PC TuneUp Maestro Archives - CompuClever

A Quick Start Guide for Digital Care ReadyBoost USB Disc

Andy Thompson — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 21:05:46 +0000

Thanks for choosing Digital Care ReadyBoost Disc, featuring Microsoft ReadyBoost technology. Before you start, please save all your documents and exit all running applications. Follow the steps below to install your Digital Care ReadyBoost Disc and optimize your PC.

Step 1. Insert the Digital Care ReadyBoost Disc to a USB slot of your choice.

Step 2. If AutoPlay/AutoRun is enabled, you can click the Speed up my system using Windows ReadyBoost option.

Alternatively, you can open Windows | File Explorer (or use keyboard shortcut: Windows Key + E), right-click the newly discovered removable drive and select Properties from the menu. Select the ReadyBoost tab from the Properties dialog box that appears.

If Windows states that “This device cannot be used for ReadyBoost – The device does not have the required performance characteristics for use in speeding up your system“, follow the instructions of Reformatting Your Digital Care ReadyBoost Disc below. And then come back to this step.

If Windows states that “ReadyBoost is not enabled because this computer is fast enough that ReadyBoost is unlikely to provide additional benefit“, this probably means that Windows is installed on an SSD and no performance gain is possible. Please contact our support team (support@paretologic.com) for further options of how to speed up your PC.

Step 3. If ReadyBoost options appear, you can use the device for speeding up Windows Vista, 7, 8/8.1 or 10.

In Windows Vista, enable the Use this device option and move the Space to reserve for system speed slider all the way to the right.

In Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10, select the Dedicate this device to ReadyBoost option.

Click OK and your Digital Care ReadyBoost Disc device is ready!

Reformatting Your Digital Care ReadyBoost Disc

Occasionally, your Digital Care ReadyBoost Disc requires initial reformatting prior being used. Follow the steps below to format your drive.

Step 1. Open Windows | File Explorer (or use keyboard shortcut: Windows Key + E), right-click the newly discovered removable drive and select Format.

Step 2. In File system dropdown menu, choose NTFS. In Allocation unit size, choose Default allocation size. And check Quick Format under Format options. Click Start.

You will be notified once your Digital Care ReadyBoost Disc has been formatted and ready for being used. Simply follow the steps in the previous section to finish setting up your Digital Care ReadyBoost Disc.

Need Support or Help?

Email us at support@compuclever.com for more information and get help with using your Digital Care ReadyBoost Disc device.

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My New PC Arrival

Andy Thompson — Tue, 09 Feb 2016 01:23:01 +0000

What can compare to the feeling of getting a new PC? It’s like watching Tom Hanks in the movie “Big” when he spends a day in the toy department! While reasons for purchasing a new computer will differ from person to person, what remains constant is a level of excitement and anticipation that comes with getting it set up and putting it to use. With any level of excitement comes taking a few moments to take care of certain little necessities before rushing headlong into the fun. Ahhh adulthood!

Stages

We have come up with a list of items that we feel constitute the “necessities” of first running you brand new PC. In an attempt to make it easier for you we have broken these items into stages – that way it doesn’t seem overwhelming and tedious. We have also included an approximate time of completion. These may vary based on many factors but it is intended to give you an idea of what to expect. By having this information available you can determine how many items you can take on based on your schedule. If you want to bite the bullet and complete the tasks on the same day… go for it!

Let’s get started.

Stage1

Warranty and Registration Cards (Time to Complete: Approximately 5 minutes)
Fill warranty and registration cards in right away. Required information such as serial numbers can usually be found on the back of printers and computers. So before you connect the cables and set the device into its location, get the information written down while it is still easy to read. Once the system is up and running, you can then send in the cards to be registered. While most retailers will act on your behalf for warranty concerns if the store closes its doors, the computer maker will require that you provide proof that it is their device and it was purchased within the warranty period. Save yourself the frustration and do this early.

