Hi guys!

Most board-users here sure have meanwhile an A-DSL connection. To improve performance, you should install cFos´s new ADSL-drivers, which are superior to the original Windows XP/2000 ones. They use the so-called "traffic-shaping"-technique, which firstly measures out the line-speeds in up- and downstream, and than reserves a variable value for the "confirmation-packages" of the downloads. Because the more uploads are running, and the higher the complete upload-bandwidth of ADSL is occupied, the more those "confirmation-packages" are prevented from sending back. And that´s the origin cause then for the tremendous slowdown of the download-speed, when other uploads run at the same time. The cFos-drivers prevent that by reserving a variable - but all time sufficient - reservoir for those back-packages. It´s programmed "intelligent and flexible", the authors write in their description (It´s held in german, therefore I write this all now, that you understand, what´s behind this technique).

First I also didn´t believe that it helps something, as I thought "bah, drivers are drivers". But believe me: It really does !! Even when you activate the feature "send small size-buffer" in "Direct Connect ++" those drivers improved after installation the download-performance remarkably. Even the uploads run a few Kilobyte/s faster than before (from 23 to around 25/26 in total now). So, check ´em out! Downloadable cFos V5.04 here. The only disadvantage this program has, is that it´s a shareware and limited to 45 days of trial-period. Full version costs then 45 €.

Very nice. It's a pity that I am on a shared connection. That means, we need traffic shaping (TS) between the DSL modem and the NAT stuff.

There's very good TS in FreeBSD, but I'm too busy to get it running on our NAT pc. Perhaps using a WinXP pc to do NAT would help - then I could use this driver for TS... But this needs massive hardware upgrades...

R.A.F :

I assume this driver works alongside the driver for the adsl board itself. So I have to keep my conexant adsl pci driver?

In addition, I have to tick both of them in the Network Connections properties. Just having cfos ticked means I can't connect.

Have I set cfos up correctly?

I fear, I don´t understand what you mean at the moment. But I will try: You have an internal ADSL-PCI-card plugged in a PCI-slot of your motherboard. - Right? But the driver from cfos is an alternative driver for the operating system (mostly Win2000 or XP). It has nothing to do with your ADSL-board-drivers. And the original WinXP-PPoE-drivers still exist. The cfos drivers are installed alongside the WinXP ones. Over this, cfos configures itself by automatic while the installation-process. So, there really shouldn´t appear any problems even for beginners like you (.... and me also ), as all is done by the program.

I assume you mean the PPPoE protocol drivers (these are used for most ADSL connections, at least in Hungary and in Germany). Just to make it clear: Windows XP comes with PPPoE support out of the box, but Windows 2000 doesn't have any in-built PPPoE drivers (which doesn't make it any worse than XP since XP's own drivers are inferior to some freely available PPPoE drivers).

I just missed, that this german page also has an english translation. So, if you want to read, what´s behind that adsl-drivers and technique, just click here to come on the english site of cFos:

http://www.cfos.de/techinfo/shape_e.htm