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Friendly Reminder About Computer Performance


ajzepp

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I'm not a computer guy by any means...I have average usefulness at best. But once thing I learned a while ago was to periodically check for driver upgrades from the manufacturer.

 

I upgraded to a nicer, faster router this weekend - a Netgear 6300. I was really happy with how much improvement there was with my streaming sources, particularly AppleTV apps (Netflix, Hulu) and Vudu. This is the first time I'm able to get the same download speed (per www.speedtest.net) with a wifi connection as I am with ethernet. I pay for a 30meg connection and my first few speed tests have been closer to 35meg. And I've never had upload speed over 4.5, but it hasn't been less than that so far.

 

Anyway, I noticed that my laptop kept dropping the connection....or I'd be connected to the network but web pages wouldn't load. It was very frustrating. So I went to the Dell website, which I had honestly not done since picking up this laptop in the Winter of 2011, and sure enough there were two updates with an "urgent" status that were sitting there. Additionally, there were 14 other driver upgrades and other downloads that were recommended for my particular model, so I went ahead and just spend a half hour doing all of it.

 

Since then my connection has been perfect, my laptop boots up much quicker, and everything just seems to be working better in general. Doesn't cost a thing and only takes a bit out of your day.

 

I know a lot of people are anti-Dell, and I'm sure other companies provide model-specific driver updates and whatever on their home pages, but I'm on my third Dell computer (desktop, two laptops) since 1998 and anytime there has been an issue there has been a very simple fix that didn't cost me a dime.

 

So if you're noticing issues with performance, remember to update those drivers!

 

Go Bills!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

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http://speakeasy.net/speedtest/

16mg down

1.07 up

 

Time Warner limits me. I have a Netgear myself, I have a HDD on it for media storage so i can access it from anywhere. My movies, music, porn, files, etc.

 

I hit a 37.63 on that one (Washington DC) and even higher on NYC and Dallas....but on Atlanta I only hit 19. Weird.

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