Precaution: In some cases warranty and registry cards can ask for too much information. As a rule, “…a sales receipt should suffice if you need to file a warranty claim”^[1]. We’ll let you be the judge of whether too much is being asked of you in terms of potential harvesting of personal data to marketers and whether you keep your receipts secure, safe, and available if you need to make a warranty claim.

Restore Disks (Time to Complete: No more than 10 minutes)
Your new system most likely comes with Windows 10 preinstalled. That’s great – that saves some work! You need to realize though this likely means you do not have CD’s to reinstall Windows if the need arises. So, to be on the safe side, you will need to create restore disks. Use this Microsoft link and follow the directions.

Windows Live Account (Time to Complete: 2 – 3 minutes)
When you first start your computer, Windows will ask you to either sign on to your Windows Live email account or to create an account with Microsoft. This is not necessary but it does add some functions to using Windows across multiple units such as those between your desktop, laptop, tablet, or Windows phone. If you do not have any of these other items, ignore the offer to create an account. If you have logon credentials with MSN or Outlook.com then that login is your Windows account. For more information follow this Microsoft FAQ link.

Set the System Restore (Time to Complete: 2 – 3 minutes)
System Restore, by default, is not enabled. You need to set this up to keep the system as safe as possible. Information on how to enable the system restore can be found by following this Microsoft link.

Backup Admin Account (Time to Complete: 5 – 10 minutes)
Create a Backup Admin account. Many problems can arise should you have one admin account and it gets damaged. If you create a backup admin account you can simply work around the issue rather than working through hours of trying to undo whatever created the issue. Save yourself the time and unpleasantness by setting up a second one right away.

Note: The big time saver when doing something like this is reading through the instructions first – even if you feel they were written in a foreign language or in complete tech talk. It does help to have some idea of what commands are used. This should take 5 -10 minutes going at an easy pace.

You can use this helpful site with easy to use instructions.

Stage 2

Beware Freeware (Time to Complete: Up to 30 minutes)
Check the “All Programs” list in PC Clean Maestro. Open the program, click the Uninstaller tab and review the items in the list provided. Many new systems include a list of freeware and trialware programs.

If you have already purchased an antivirus program and are going to install it, do not leave a free antivirus on the system as you could experience interference and compatibility issues. Stay with the programs you know and save yourself the frustration of programs popping up on the screen.

Note: The time to complete will vary from retailer to retailer, but give yourself lots of time to do this as you do not want to rush. Give yourself 30 minutes to look through the list, research the programs and make a decision about if you really want the program or not.

If you are in need of an AV app… this would be a good opportunity to install and run CompuClever AntiVirus PLUS on your system. It’s designed to deliver the best performance for your PC and it’s built on the most advanced antivirus technology available today.

Remove Remnants (Time to Complete: Up to 3 minutes)
After installing your programs remember to clear up the install remnants so the drive is clear of unwanted files. Open PC Clean Maestro and from the “Clean” page, confirm that the items you want to scan and clean are checked. Next, click the Start button. The scan will be quick and you can easily review items before removing them. It will take more time to review the findings then to scan or clean them.

Registry Scan and Fix (Time to Complete: Up to 3 minutes)
Now that you have removed unnecessary and unwanted files, it’s time to clear the registry as there may be remnants that have not been removed. To scan and clean your registry open PC TuneUp Maestro and click the “Optimize PC” page in the left panel. Click the Registry Defrag option and perform the Express Scan.

Note: If you want to do a Deep Scan be prepared to have the scan take longer. Using a new PC with decent speed, we have experienced even the Deep scan to take less than a minute.
When the scan is complete, review the results and click the Defrag button.

HD Defrag (Time to Complete: Up to 30 minutes)
After removing items from your computer it’s time to address sorting – defragmenting – the hard drive for best performance.

Important: Before we begin, you need to make sure that your hard drive is NOT a Solid State Drive (SSD). You do not need to defrag a SSD due to the fact they use a different storage technology. Check your product information and if you PC is using a SSD, move on to the next task which can be found in Stage 3.

