Network Improvements?

Are you referring to a network with multiple computers on it, or the single computer's connection to a network?

In the case of a multi-computer network, the first issue is to remove "points of contention" in the network.

In a wired network, this means reducing the number of machines on a broadcast/collision domain. This can easily be done by replacing any network hubs in the infrastructure with network switches. More data on switches vs hubs here: http://www.networkclue.com/hardware/network/switch...

In a wireless network, this means reducing the number of wireless stations associated with a single access point. This means reducing the cell size/broadcasting power of all the access point in the network, and installing more access points to cover the resulting coverage gaps. You might also want to consider switching 802.11 wireless ethernet types (i.e. from 802.11b/g to 802.11a, which has a much smaller cell size by default) if this is an enterprise enviroment, where you can control the wireless hardware in the end-user stations.

Beyond that, there are different changes that can be made to the layer3 structure (vlans, routing changes) of a network, but that's beyond the scope of this question.

If you are referring on how to optimize the network connection of a single computer (assuming you are using ethernet), there are a number of tweaks that can be made (i.e. resizing your MTU to 1500). Try this free tool, which has all of the tweaks I can think of bundled into a single software package:

http://www.brothersoft.com/optimizexp-internet-net...

If you are referring to a single computer using a dial-up connection, you are options are definitely more limited. Try purchasing the best modem that you can afford, and verify that you are getting close to 56k. Failure to connect at 56k can be due to a fault in your house wiring, or the wiring between your house and your ISP (in which case it is your telco's responsibility). Calling your ISP and asking for help with poor connection rates can often be helpful (although, depending on your ISP, your milage may vary).

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