Technology, Gadget and Web 2.0

In my previous articles I talks about testing your broadband connection speed test using two website either speedtest.net or dslreports.com. Do you want to setup your own broadband speed test like it? If you are, then I will tell you how to do it. Fortunately, speedtest.net has provided a free speed test application that they called speedtest.net Mini.

This application is offered “as is” free of charge without any support so use it at your own risk. You can host this free speed test on your web server that support ASP, ASP.NET or PHP. Now we will go to the setup part. First, you must have a reliable web hosting that support ASP, ASP.NET or PHP. If you don’t, then get one. For Malaysian, I recommend Exabytes web hosting service. Then you must decide where you want to setup whether on the top level domain or sub domain. Let me give you an example. I already have a web hosting and my top level domain is MuhdSyafiq.com. MuhdSyafiq.com is already a blog that use wordpress platform.So, in this situation, the best place to setup my free speed test website is at sub domain that should look like this ” speedtest.muhdsyafiq.com “. Usually, setup a sub domain in your web hosting is always free. If you don’t know how to create a sub domain, you can ask your web hosting provider or Google it. After you have create all this, download the speedtest.net Mini application, unzip and upload it to your server which is usually under www folder or public_html folder id you are planning to setup it at top level domain. For sub domain setup, take me as an example, I should upload it to speedtest folder under www folder. In the folder you uploaded, there are three html file, index-asp.html, index-aspx.html and index-php.html. My server supports PHP better so I rename index-php.html to index.html. Now you are done. Open up your browser and load up your newly create free broadband speed test site. If you have a question, feel free to leave a comment below and I will gladly answer..

You have subscribed to a fast broadband package in your country but do you know whether you are getting the speed that they promise to give you? Maybe some of you have a stable and fast connection but the other may suffer slow connection but before you call them, you must be prepared of what they may ask. One of the question that maybe they will ask is “Is your connection really slow” and “how do you know that your connection is very slow?” To answer that question, you must test your broadband connection speed using online broadband speed test. For me, I recommend you use speedtest.net or dslreports.com.

Both sites are pretty much the same whether in accuracy or performance but they both have an advantages to one another. Speedtest.net has many locations in the world that you can test your broadband speed. This is important because sometimes your speed maybe fast when you are browsing local website but when you are surfing foreign website, your speed tremendous become slow. It has happen to me. My ISP, Tmnet is always a problem when accessing foreign website. Sometime when I want to check my yahoo mailbox is also a problem. Dslreport only allow you to test your speed at USA but it have more cool tool like Tweak Test that test if your computer is setup correctly for broadband TCP connectivity and Line Quality Testing that test Packet loss tests on your line, including identification of any problem routers en-route to you.

Why is this speed test site really matter? When you should use it? I think that you maybe using it when you want to complaint to you ISP when your connection has a slow connection or when you are considering subscribing to a new broadband package. The latter is important because what the ISP agent tell you is not really the truth. You must find the truth by yourself. So, you must test the package by using their desktop or laptop computer and test their broadband speed by using the two broadband speed test website that I mention before. So, think wisely before you sign any contract…

Recently Celcom and Maxis had launch their wireless broadband solution called Celcom Broadband and Maxis Broadband but is it worth it? Everyone knows that subscribing to Malaysia no 1 ISP (Internet Service Provider), Tmnet or their package, Streamyx is very bad experience so they have to find other alternative. Is Celcom and Maxis Broadband were their life saver? Of course not!

Why I said that Celcom and Maxis broadband is not their life saver? I am also very interested with this new wireless broadband offered by this two company but until I realize that they both share one thing in common. They don’t actually offer unlimited wireless internet broadband but they limit their user for only 3 GB of total download and upload per month!

Look what Celcom Broadband say in their policy.
Fair Usage Policy
In line with Celcom’s recommended best practice for 3G/HSDPA users on unlimited data plans:
Maximum Total Traffic per Month = 3GB
* First time abuse, 25% or more above 3GB threshold - SMS warning
* Second consecutive abuse (as defined above) - outbound call warning of termination
* Third consecutive abuse - suspension of service and blacklisting

Maxis Broadband as stated in their policy.
5.3 Excessive Usage
5.3.1 Each customer’s total usage per month shall NOT exceed 3GB of data volume transmitted (total upload and download usage). This is to ensure that no individual hogs the bandwidth at all times.
5.3.2 If a customer wishes to use more than the volume permitted, a written request should be made to Maxis.
5.3.3 Maxis reserve the right to reject the said application or charge for any additional data volume transmitted from what is already allocated.

If you can bear with only 3 GB per month, then you should consider subscribe but if you want a better alternative, I think you should choose Izzi MWB (mobile wireless broadband)powered by iBurst technology. I have read its policy and I don’t find any clauses that limit your internet bandwidth per month. Izzi also is not mobile phone operator so I think it will better serve you. It is also cheaper, RM 66 for 1 Mbps speed unlimited internet. The only drawback is their service is currently available in Klang Valley but it will expand to various top cities in Malaysia like Penang and Johor. If you have experience using Maxis Broadband, Celcom Broadband or Izzi MWB service, please leave a comment below.

In the last post, I mentioned that my motto is One Day One Post. What is the meaning of this? It means that everyday I will make one post. It is 7 posts a week, 30 or 31 posts a month or 365 posts a year. Why do I do this kind of stuff? After 9 month I leave this blog without even visiting it myself, I have made a promise to my self that everyday I will post one blog entry. Building good blog is not easy. Good content, good English grammar, updating blog regularly is a must in blog building.

So, it is a must to have a motto to driven you to be a good blogger. I think that One Day One Post works best for me. I hope you all can support me in this blog whether by submitting comment in my blog entry or suggest topic that I should blog about. ..