If your new PC uses the traditional spinning platter hard drive (HDD), we recommend using good PC habits right from the start and defragmenting it. Good practice is to defrag your HD when you remove items of significant size (applications, media files, etc.). To defrag your drive, Open PC TuneUp Maestro and click the “Optimize PC” page in the left panel. Click the Disk Defrag option at the top of the list and follow the instructions.

Stage 3

Power Bar (Time to Complete: Varies)
Is the light on the power bar flashing or flickering? If so… replace it. This is the least expensive insurance policy you can buy for your new computer. That flashing or flickering light means it needs to be replaced.

Note: The time to complete this depends greatly on when you can get to a store and purchase a new power bar.

Windows Updates (Time to Complete: 10 – 30 minutes)
Check for updates from Windows. Windows 10 supplies driver updates for all your devices (video cards, printers, etc.), so it is possible that when Windows was installed the devices were not connected. To be certain everything has the correct drivers you need to run an update: use this Microsoft site for details. Please note Windows 10 could start performing updates before you choose to do so. If it does let the process complete itself as trying to stop it could lead to Windows having problems before you get to use your computer.

Note: Time to complete depends on the amount of updates needed. This depends on how long ago the retailer created the image for installing Windows 10, the speed of your Internet connection, and the speed of your CPU.

Conclusions:

Now that you have completed the steps – there is no reason why your PC shouldn’t be performing at top speeds. You should notice fast startup times as well as exceptional file access and program startup performance. We hope this article has helped you to feel less intimidated with your new and somewhat unfamiliar PC acquisition. Taking the right steps right from the get go is critical and we think these tips will support you well in that regard.

Feel free to visit our Support Center at: https://www.compuclever.com/support/ If you have some ideas of topics you would like us to cover or have other feedback to offer, email us at: newsletter@compuclever.com

[1] www.consumerreports.org

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The Art of PC Support… And You

Andy Thompson — Fri, 11 Dec 2015 18:45:04 +0000

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a book we hold in high regard at CompuClever. We would even go as far as to say that every technical support person should read it. Not only is it a work of philosophical non-fiction, Robert Pirsig wrote it over a four year period while he was working as a technical writer creating computer manuals.

Pirsig describes the book by what it is not: “it should in no way be associated with that great body of factual information relating to orthodox Zen Buddhist practice. It’s not very factual on motorcycles, either.” It can be considered an investigation of quality; the metaphysics of quality. The main character strives to find the answer to what is considered good or “quality”.

We start from this point as we are seeking how to best determine the quality of our PC. One valuable way to identify PC health is to examine and take full advantage of error messages. They are technically specific and often incomprehensible to the person using the computer, which makes them rather maddening to appear on your screen. In many cases people will report a problem and make some mention of an error message, but in most cases, use vague terms.

What To Do

While the frustration being encountered is understandable (we too have encountered issues on our systems and had to contact support to get it resolved), there are things that you can do to help yourself get the issue resolved faster. First we suggest that you keep a pen and paper at your computer so that if an error message appears you can follow the steps we have laid out here:

1) Write it down. Error codes will not normally tell the user what the issue is but, they should tell the company making the program what the error is and will typically provide specific information. We of course are presuming the message comes from their application. If the message is not from their program it can be used to research the issue and to find a solution.

You can also gather a “screenshot” of the desktop and send it attached to your email asking for help. See the section on Screenshots below for more information.

2) Describe steps leading to the error. Take note of what was being done on the computer before the error appeared. By doing so you can then see if performing the steps always results in an error or not. If it does, this information will help the technician zero in on what the cause of the issue is faster.

3) Contact tech support. If what you are trying to do is something that is very important you can tell the technician when you contact the technical support team. If the error cannot be immediately resolved a good technician should be able to advise you as to how to get the task completed to lessen the pressure you are under.

4) Don’t Delay. Report the issue right away rather than spend hours in frustration. You need to let the support team know and, keep in mind, perhaps the issue is one they have resolved for others and they can get you going much faster than if you attempt it alone. You can try to resolve the issue on your own but the sooner you ask for help the sooner you will find a solution.

