-market cable modem as opposed to a cable-company modem will frequently offer a better connection.

9. Often your connection speed is slow because other programs are using it. To test if other programs are accessing the Internet without your knowing, Click Start, Click Run. Type "cmd" (without quotes). Type "netstat -b 5 > activity.txt". After a minute or so, hold down Ctrl and press C. This has created a file with a list of all programs using your Internet connection. Type activity.txt to open the file and view the program list. Ctrl Alt Delete and open up the Task Manager. Go to the process menu and delete those processes that are stealing your valuable bandwidth. (NOTE: Deleting processes may cause certain programs to not function properly)

Simple Tips:

• Call your ISP and have them verify all of your TCP/IP settings if you are concerned. Ask them to verify that your Proxy settings are correct.

• Don't expect dial up or high speed lite service to be fast. The Internet is primarily geared towards Broadband Connections. Sometimes, you have to wait a little.

• Download programs that make browsing faster

• Upgrade your RAM. This will not only improve your regular computer use, but it will affect the speed of your Internet connection because your computer works faster.

• Use the Stop button to stop loading pages once you've gotten what you want.

• Sometimes malware on your computer can eat up your bandwidth. Make sure you have an up-to-date malware protection program.


General good practices

There are several techniques that your users can implement on their own to help keep bandwidth utilisation to a minimum. While there is never a guarantee that users will completely comply with the techniques in this list, making them aware of these techniques will empower them to start making bandwidth management part of their daily routine. These techniques of network etiquette aren't really rules, so much as guidelines for being a good net neighbor.

Optimise your web browser

Every web browser includes options that will limit bandwidth usage. Some of these options include:

1. Disable bandwidth-hungry plugins like Java and Flash. Unless a particular site requires Java for access, it can simply be disabled. Since the vast majority of Java and Flash applications are simple animations, games, and videos, there is rarely any need to download them except for entertainment purposes. Use the HTML version of sites that include both HTML and Flash options. Note that many sites require the use of JavaScript, which is significantly smaller and faster than Java, and can usually be enabled without any noticeable speed penalty.

2. Disable automatic updates. While keeping your browser software up-to date is vitally important from a security point of view, updating in an ad-hoc and automatic way may waste significant bandwidth at peak times. While this can be sped up considerably using a good caching proxy or a local software update repository, simply disabling automatic updates immediately reduces background bandwidth usage. You must remember to manually update the software when the network is not busy in order to apply security patches and feature updates.

3. Increase the size of the local cache. If there are sufficient resources on the local machine, increase the browser size. More is generally better, but a cache of several hundred megabytes is usually reasonable.

4. Disable pop-ups. Pop-up windows are nearly always unwanted advertisements containing large images or flash movies, and will automatically consume significant amounts of unintentionally requested bandwidth. Popups can be disabled in all modern browsers. Well-coded sites that require pop-up windows for functionality will still work, and the user can always allow pop-ups on a case by case basis.

5. Use ad blocking software. By blocking ads before you download them, you can save bandwidth and reduce user frustration. Free and commercial ad blocking packages are available for every browser.

6. Install anti-spyware tools. Malicious sites may install spyware programs that consume bandwidth and introduce security problems. These attacks nearly always come through the web browser. Using a spyware detection and removal tool will keep these problems to a minimum.

7. Disable images. For many kinds of online work, graphical images may not be required. Since graphic files are considerably larger than HTML code, disabling the display of images (even temporarily) can significantly improve response time and reduce bandwidth use. If possible, configure your browser to only display graphics when explicitly requested.

Of course, the most effective bandwidth optimisation tool is simply refraining from requesting information that you don't need. The more you request from a busy network, the longer everyone will have to wait for their requests to be filled. Be considerate of your fellow network users, and your network will be healthier and faster.

http://www.wikihow.com/Maximize-the-Speed-of-Your-Internet-Connection
http://bwmo.net/pdf/bwmo-ebook.pdf
http://www.tpub.com/neets/tm/105-4.htm
http://www.fatetek.net/lessons/lesson23.shtml
http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/connections/archives/page10206.cfm