How really fast is your internet?

     Supposed that you've applied a 256kbps internet connection at your home. Do you think the service was worth it? Well, one thing to put it to the test is by using the speedtest sites that measures actual download and upload speed provided by your ISP for a particular moment. Just visit the site http://www.speedtest.net/ select a particular host server. And just wait for the results.

Figure 1

Figure 2

     As shown in the figure, it will basically tells you have long will you be able to complete a download depending on different applications such as music files, movie files, or movie clips. Of course, the higher download speed (measured in milliseconds or ms), the better your internet connection at the time being. Now, its time for you to test it and see for yourself if your current internet connections or subscription is all worth the hype...

Packet Inter - Network Groper (or ping)

     In networking, ping (stands for Packet Inter - Network Groper) is a basic command that end - users may utilize to test mainly their network and internet connectivities as well. It works by sending special Internet Protocol packets called Internet Control Message Protocol echo request datagrams, to a specified destination either in the network your PC is in, or the internet. Each packet that will be sent is a request for a reply from the destination.

     Figure 1 shows a good output response for a ping command. It displays a reply from the destination along with the round - trip time of the packet sending to the destination, and its success rate whether at what percentage did the packets received into its destination. This will tell you that you are definitely connected in a network or to the internet.

Figure 1

     Figure 2 however shows another side of the output request made through the ping command. The words "request time out" tells that the packets were not successfully send to its destination or failed to make a reply going back to the sender. This response will tell you that there is no network connectivity (at least to a member of that network) or internet connectivity (at least to a specific website). And reasons from this output may include configuration problems, or network - hardware related problems.

 

 Figure 2

     Hope you've learned something from this post... Thanks for visiting...'Til next time...

The ECE Chronicles...Now with "Odiogo" application

Now, my blog site is hooked up with the "Odiogo" application that is basically a text - to - speech converter which can turn my "written"posts into an "audible" post as well...

It literally turns my blog followers (if there are any...hehehe) from readers, into listeners as well. Embedding this application into your blog sites may be a good thing because it adds that "multimedia" content for your blog. And for that reason, it may be a good factor to somehow increase the traffic ranking of your site. You may visit http://www.odiogo.com/ on how to avail this application and be added into your blog...

(Photo courtesy of: http://www.odiogo.com/)

Using the System Configuration Utility

     For Windows users, loading up the operating system in computer when turned on (or Windows Startup) may took you longer than expected in some cases. In one way to put that theory to the test is that when your PC loads its operating system, you'll eventually notice that balloon tips in the lower right of your taskbar will appear specially if you do not prefer to have the so - called "Automatic Updates" for your Windows operating system. Now, if that took you 5 - 10 minutes, well and good. If it proved otherwise, then, some problems may be speculated in your PC. But before that happens, one effective way that you may test is by using the "System Configuration Utility" in your Windows OS.

     This utility enables and even disables applications to be included in the Windows Startup which saves a part of your system resources such as memory and CPU usage for a faster startup. Now, using this utility is easy. Just follow these steps:

 

Step 1: Click "Start", then Click "Run" (see figure 1). Once you've done it, type "msconfig" (uppercase may do as it is not  case - sensitive) and press "Enter" (see figure 2). If done correctly, a window should appear that shows that actual "System Configuration Utility" (see figure 3).

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Step 2:Click the "Startup" tab, and from there, you may uncheck items that are not necessarily needed for Windows Startup. Examples of which are seen in figure 4. Never uncheck items that is associated with your anti - virus or programs associated with "system32". This may cause bigger problems for your Windows Startup.

Figure 4

Step 3: Click "Apply" and then "OK". You should remember that all changes you've done in this utility will take effect once you restart the computer (as shown in figure 5).

Figure 5

     If done correctly, this will speed up your Windows startup a bit. But if nothing is changing, then, you should reconsider other problems such as virus problems, or your system resources (i.e., HDD free space and memory) is almost at full. Hope that this post help out a bit...'Til then...

How does a LAN Cable Tester work?

Some sites teaches you how to make RJ - 45 network cables. But as I browse over the net, I only found few sites that teaches you how to test the cables that you've made. One means of it is by using a LAN Cable Tester.

As shown in the figure above, this is a cheap LAN Cable Tester that I bought at less than 200 pesos(approximately 4 USD). However, it is well enough to get the job done. And now, how do we use it? Well, here are the steps:

Step 1: Get your newly - made RJ - 45 network cable and connect both ends of the cable in both RJ - 45 ports of the tester as shown in the figure below.

Step 2: You should see that the LED indicators at the same pin number lights up at the same time, or according to the correct sequence according to the cable you've made. Otherwise, your cable does not work.

Here are the following LED indication sequence that you should see when using your LAN Cable Tester:

If your newly - made cable does not work, the following reasons may have occured:

a.) Either ends of the cable, are not well crimpped yet. Try to crimp it more.

b.) Wrong color coding scheme when making the cable. Double - check the color coding depending on the variation.

Hope this post shed some light (again) for those PC techies out there.

Proper Handling of Computer Components

Perhaps of one the safety issue in PC assembly is the static electricity being discharged by the technican. It is no secret to us all the we generate static electricity by means of rubbing (either intentional or unitentional) surfaces and objects. Though this electricity, is not at high as a high - voltage wire, this electricity is what an electronic component needs to be damage. And so, as a PC technician as well, i show you how to handle computer components, the right way.

The figure above shows how we handle our expansion cards (and the like) properly. At least, if ever discharge static electricity, it does not go directly to the electronic component (ICs, resistors, ad capacitors)that is inside the expansion card.

The next figure shows improper handling of our expansion cards. If handled this way for a long time, it is no wonder that the performance of our components deteriorate. And then eventually will damage our component.

 

Hope this post will guide all those PC techies to practice the safe way on how well handle our components. Like they say, "Handle with Care"....

Site Construction

I apologize that over the past weeks, I haven't added new post in this blog... Perhaps, that the time constraints in my workload and my graduate studies caught me up in this "dilemma"....And my "creative juices" has not been flowing lately...Rest assured that I'll come up with topics and forum over the weeks...Ciao...