Screenshots

Taking a screenshot will save you on writing things down. For a new user this may feel like more than what you want to take on. There are ways to make this easier on yourself.

For people with digital cameras or cell phones, taking a picture of the screen and sending the image is an easy way to include detailed error information. Do not make the picture too small – pictures of computer displays are usually quite poor due to the camera shutter speed being faster than the refreshing of the screen. Smaller images can be very hard to read and resizing them to make them larger results in a fuzzy image.

If you do not have a device that can take a picture there are other ways to gather this information. Taking a screenshot using onboard Windows functionality varies depending on what operating system you are running. We suggest doing a search online. One good source is www.wikihow.com. You can refer to this article: http://www.wikihow.com/Take-a-Screenshot-in-Microsoft-Windows.

There is also a free application called “Jing” which you can use to take a screenshot and save it to the internet. Then you can simply send the link of the image as part of the help request.

Jing: To get the program click here: https://www.techsmith.com/jing.html.
Next, click on “Free Download” and then click on “Windows Download”.

The website will lead you through the download and install process. Once the install completes the program opens and actually takes you through the process of gathering a screenshot, saving it to the internet, and then gathering the link to send to the person so they can have access to the image.

We have covered the basics of PC errors and how to take the required information that will solve your issue and get you up and running again. Keep in mind that if an application is causing errors to occur you can contact the manufacturers and get solid support. We feel this is the mark of QUALITY software and QUALITY service.

Feel free to visit our Support Center at: https://www.compuclever.com/support/

If you have some ideas of topics you would like us to cover or have other feedback to offer, email us at: newsletter@compuclever.com

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Malwarebytes Mistakenly Flags and Disables CompuClever Applications

Andy Thompson — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 18:01:35 +0000

[Update] As of July 30th 2015, CompuClever and Malwarebytes has successfully resolved the false positive categorization of both PCTuneUpMaestro and PCCleanMaestro. Existing or new users can download, install, and use both applications coexisting with Malwarebytes.

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Victoria, British Columbia – Since early June 2015, two of CompuClever’s products: PCTuneUpMaestro and PCCleanMaestro have been mistakenly categorized by Malwarebytes as Potentially Unwanted Programs (P.U.P). The false categorization made by MalwareBytes has affected a small percentage of CompuClever users who also happen to be active Malwarebytes users. Under default settings, Malwarebytes quarantines these programs, rendering them unusable and even uninstallable.

CompuClever is a Microsoft Application Development Partner and an Intel Elite Software Partner. Both PCTuneUpMaestro and PCCleanMaestro were certified through the Microsoft Windows 8 Logo certification process, which means they are completely safe to install and use. Enjoyed by over five million users globally, PCTuneUpMaestro and PCCleanMaestro together provide an advanced suite of PC cleaning, optimization, and maintenance tools that are simple to use yet effective in delivering results. Being a member of both Microsoft and Intel Partnership programs, CompuClever also strictly adheres to commonly accepted software marketing practices set by regulatory bodies like Google, FTC, and Microsoft/Bing.

CompuClever has been actively engaging Malwarebytes legal and adjudication team with full attention and sincerity in order to discover a viable path that leads to the complete removal of this categorization. We respect Malwarebytes determination to play an active role in regulating the online advertising space by combating those who distribute PUP’s. Nevertheless, we also call upon Malwarebytes adjudication team to examine applications with depth of research and objectivity.

“It is to the common interest of our mutual users of CompuClever and Malwarebytes, that this miscategorization is resolved in a timely and professional fashion”, says Andy Thompson, Communications Director and Editor-in-Chief at CompuClever.

Meanwhile for those CompuClever users who are affected by Malwarebytes’ miscategorization, CompuClever has provided a written procedure instructing users how to restore these two products.

Striving to resolve this issue with full attention and urgency, CompuClever appreciates its users’ ongoing support and patience with this matter. Users who require assistance are encouraged to contact CompuClever support team via support[at]compuclever.com.

