Internet Dial-up Using Smart 3G & LG KU250

Yesterday, I dropped by Smart Wireless Center in SM Mall of Asia to renew my Smart Broadband contract (huh?! you may say, but Smart Bro is serving me good for my personal use). As a token of their gratitude, they gave me an LG KU250 Prepaid Phone Kit (costs around Php5,000 and it is 3G). I always wanted to try connecting to the internet via a PC/laptop and a mobile phone. I am NOT successful with GlobePH, so I wanted to try this time with Smart.

The Customer Service Agent at MOA gave me the dial-up number *99***1#, so I immediately created a dial-up connection with this number once I reached home. First try, nah! It didn’t worked. Called their Customer Service Hotline, and gave me a new dial-up number *99# — still does not worked. Then finally, a second call to their Hotline, the CS Agent told me that I need to install the LG PC Suite to use 3G dial-up.

So I tried to install the LG KU250 PC Suite using the mini-CD-ROM provided, but the next problem I encountered is that the LG USB Modem Driver provided is NOT Windows XP Certified — it won’t install on my PC (running Windows XP 2nd Edition with SP3). Surfed the internet and landed on a possible solution. Tried re-installing the USB Modem Driver, and wallah! It worked!

Now, here’s the settings in the LG PC Suite that worked my way connecting to the internet via 3G:

My Windows XP Internet Connection status tells me that I have a 115.2Kbps connection, but speedtest.net reached somewhere between 250Kbps to 350Kbps.

Using Smart Bro? Use OpenDNS

Ever experienced going to a website and your browser will display: Page cannot be displayed?

The computer unit that we share for internet surfing at home uses Smart Broadband. It is not once that I have to call their Customer Service Hotline just to ask them to refresh their DNS Servers, because we are trying to access a website, which we firmly know that is online (because TurfSitePH.net is the host) and does exist, but gets the “Page cannot be displayed” error over and over again. It only means one thing, the DNS Server of my ISP is broken.

Now, if you do not want to spend wasting your time calling your ISP just to request them to refresh their DNS servers (based on my experience, they will act on it after 48 hours), you may want to use OpenDNS instead? OpenDNS will let you use their DNS Servers, instead of the ones provided by your ISP. In this way, we can be assured that we are browsing the latest version of the website, and it also gives you a safeguard against phishers and scammers, as they try to block websites that fall to these categories when you surf to them.

Smart Bro Internet Connection Speed – 03 FEB 2008

My first speed post for 2008.

SmartBro Connection Speed: Past Midnight

Using two (02) different internet connection speed testing websites: TestMy.net and SpeedTest.net, both results will prove that I have a better SmartBro connection this early Saturday morning. Time to go to sleep. Will check again nine (09) hours later.

It’s Raining Cats & Dogs .. Look at My Speed.

Internet at Lightning Speed?

Just after my class at the SDA building last Saturday, my attention was caught with this sign: “iHooked Internet … Internet at Lightning Speed.” I was actually thinking of paying Netopia UM a visit to check on my server remotely, but this one is nearer (and newer) — so I thought, why not give it a try.

Now, my initial impression cum review of iHooked Internet Cafe (http://www.ihooked.ph) Vito Cruz branch:

Since they had just opened, they offered me FREE internet surfing that day as well as a FREE Membership Card that will entitle me to discounts on all of their services (Internet Surfing is at Php40.00 per hour). The place is nice, the seats are better — something that crosses between a manager’s and a gamer’s chair. Their PC units are fast, though I wasn’t able to check on the specs, but I am certain that they are running Windows 98 with a Windows Vista theme *wink*; the computer monitors are Samsung LCDs (rectangular, not the square ones).

Now, let’s talk about their tag line: Internet at Lightning Speed .. this is where they failed .. I managed to run an internet connection speed test, and got only this:

Another minus point goes to the speakers. Even though each of the computer units sport a Creative Labs speaker system with sub-woofers, I will still prefer to have the ear or head phones.

By the way, the place is run by the same guys who owns Station 168 at the Makati Avenue (reminds me of the jerk owner of Sabiclub.com). Will definitely go back there this Saturday afternoon to check if anything had improved (especially the connection speed) since my last visit.

Now, for my not-so-nightly internet connection speed update:

Smart Bro Internet Connection Speed – 02 AUG 2007

After a Fresh Windows XP Install

Three nights ago, my Windows XP machine — my workhouse, the one using Smart Bro — was considered to be technically dead after showing the Blue Screen of Death since afternoon (as reported to me by my brother). I got pissed that I immediately swapped harddrives and installed Windows XP from scratch. After several hours of optimizing my “new” Windows XP machine, it’s back online!

But I had noticed that my Smart Bro connection will simply not go beyond 150 Kbps. Ah, now. I remember. I downloaded TCPOptimizer and set the MTU to 6000. Rebooted my PC and the connection speed improved. Tonight, 72 hours later, here’s my Smart Bro connection speed: