Part 4) The proxy servers will compress your web and email content for you.
While store-and-forward transmission does speed up your connection, the real speed gain is in "compression" algorithms. This is when the proxy acceleration servers use special proprietary technology to compress web pages and emails into smaller “packets”. If a web page is normally 800 kilobytes total size, compression can squeeze it down to perhaps 200 or 250 kilobytes. These smaller packets are sent to you through your dial-up modem, and then expanded back to full size on your computer with special software at your end. Back in 2003, this compression would normally have the side effect of poorer quality graphics. But now in 2007, compression technology has improved dramatically, and graphics do not degrade significantly when compressed-decompressed.
Tech note: the compression-decompression process also applies in the “up” direction. This means: when you upload files or send emails and attachments or text messages, those items also get compressed-and-decompressed for faster transmission.
Tech note 4a) Content that will be compressed for you:
- web page text and general formats
- graphics on web pages (.jpg and .gif files)
- regular downloadable files: screensavers, shareware, .pdf files.
- email and file attachments
- most banner advertisements and most Flash .swf movies
Tech note 4b) Content that will remain uncompressed:
- Secure password-protected content (https:// web pages) do not get compressed. This includes your bank account login, eBay login, Paypal login, online financial transactions, and connecting into your company extranet. This is because compression can open up holes in the encryption and allow hackers in to read your passworded pages)
- Streaming video and audio do not get compressed. Streaming content are usually movies, animations, and music that is beamed to you as you watch it or listen to it; e.g. Internet radio stations.
- FTP uploading and downloading does not get compressed. Nor does any other web connection that does not use your IE or Firefox browser. This would include: antivirus updates, streaming newscasts, and most other software connections.
**in short, you will experience compressed speed increases for 80% of your web pages and nearly all of your email. You will experience regular modem speeds when you do passworded logins and secure online transactions.
Part 5) Getting dial-up acceleration to work at your end
This is the easy part. Once you subscribe to a dial-up acceleration service, the only real work you have to do is download and install a small client software package. That little software will handle the decompression and compression, and your proxy’s technical connection. Once that little software is in place, your web surfing and email habits will be the same, just faster. There will be no other extra work to you other than to pay your acceleration subscription fee each month.
Next: “This is Great! What Dial-Up Acceleration Services Can I Subscribe to?”
Diagram: this is a proxy acceleration server network