About CompuClever

Founded in 2010, CompuClever’s mission is to provide PC users with a safe and enjoyable computing experience. CompuClever offers products and services, powered by knowledge, know-how and expertise, aimed at enhancing computer safety, performance, and stability. CompuClever software products are designed from the ground up to provide powerful utility and optimization software that can be used quickly and effectively, even by novice computer users.

Contact:

Andy Thompson
media[at]compuclever.com
209 – 3375 Whittier Ave
Victoria, BC, Canada, V8Z 3R1

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Bogged Down

Andy Thompson — Tue, 12 May 2015 23:02:54 +0000

With our previous article we looked at slowdowns with respect to Internet traffic. The cause could be due to Internet conditions outside our control or due to poor PC performance. We looked at ways you could be causing congestion such as too many devices connected to your Internet service or that your overall PC performance is below its potential. Now we can continue with this theme by examining something that can be hidden but very much a part of our Internet connectivity congestion. A major factor in Internet slow down that can result in your PC being bogged down is: software running in the background which can also bring about web browser overload. Your PC is a great at multitasking. Despite this, there are instances when it can suffer the consequences of being bogged down.

The Hidden Factor

A very common PC experience is having too many applications requiring online access at the same time and applications that are picked up unknowingly that we can be considered unwanted. This first category competes with resources and the second can be malicious or can run in the background without your knowledge. Many software programs require taking up a portion of your Internet bandwidth to achieve their functionality. In these instances the application will not even appear on your screen but will create “processes” – we can think of them as tasks – which include taking up Internet bandwidth.

Right from the time of installation these apps are designed to open and run in the background each time you start your PC. Some of these apps can alter how you surf the web as is the case with malicious programs that are capable of hijacking your system so as to redirect you to particular sites. They generate web traffic which can be profitable when selling software. Redirecting you can also bring you to a page where other unethical vendors place ads and links to their own dubious websites.

Bog Down

There are several causes with respect to slow down that can potentially affect a number of your PC resources. Applications running in the background compete with other programs you open and need such as your web browser or email application. When too many applications run at the same time they compete for:

computer resources such as: CPU, Memory, Hard Disc resources, etc. and
networking resources which take a slice of the Internet pie available to you. One very real result is your web browser isn’t as speedy as it could be as it fights for its share of the resources whether that’s bandwidth or PC resources.

Some applications require background network processing which adds to Internet congestion. Email applications require bandwidth to check for new emails sent to you on an ongoing basis. Any program that performs upgrade checks requires bandwidth, as in the case of online music players, online games, and anti-virus (AV) apps. As for AV programs – many can bring about slower PC and Internet network performance as they need to monitor the Internet and update their database sometimes on an hourly basis.

Installation

How do these items wind up on our PC in the first place? Some get there without our knowledge but are a result of unsafe browsing practices including opening email attachments or passing files from one PC to your own via chat rooms, peer-to-peer file sharing, or instant messaging. As for other apps, it seems hard to believe, but many get there because you installed them unknowingly. Some are from legitimate software vendors that include other software when you install. Here’s a well known example: Adobe Flash Point.

Adobe Flash update sneaks in McAfee installation

With the image above you can see how there is an additional offer to install McAfee to your PC. This little check box is on by default and if you don’t look closely and click the “Install now” button without clearing the checkbox… you will be downloading two programs at once.

Action Items:

Although there are some among us who are “delete shy” and do not want to go there, we need to take action by bringing to light what software we have on our PC. These hidden applications can be brought to your attention and you can then make a choice to remove them or to stop them from starting up when you turn your computer.

