Tips to Make Browsing the Internet Faster

Is your computer as fast as it was when you purchased it? Are you noticing that the smallest things take time to load on the internet? Take a look at what your computer is doing. Here are some little things that you can do to make your internet faster.

1. Use a third party DNS server

Choosing a third party DNS server like OpenDNS is an option which will make your internet service run faster. It will bring your computer closer to the information that you are seeking.

2. Update your browser

If you are using Internet Explorer, there are updates issued all the time. These updates are intended to close holes in security as well as optimize your system. Take advantage of the updates that are announced in the lower right hand corner of your screen.

3. Use placeholders for pictures

When you want to read the text and ignore the pictures, you can go to the ‘Internet Options’ option under ‘Tools’ in Internet Explorer. From there, go to ‘Advanced,’ and select the option of using placeholders for pictures. This will tell your browser that you don’t wish to see images.

4. Install an ad blocker

There are some sites which have constantly refreshing advertisements. The advertisements will be downloaded each time into your browser. Go to CNet and look for a blocker which will block the pop up ads from your system.

5. Install antivirus software

Antivirus software is absolutely essential on any computer. There are viruses on the web which can be downloaded through seemingly benign web sites, slowing or crashing your system. Make sure that you are virus free by installing an anti viral program like Malwarebytes Anti Malware onto your system.

6. Defrag your hard drive

Many people overlook defragmentation as being the cause of slow speeds. Your computer will write a hard drive’s data to wherever it chooses. Information is more easily found when your drive is defragmented.

7. Turn off unessential programs

Look at the icons near the clock in the lower right hand corner of your screen. Are there any programs which are running in the background which can be turned off? There may be applications that have been set to auto-update. This software can just as easily update when you are not surfing.

8. Keep your programs up to date

There are other programs which assist your browser in bringing you the best internet experience. Applications like Flash and Java need to be kept up to date just like your browser and operating system. Older software tends to make a machine operate less efficiently.

9. Clean your computer

Are there games that you haven’t played in months which are still taking up space? Your computer needs a certain amount of physical hard drive space to run its processes. If it does not have this space, your internet will slow down. Take the time to remove unused software from your machine.

10. Install more RAM

The newer operating systems need at least 1GB of RAM to properly function. If the RAM isn’t there, your computer will be sluggish. Get yourself a couple sticks of RAM and watch your machine speed up.

11. Change your internet settings

When the cache gets full, your net connections will slow down. You can give yourself more cache space by changing the settings in the Tools menu of Internet Explorer. Install your software one piece at a time to make sure that it has the intended effect. Each of the installations and tweaks that you do will add a little bit of speed to your internet browsing. Your computer will soon be zooming to its capacity.

Safety Tips When Browsing Online Penpals or Friends

With the advent of Web 2.0 and all of its social networking websitesand online communities, more and more people have become comfortable with meeting strangers on the internet. Whether you are searching fornew friends or even a possible dating partner, there are some very important safetyprecautions you should take.

1. Never fully trust anyone until you know them in real life

This sounds obvious, but many people do not practice this valuable piece of advice. As fun as the internet might be, you should never fully trust anyone you meet online until they become real-life friends. Even then, you should never meet someone in person until you have spent a long time getting to know them using online chat programs such as Skype, and exchanged a few photos or video calls. Scammers and criminals have become very clever with creating fake profiles with realistic photos, hobbies, and such, and can easily blend into social networks. Not all fakers use gorgeous photos of models, surprisingly enough.

2. Never divulge your full identity or sensitive data

Since you shouldn’t trust strangers online as noted above, this means there are certain things you should never share with people online. Banking and financial information is the biggest one, along with identification numbers like your driver’slicense. Additionally, it is a good idea to choose a nickname on social networks, or at least go by just your first name. Sharing hobbies and interests is a great idea, but avoid revealing your home address or place of work. If you are searching for penpals, then consider setting up a P.O. box for mailing purposes.

3. Never send money, receive random mail, or assist with paperwork

Penpal sites and social networks are popular targets these days for all kinds of scams. Some of the common ones are people pretending to have a sick relative who then beg for cash from their newfound friend (you) or who ask pen-pals to receive mail for them and relay (send it forward) to another 3rd party. You should never talk about money, mail forwarding, immigration papers, or otherwise with people you meet online. Anytime these issues come up, you should avoid them at all costs.