You'll find other related software listed on my Browser Add-Ons page.

Absolutely On-line 2.3 is a $15 tool that short-circuits most ISPs' attempts to disconnect you during idle time. Get it from www.jimjams.com/xdown.html.

Advanced Dialer 2.4 replaces the standard Windows dialup utility with a more useful and feature-rich program, adding automatic redial, automatic reconnect, a scheduler, and connection meters. $29 from www.kagi.com/yellow/default.html.

AOLSpeed 2.03 is a utility that ought to speed up AOL's slow, slow performance. If you've got a version of AOL older than 4.0, this utility isn't for you. Free from www.majorgeeks.com/download507.html (the authors' site, www.aolspeed.dhs.org/), is not currently available). May not work with AOL 8 and 9.

Broadband Wizard 4.0 works to monitor and optimize your broadband connection. $20 to keep from www.broadbandwizard.net/.

ConnectPal Professional, $17 from www.connect-pal.com, is a DUN utility that automatically dials (and redials) your Internet connection, automatically launches programs after you've connected, and keeps your ISP from dumping you offline.

Dial-Up Magic 1.7 lets you export and recreate your RAS settings on other computers. Good for cloning connections among a dozen office PCs. $10 from www.techmagic.com/dunmagic.htm.

Dial-Up Networking Monitor is a freebie that lets you graph DUN statistics such as throughput and bytes received. Snag it from jongrieve.net/dunmon/.

Dipstick 2.52 lets you "ping" servers to determine the fastest download sites. Free from klever.net/kin/dipstick.html.

DirectParallel Connection Monitor v2.11b is a free utility from www.lpt.com/free.htm that troubleshoots, tests, and provides info about your Direct Cable Connection (DCC).

DU Meter 2.2 lets you chart the performance of your network or dial-up connection. $15 from www.dumeter.com.

Dunce 2.52 is a freebie that automates your Internet connection and keeps you online when the ISP decides to throw you off. Download it from www.vecdev.com.

DUN 1.3 Performance & Security Update is a Microsoft-provided update for Win 95's Dial-Up Networking applet. Available somewhere in the rats' maze of Microsoft's site, but easier to grab from www.pcworld.com/fileworld/file_description/
0,1458,7214,00.html.

EasyMTU 3.0speeds up your dial-up connection by optimizing your TCP/IP settings, and allows you to easily change your Windows Registry settings for maximum online time. It also includes a benchmark program that lets you compare different Registry settings. Free from www.rob.cybercomm.nl/.

IPNetMonitor tells you just how fast your new ISDN or DSL connection truly is. Free from www.sustworks.com.

Midpoint 4.0 isn't real cheap at $49, but if you want to use two modems, two phone lines, and two ISP subscriptions on one PC to double your Internet productivity, this program can do the trick for you. Get the lowdown from www.midcore.com/index.html.

Modem Booster is a $20 utility that speeds your modem's data transmission capabilities, thus speeding Web pages and files' download times. Check it out from www.inklineglobal.net/products/mb/index.html.

MTUSpeed Pro 4.10 is a $10 download from www.mjs.u-net.com/ that lets you adjust your Registry settings to optimize your Web surfing speed.

'Net Monitor 1.3 is a freebie from the Karen Kenworthy Power Tools collection. The idea is for the program to monitor your Net connection, and if it detects problems, to inform you so you can fuss at your ISP. Free from www.karenware.com, but requires VBRUN 6 to operate.

Net.demon 2.02 is a little goodie that tracks the route an IP packet takes from your computer to a remote location, along with numerous other functions. Includes "Stupid URL Tricks," which uncovers bogus URLs used by spammers. $15 to keep from www.netdemon.net/index.html.

NetFreeze 1.02 is a little freebie from www.tool.de that is particularly handy for those users who frequently log into different networks and find Windows constantly deleting their old passwords. This program saves those old passwords for quick restoration.

NetLaunch 3.14d monitors your DUN connections and automatically launches programs such as browsers or time-checkers when you connect. Easily configurable. Free from www.blackcastlesoft.com/netlaunch.

Net.Medic 1.2 is a powerful, multitalented little goodie that identifies and isolates Internet bottlenecks, and helps you dodge them. Get it from Vital Signs Software at www.vitalsigns.com. Be prepared to ante up $50 to keep it, though. A cheaper alternative is 'Net Pal for $19 at www.kburra.com, but you may not like the interface as much.