Examination and Uninstall

We will be using the free functionality available with PC Clean Maestro to look for a complete list of applications and to remove unwanted programs. It’s quite likely that you have noticed a recent change in your PC functioning. If so, we will start by examining the recently installed programs. After that you can examine each and all of your applications and determine if you can safely remove unwanted ones:

Open PC Clean Maestro and select the Uninstaller button in the left pane.
Begin by searching for questionable programs in the Recently Installed tab as can be seen in the image below. If you installed something within the last 10 days it will appear here. If you do not see any items you can use the other tabs or enter a word in the Search box. In this case the word “Search” would bring up Search Protect or other questionable programs.
Select the program and determine if it is unwanted. Examine the information in the right panel.
Tip: If you are not sure about a program and whether to remove it… check the resource site: http://www.shouldiremoveit.com From here you will can enter in a program by name and get the goods on it. You can also see that programs like “Search Protect” and many others with “Search” in their names are listed as the top most active programs to remove.
For unwanted items, click the Uninstall button.

Once you have completed this list you can choose from other program tabs – All Programs, Large Programs, or Rarely Used – and continue with your process of examination and removal.

Apps at Startup

Another symptom of your PC being bogged is that it is slow to start compared to when it was fairly new. We have spoken on this issue before and it’s worth a re-visit. At installation applications are designed to be easy to access by offering a shortcut in your desktop, quick launch taskbar, and in your Startup menu. Having these programs run each time you start your PC can bring about slower performance both in terms of startup and with Internet network speeds when requiring bandwidth.

For this action item we are going to be using free functionality available in PC TuneUp Maestro. The steps include: opening the Startup Manager; reviewing the items in the list; and then choosing to Enable or Disable.

Open Startup Management: Begin by opening PCTuneUp Maestro and go to the “Optimize PC” page as seen in the screen below:

Next, click the StartUp Management link.
Review: There is a list that is provided with all the applications that are launched during the startup process. The items that appear in the list will look like this screenshot:Tip: You can review any items in the list to make an informed decision about how to best manage each. This is especially advisable with ones you are not familiar with.

To review a startup application in the list, click the blue link associated with the item.
From the Startup list, you can check the status of any item in the Select column. If it is marked as “Disable” then it does not launch when you start the computer – no need to worry. If something in the list is marked as “Enable” you can click the drop down arrow next to it and select: Disable. The item remains in the list and no longer starts when you boot your computer.

If you see something on this list that is completely unfamiliar and you do NOT plan on using, it is a good idea to uninstall it altogether. You can use the Uninstaller tool as described above to remove all its components.

Good Practices:

Our intent is not to take away any PC functionality. We instead empower you to examine what is on your PC that you either do not know or rarely use at all. By disabling programs to run at startup, you still can access them whenever you want – you now have the control rather than the applications running wild.

While we agree that programs need to perform updates especially when fixing some issue related to security or functionality, we feel that it should be up to you to determine when this happens. Good programs include options where you can choose when the upgrade occurs such as before you shut down.

Strongly Recommend: Follow safe online practices – use caution when opening email attachments and other files that can install unwanted items to your PC.

In Summary:

We have presented information here that can better equip you with the necessary skills to improve your Internet connectivity and the symptoms of PC bog down. We plan to continue this with our next article by examining the browser and items that can be installed there which not only clutter up your web browser toolbar, but can direct your online activities and slow down your Internet and regular PC activities.

We will continue to provide story lines like this that benefit all of us and we will describe them in a manner that is within reach of everyday computer users. If you have some ideas of topics you would like us to cover, email us at: newsletter@compuclever.com

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Improve Internet Speed

Andy Thompson — Wed, 15 Apr 2015 17:54:44 +0000

With demanding schedules is it any wonder we become easily frustrated when we are held up in traffic? Whether it is out on the road or on the Internet, we want uninhibited passage. In our previous article we began to introduce you to Internet speed tests by reviewing four popular testing tools that are available. The caveat is that each of these is different and results vary. So… how do we equip ourselves to: a) determine if the fault is at our end and b) if not, to better be able to present some real data to our Internet provider? First we are going to offer more information on the speed tests in case you have given up hope on them. The key to using them is: create a history! Next, we are going to examine and better understand how slowdowns and bottlenecks occur and what the impacts are. By doing this you can better assess if the issue is within your home and network or outside and due to poor conditions. Finally, if the issue is due to your PC, we will show you a very easy method of improving your Internet speed.

