Workstation performance, local network performance, and Internet performance all have an effect on the AppliedOnline experience. Your Internet connection stability and speed are directly affected by your workstation and your local network. There are some steps you can take to make sure your system is optimized for AppliedOnline connectivity.
Station performance is one of the primary causes of disconnects from AppliedOnline. Basic maintenance should be done to keep your workstation running well. Here is a list of some of the things you can do:
For instructions on defragmenting your hard drive, consult the Windows help file or your IT consultant.
Spyware is any program or temporary internet file that allows companies to track your internet patterns, record credit card information, and capture other personal information located on your hard drive.
There are many programs available for removing Spyware, including some good shareware. Ask your technician for a recommendation, or type "Spyware" in any Internet search engine.
Some programs that are configured to automatically start when Windows starts are unnecessary when you are connected to AppliedOnline. The Microsoft MSCONFIG utility (available on Windows XP ), Startup tab is a good place to look for programs that can be removed from system startup. Check with your tech to find out what may be unneeded and wasting resources on your workstation.
All Windows operating systems offer options for reducing power consumption when the computer is idle. Many of these options will cause your AppliedOnline session to become disconnected. Make sure that your hard disk, system standby, etc. settings are configured to Never turn off. The only option that is safe to turn off when idle is the Monitor. Power Management options are typically accessed through the Screen Saver tab on the Display Properties window. Consult Microsoft Help for specific assistance.
Network adapter cards also have power saving features. Be sure to disable all power saving features on your network adapter. For Windows 95/98 stations, right click the My Computer icon on the desktop, select Properties, select the Device tab, Network Adapters, and your network adapter, and remove all options on the Power Management tab. For Windows 2000/XP stations, right click the My Computer icon on the desktop, select Manage, select Device Manager, Network Adapters, double click your adapter, and remove all options on the Power Management tab.
Your internal network also has a significant influence on a stable and fast connection to AppliedOnline. Various devices on your network are positioned between your workstation and the AppliedOnline network.
Would your network benefit from upgrading to a switch? Hubs and switches are devices that govern the communication between your computers and the Internet. A hub is a device that communicates in a method called Broadcasting. Broadcasting means that it sends the message to every computer on the network regardless of whether the message was intended for that computer or not. For smaller networks, this solution may be sufficient. For larger networks, Broadcast traffic can become overwhelming. A switch is similar to a hub; the only difference is that it is "intelligent." When a computer wishes to communicate with another computer on your network, it can send that message to that computer only. It does not send the message to any other computer. The decreased traffic on the network results in faster performance.
Routers and firewalls are devices that typically reside between the Internet modem and your hub or switch. A router is a device that allows you to share a single Internet connection with several people. Most agencies will have one of these in their office. A firewall can be a hardware device or software that protects the internal network from intruders or hackers who might try to use the internet to break into those systems.
Firewalls and routers have various settings available that can improve performance and prevent problems with AppliedOnline connections.
Note : Some routers and firewalls have idle and disconnect timeout settings that cannot be modified. These devices may not work properly with AppliedOnline. The following devices have been identified as having settings that are incompatible with AppliedOnline: Actiontec routers, Network Everywhere routers.
Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) has a major impact on the quality and performance of your AppliedOnline connection. Visit our website for a comprehensive checklist of items to review regarding your ISP and configuration settings at http://www.appliedsystems.com/doc_central_public/TCConnectivity.htm.
Verify that your ISP supports Microsoft Terminal Services connections (some do not) and that they do not restrict that connection type in any way. Also, question your ISP regarding policies related to disconnecting idle sessions. Some ISPs will disconnect idle Internet connections. Although this does not negatively affect Internet web browsing, the RDC connection is much more sensitive. Closing an idle RDC connection will cause the AppliedOnline session to disconnect completely.
AppliedOnline provides a ping utility, TCPing, for troubleshooting internet connectivity. TCPing can be downloaded from http://www.appliedonline.net/filelib/tcping.exe.
Last Revised: February 19, 2008 02:09 PM
TCE27670