NetMon 1.52 is a replacement for the little flashing red and green icon that sits in your System Tray and blinks incessantly while you Websurf. (AOLers and some other surfers don't get this icon displayed, but most of you see it regularly.) This utility gives you a good bit more info than the basic display provided by the "Lights" icon. Free from w1.132.telia.com/~u13200034/.

NetSwitcher 3.2.5 lets you set up all of your network configurations at once, and it uses a graphic interface to keep them sorted out. Useful if you have to change your network settings a lot, or reconfigure your IP address configuration when you plug in to your home network. $9 from www.netswitcher.com/.

NetWatcher 2000 is a $25 utility from www.moonlight-software.com that keeps tabs on your Internet connection, looking for unauthorized connection/hacking attempts. NetWatcher blocks unwanted intrusions and records their IP addresses in case you want to rat 'em out. Try it free for 14 days.

Ping Plotter 2.2 is a $15 "pinger" that troubleshoots Internet connections, available from www.nessoft.com.

Ping-O-Meter is a free, sophisticated Internet ping utility from www.obesearmadillo.com/software/pingometer15.html. Look here for information about ping utilities.

PowerTools Pro for AOL 5 9.0.51 is a batch of utilities to spice up your AOL experience, particularly if you're a chat maven. $25 from www.bpssoft.com/index.html.

Qcheck 1.3 is a free, souped-up ping utility that, according to the ad copy, allows you to "test the response time of traffic on IP networks; send real application flows across the network to test connectivity and performance; test whether a network can support multimedia traffic; test a network link using the application flows generated by streaming multimedia applications; determine at what rate streaming traffic is received and how much packet loss occurs; test the network connectivity between your own computer and another computer; test network performance between any two workstations on your network, regardless of their location; view a workstation's physical memory, oerating system levels and CPU utilization." Wheee! Free from www.qcheck.net/.

RAS+ 95 is a powered-up replacement utility for Microsoft's DUN (dial-up networking) utility. It automates Internet connections as well as seeing to it that your provider doesn't throw you off while you visit the john. Get it from www.lambsoftware.com.

RCL 1.0 is a tiny, free utility that connects you to your ISP through your command line within Windows. Look it over at www.freesoftware.org/ras/ras.shtm.

Savant Web Server 2.1 is a powerful freeware utility that turns a desktop PC into a Web server. This little beastie has everything you need to transform your machine into a host for your own Web site. Get the scoop from hera.wku.edu/~lamonml/savant/index.html.

SiteSpeed 1.0 is a freebie that lets you compare your site's loading speed to any other site you like. Warp over to thedigitaldetective.com/SiteSpeed/default.htm.

Speed Test is another freebie that measures your connection speed. Works with digital and analog carriers, and is available from www.computingcentral.com/topics/bandwidth/speedtest.asp.

SpeedNet 4.1 is a $25 Net utility that claims to speed up your Web browsing by optimizing your connection, whether you're running a dial-up, cable, ISDN, or DSL connection. Find out more from www.paramagnus-development.com/products/speednet/.

Stay Connected 3.0 from www.inklineglobal.com is a well-regarded utility that keeps your ISP from kicking you offline for inactivity. The new version is crafted to work well with AOL and Compuserve along with most other ISPs, including the freebies like NetZero. $20 to keep.

StayOn Pro 3.19 is a $20 utility from www.stayonpro.com/ that keeps your ISP from booting you offline by periodically retrieving information over your connection. Even works with AOL and Prodigy, and dismisses the "Do you want to stay connected?" dialog boxes from most ISPs.

Tickle is another utility that keeps you online by "tickling" your ISP (or ISPs -- Tickle recognizes and works with more than one) at a specified interval, thus preventing timeouts. Free from www.worldlynx.net/pgerhart/_tickle.html.

TweakDUN 2.22 is a $15 utility that tweaks your Registry to help you speed downloading. It isn't intuitive, and it takes trial and error to find exactly what settings work best, but it works. The new version claims to be AOL-compatible. Try it from www.pattersondesigns.com/tweakdun.

VisualRoute, $30 from www.visualroute.com/index.html, is a "traceroute" utility that traces the route a site travels from its home server to your screen. Useful for finding potholes and washouts in the Internet superhighway.

Xceed Winsock 1.1 is a COM/ActiveX library that lets you use the Winsock 2 API for your program coding. If this trips your trigger, go to www.xceedsoft.com for the lowdown and prepare to lay out $300 to keep it.

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