What did we learn from our previous article and our investigation with the multitude of speed tests that are available? We found out that there are considerable discrepancies in test results. If you missed our previous article – click here. We also found it difficult to determine if the results were based on averages or the top speeds that are achieved during the test.

We have one more batch of observations to make about these four speed tests. We recommend that you pick out one speed test that suits your needs and try to stick with it to be able to compare your results over time.

1. Speed of Me (http://speedof.me/)

SpeedOf.Me can utilize several test servers in various locations in an effort to make the test more realistic. Other speed test sites choose the nearest physical test server which does not seem to fit the real-world model. SpeedOf.Me tests bandwidth in several passes using sample file sizes that increase gradually. What we saw as a shortcoming is that they seem to display the download speed based on maximum speeds achieved. You have to examine the graph to get a real idea of your connectivity and overall speed. What we do like is that they provide a history of your previous tests.

2. Speedtest.net (http://www.speedtest.net/)

This site also includes a results page of previous tests and it is well presented with each test displayed in a list and in a graph. There is also excellent information available in the support page. For example, we found out that the tests are based on binary file samples and that they aggregate the samples into 20 slices, remove the slowest 30% and the fastest 10% and then average out the remaining pieces. This seems to be a much better approach but Speedtest.net uses a nearby server methodology whereby they identify up to five servers nearby and then ping each to determine the one with the lowest latency (meaning nearest on the network). This does not reflect real world conditions well and we found our tests results to be the lowest for two out of three of our network tests (not good for satellite or high-speed wireless networks).

3. SpeakEasy (http://speakeasy.net/speedtest/)

This site offers you the chance to pick a server location. Of course testing from one server location is not reflective of real-world connectivity either as we surf to sites throughout the Internet world. While it does include a history we found the test results to be dubious as they appear to be a mix of tests from our machine and other test that were much higher in download throughput.

4. Bell Aliant (http://speedtest.bellaliant.net/)

There are many positives to this test site: we were in favor of the lack of advertisements (unlike the other speed tests above), we felt the results were accurate in comparison to others, and we liked the ease of use. However we think this site would be the outright winner if it also included a history. If you pick this site we would recommend recording your test results along with the date and time of the test.

Recommendations:

History of Speed Tests: why is it so important to track your speed time? If you are having issues with your connection that are not due to your PC or wireless router, then you can contact your network service provider and provide your findings.
Time of Day: Check your speed at various times of the day to determine if peak use times are an issue. You could find striking differences when running a new test 30 minutes after the previous one. It may be due to traffic and your ISP (Internet Service Provider) is not able to provide consistent service.
Make sure you are performing your tests with no Internet activity (downloads, streaming, etc.), as this can affect consistency of results.

Now that we have provided you with more information to better choose a site that you can use on a regular basis you are in a better position to assess if your connection is an issue.

Slow Downs and Jitter:

Jitter is a technical term. Although it doesn’t sound very technical, it relates to the quality of your connection. For example, if you are having a video chat or you are watching a streamed video and there are delays and interruptions, this is referred to as jitter. What is happening is data is transferred to you in packets and when they are not arriving in a steady stream you experiences disruptions or shaky pulses.

Another factor in connection speed relates to how many connections are between you and the source (or the receiver if you are uploading data). We can refer to these connections as hops. It’s like traveling from one city to another but there are various roads and interstate highways in-between. The slowest and less maintained of these roadways will be the “bottleneck”.

The other critical factor to consider in our data route is the potential bottleneck that can be from your hardware (wireless router or modem) or with your PC. This is the real challenge – determining whether the slow down you may be experiencing is due to something wrong at your end or as a result of connectivity conditions.

Let’s break our investigation down between items that are outside of our control and ones that are in our local terrain.

