diy Top @Kew Drive

[Ks Toh 74]

Not sure if this is the problem:

https://support.hidemyass.com/hc/en-us/articles/202723806-Mac-OS-X-Troubleshooting

[Lazyfatcat007 5]

KS, so i apply HMA and I have a current data plan. So i log in HMA and surf the web using my data plan right?

[Ks Toh 74]

KS, so i apply HMA and I have a current data plan. So i log in HMA and surf the web using my data plan right?

Yes, you just use your PC or mobile normally. VPN simply directs your web traffic through your chosen VPN server (anywhere in the world) so that the website (or whoever is tracking you) thinks you are accessing from that server at that location. Your actual location and IP address is not disclosed.

On your PC, you run the VPN application. On your mobile, you just switch on VPN.

But subscribe to VPN only if you need it.

Edited December 20, 2015 by Ks Toh

[sarah833 3]

Not sure if this is the problem:

https://support.hidemyass.com/hc/en-us/articles/202723806-Mac-OS-X-Troubleshooting

Bingo!

Thanks!

[Ks Toh 74]

This morning, I carried out some simple tests to see how VPN affects the internet speed. I am subscribed to StarHub's 200 Mbps fibre plan. My StarHub supplied D-Link router is in the store. I have a network cable from there to my room, where I have an AirPort Time Capsule working as an access point. I am using Ookla's SpeedTest on my iPhone 6. I carried out 3 tests for each configuration.

iPhone 6 --> Singapore --> SpeedTest server (Singapore)

iPhone 6 --> Singapore --> SpeedTest server (Portland, Oregon, USA)

iPhone 6 --> VPN (USA, unknown location) --> SpeedTest server (Portland, Oregon, USA)

iPhone 6 --> VPN (Hong Kong) --> SpeedTest server (Portland, Oregon, USA)

[back to Table of Contents]

Edited December 26, 2015 by Ks Toh

[sarah833 3]

Hi Toh,

How is your HMA doing? The download speed when torrenting is a bit depressing and I am still trying to find a server that exceeds 20mbps dl speed. Which servers are you using? I did the full speed test on hma several times and almost all the servers in London, Copenhagen, Berlin, Amsterdam and Prague (trying my luck with the cities that are ranked in the top 10 broadband speed I saw some months ago ) are not reachable or has less than 10mbps dl speed. A little surprising as hma is an UK company.

Saw this article while Googling, good info here:

http://www.adeepbite.com/hidemyass-vpn-review/

Edited December 23, 2015 by sarah833

[Ks Toh 74]

[back to Table of Contents]

Hi Toh,

How is your HMA doing? The download speed when torrenting is a bit depressing and I am still trying to find a server that exceeds 20mbps dl speed. Which servers are you using? I did the full speed test on hma several times and almost all the servers in London, Copenhagen, Berlin, Amsterdam and Prague (trying my luck with the cities that are ranked in the top 10 broadband speed I saw some months ago ) are not reachable or has less than 10mbps dl speed. A little surprising as hma is an UK company.

Saw this article while Googling, good info here:

http://www.adeepbite.com/hidemyass-vpn-review/

Hi my HMA is working fine. I have not been torrenting but I read up, asked people and the following are the information I gathered the past few days, verified partially by my various speed checks in the previous post.

When you are torrenting, you are downloading not from a particular country or location, but from various users' computers throughout the world. The speed is primarily determined by the number of seeds in the swarm. You are right in that often the speed (as shown on my torrenting software) is much less than 10 MB/s. In fact, I find it is usually not even 1 MB/s. This is the case even with or without VPN. However, even at 1 MB/s, a 600 MB file will download in 10 mins.

Sidetrack a bit, 1 B (byte) is equal to 8 b (bits). So, if you see a download speed of 10 MB/s, that is already very fast as it means 80 mbps. We are quite used to very fast internet speeds and therefore kind of spoilt. Various surveys have confirmed that Singapore has overtaken Hong Kong and South Korea. One recent survey by Ookla ranked us at No. 1 at 118.8 Mbps. The world average is only 23.4 Mbps. So, getting 20 Mbps or 2.5 MB/s download speeds when torrenting should be expected. We can only be as fast as the slowest connection.

When you turn on VPN, the data will travel one more hop to the VPN server. Whether there will be a speed drop depends on the locations of your VPN server and your destination server. When I tested the download speed from a US web server, the speed with and without a US VPN seems about the same. In fact, on one occasion, the download speed via the US VPN server was faster. However, when I choose some other country VPN to access the US destination server, the speed would drop. This probably because the data needs to travel to that other country first before going to the US.

I have not tried all the VPN servers yet, but I find the Hong Kong VPN server quite fast.