External Issues

Congestion: When we share an Internet connection with other customers that use the same ISP, congestion can result. If others on the service are using high-demand applications and are downloading large files regularly than this can really slow things down.
Time of Day: Peak hours come into play with shared Internet connection. Many residential users will experience this from approximately 6 pm to midnight.
Throttling: In some cases your service provider will may slow down your connection speed otherwise known as to “throttle”. This happens when you exceed a certain threshold of download (and upload) usage and it can happen with certain types of heavy downloading. You may notice that the speed improves at the beginning of the month when you have a fresh allotment of download capacity. Some ISPs have daily maximums and the reset occurs at the beginning of each day.
Internet Server Speeds: The speed of the servers you are connecting to and the routers in between may also experience slowdowns. You may experience good connections with local sites but not with other more distant sites.

At Our End

Distance: If you are a considerable distance from the ISP source your signal could be weak. For example, if you were in the middle of the countryside you could have slower connection speeds compared to being in the city. For some types of service (such as line-of-sight wireless dishes), this is a major consideration as obstructions and weather can have an impact.
End-User Congestion: It could be that you have many users or Internet-connected devices in your home tapping into the same online service. If demand is high, you can experience another form of traffic congestion. Read below for more information.
End-User Hardware Issues: Using an old router can cause slow speeds or it could be you have a poorly configured Wi-Fi connection whereby you are experiencing interference. In this case you need to do some investigation and this is a good place to start.

Wireless Router Tips:

Place your router near to the middle of the house, up off the floor, position the antenna vertically, and make sure there is no metal barriers between your router and your computer.
Interference from other wireless networks can cause interference as can cordless phones, baby monitors, and microwave ovens. You can expect interference with cordless phones using the 2.4 Ghz frequency.

To find out more – including solutions – following this link.

How to Improve Your Speed:

Up to this point we have given some very useful information on how to test your Internet connection speed. This is a very useful tool for your PC bag of tips and tricks. We are now ready to move on to the next step… working on improving your speed. First we need to check and rule out whether there are no other factors first requiring your attention. Here are the top three items we would look at specifically if you were to require support relating to speed issues.

Make sure it’s not your PC that is slow. If you are experiencing slow performance with your Internet speed and other aspects of your PC (opening and closing applications for example), then you have to deal with your slow PC performance first and see if that clears things up. Follow this link to deal with a slow PC.
Congestion. Have you tried taking a shower when the washing machine is running, along with the dish washer, and someone flushes a toilet? This is similar to having too much demand on your Internet service. We suggest examining all the devices that are connecting to your wireless network and making sure also that there are no outside devices connecting to your network without your consent. To gain access to your wireless network you need to make sure you have a secure password that the whole neighborhood doesn’t know and share.
Internet Explorer Browser Issues. It could be that you are experiencing slow downs on your browser as a result of add-ons and other installed tools that are causing congestion. If this is the case and you are using IE specifically we suggest that you click on this link and reset your Internet Explorer browser.

Internet TuneUp

Having unwanted applications can also cause browser issues. Regardless of what browser type you are using, you can take full advantage of the Uninstaller tool available with PC Clean Maestro to remove recently added programs. Follow this link to find out about repairing your browser.

Now you are ready to deal with any networking issues by using the tune up tool available with PC TuneUp Maestro. This tool analyzes your computer and provides a recommended list of items that will bring about Internet performance improvements. The analysis focuses on PC areas that can benefit from a performance tuning and the results providing only the recommendations relevant to your system. You can also use the Advanced Settings to configure the individual Internet TuneUp items.

Here are the steps:

To begin, open up PC TuneUp Maestro and click the Optimize PC item in the left pane.
Next, you can click the Internet TuneUp option in the list and the tool is immediately activated.

Note: You can view the Advanced Settings to see all the items that are optimized.

In Summary:

The knowledge presented here is intended to equip you with the necessary skills to assess Internet connectivity. While we have covered a fair amount of area, we do feel that you can gain a great level of confidence and familiarity when it comes to assessing the conditions related to Internet connectivity. With this in hand you are better able to speak to your Internet Service Provider if the bottleneck is indeed at their end.

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