Edited December 26, 2015 by Ks Toh

[sarah833 3]

Hi hi

I am downloading 2 movies at 7.8gb and 8.8gb for the coming family gathering this Saturday, it takes forever to download compared to when I download without VPN. A file this size takes less than an hour to dl without VPN but I am aware that there are many other factors and don't dare to verify by downloading without hiding my a** lol

I saw that you used Hong Kong servers in your test, and my friend who is a movie buff does his streaming from China servers. No luck for me the speed is less than 5mbps

[Ks Toh 74]

Network Cabling Part 2

Recently, while testing my network speed for VPN, I discovered to my horror that there was something wrong with my network installation.

Three tips I want to share:

1. You should lay network cabling. I have spoken on this topic to death here so I will not repeat them again.

2. Your network cables should be Cat 6 or above. I was surprised to read looprevil's contractor propose Cat 5e cabling.

3. After installation, you should test your network for connectivity and speed. I only tested for connectivity. I could connect to the internet and so I thought the network was fine.

[Ks Toh 74]

Why Cat 6 for Network Cabling?

Network cables are classified into categories (Cat) according to their performance levels. Cat 1 to 4 are obsolete by now. If your contractor supplies Cat 4 cables, I think you need to change contractor. Cat 5/5e is most common but these days, the default cable should be Cat 6. Most people in this field will tell you to install Cat 6, with some even suggesting Cat 7 cabling. There are now even Cat 8 cables. As you can see, Cat 5e is rated up to 1 Gbps, whereas Cat 6 is rated up to 10Gbps. The slight increase in Cat 6 pricing should be very worth it.

Internet speeds in Singapore double roughly every two years. When fibre broadband was introduced, I think the minimum plan was 30 or 50Mbps. When I last subscribed, the minimum was 100Mbps. I renewed recently, it was 200Mbps minimum. Two years on, i am sure the minimum will hit 500Mbps and then 1Gbps and beyond. Some ISPs are already offering 2Gbps plans. I am sure you will be staying in your new place for some time. And you don't want to be in a situation where your fibre broadband plan is 5Gbps but your network cabling can only carry 100Mbps max so you are still getting only 100Mbps internet speed. 1Gbps = 1,000Mbps.

Furthermore, many devices are connected in your network. You may be streaming movies from one PC to your Smart TV. Or your IP Cameras may be recording and saving data onto your network drive. Or you may be transferring and copying files from one device to another, within your network. Wouldn't you want a network that is many times faster?

Finally, even if you do not need Cat 6 cabling, I am sure the future buyer of your house will be interested. Maybe he is a future buyer only because you had Cat 6 network cabling.

Remember that your network speed is only as fast as your weakest link. There is no point subscribing to a 2Gbps fibre broadband plan, having the latest and most powerful 8 antenna Asus router, Gigabit switches and superfast PCs but you laid network cables capable of supporting only 100Mbps.

[Ks Toh 74]

To determine what type of cable you are having, just look at the cable. The information is printed on the sides.

It seems that many Cat 5 labelled cables manufactured in recent years also meet Cat 5e specifications but they have just not been tested or certified as such.

[Ks Toh 74]

Testing your Network for Connectivity and Speed

The other day, I was running various speed tests for VPN. It suddenly occurred to me that I was constantly getting wired connection speeds of just below 100Mbps in my master bedroom, when I had recently upgraded my StarHub plan to 200Mbps. So I set about to ascertain if there was a problem.

I first checked the speed coming into my modem and main router. I was getting speeds of around 200Mbps. StarHub did not shortchange me.

Next, I checked the speeds at the network points in my other rooms. It is still round 200Mbps.

But when I checked the speed at the network point in my room, where I spent most of my time, the speed dropped to below 100Mbps. Arrrgggghhhh!!

I realised that something had gone wrong with the wiring from my main router to the faceplate in my room. Hopefully it is the plug or faceplate, both of which I can change. But if the problem lies in the cable, I am screwed. The entire cable is concealed all the way from my ground floor to my room on the highest floor.

[looprevil 0]

Thanks for your advice. I'm now cat 6 laid.

[Ks Toh 74]

Thanks for your advice. I'm now cat 6 laid.

How much did you have to pay per point to change from Cat 5e to Cat 6? Although I specified Cat 6 for all my points, my electrician convinced me to accept Cat 5e for 2 of my points. I now regret it but nothing can be done.

[looprevil 0]

How much did you have to pay per point to change from Cat 5e to Cat 6? Although I specified Cat 6 for all my points, my electrician convinced me to accept Cat 5e for 2 of my points. I now regret it but nothing can be done.

The upgrade cost is minimum, an extra $20 per point. That makes its pretty worth while for a long term view.