This is a quicktip to show you how to work out your current Internet Explorer version. It also works for most other Microsoft software, as well as software from other companies.

This tip is written for Windows operating systems.

1. Open up the software program such as Internet Explorer.

2. Find the Help option in the menu bar (usually at the top of the window for most programs), then click on About Internet Explorer (or About other program name)

You will then see a window similar to the one shown on the right, and toward the top you can see the current version number of your software install.

If your system shows a version older than Internet Explorer 8 then you should strongly consider Microsoft Internet Explorer updates to get the full advantages of more secure and faster web browsing.

Did you know the broadband plan you signed up for, and pay for may be different to the service level you are receiving? Technical factors beyond your control, and your Internet Service Provider’s control may be reducing your speed, and you may be paying for a faster internet plan for no reason.

Broadband internet speed test results

Running a broadband speed test is free and easy, and you can ensure your are getting what you pay for.  High Speed Broadband Access is much faster than dial up access, however it is also more expensive.  Here is a way to check your Broadband internet speed within Australia to get the best value for your money. This guide uses the website Oz Broadband Speed Test which is best for Australian broadband users. If you are outside of Australia, point your favourite web browser to Google search, and look for a broadband speed test suitable for your location.

Instructions for internet broadband speed test within Australia are below:

1. Go to  http://www.ozspeedtest.com/bandwidth-test/ to be taken to the Oz Broadband Speed Test website.

2.  In the section under “Mirror List”, click on the name of your internet provider

3 . Choose a test to run which corresponds to the type of internet connection you have, if you have brooadband, but are unsure what kind of broadband, select ADSL, ADSL2+, Wireless, Satellite, Cable Test (3MB) which covers almost all options.

4. The test will then start running, which can take a few seconds to a few minutes on slower connections.

5. The results include the time that the test was run. You are also given a line speed and download speed.

The Broadband internet speed in the pictured example is just over 1,500KBPs, so if you are paying for a plan at 20,000KBPs you can consider contacting your internet provider and revising your plan

We hope you found this free computer help tip on running a free broadband speed test in Australia helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below or contact us directly.

While the pic won’t be anywhere near the professional photographer quality, with the correct lighting and a bit of practice you can come up with something suitable for the internet or emailing to your contacts.

The instructions below are for computers running Windows XP with a webcam already plugged in. Not sure what Windows XP means? Click here for a very simple way to work it out!

1. Open the Camera within your computer’s control panel by doing the following

• Click on Start, then Control Panel
• Look for Scanners and Cameras and double-click on it
• You will see a selection of your scanners and cameras, select the webcam (look for something like USB Video Device or the brandname of your external camera)
• Double-click on your webcam from within the list, the Scanner and Camera Wizard should start up

2. Take a picture using the Scanner and Camera Wizard

• You should now see a screen with a Preview of what the webcam sees in the left half, and any pictures you took in the right half.
• Play around with the lighting, your hair, wardrobe changes until you are happy with what you see in the left part of the screen, then click on the words “Take Picture” under the preview Window.
• Your picture will move to the right side with a tick box in the right corner, you can repeat these steps (in section 2 here) as many times as you want to try different angles, hairstyles etc
• Click on Next and we will save the pictures.

3.  Saving the picture(s) for later use

• In box 1. type a name for the group of pics, or you can type in All Pics or similar
• In box 2 click on browse and choose the place on your computer where you would like to store the pics. (Make sure to remember this location for later use)
• Click on the box to delete the pictures after copying them so you don’t end up with the same pictures in multiple places
• Then click on Next, and click on Nothing and Next in the next screen.
• You will then see a screen with the final location of your pics, you can click on the link within that screen, come back later and click on Finish.

Restart or shutdown and turn on your computer in the usual manner, taking careful notice as it starts up. If you have a fairly standard version, there will be a boot screen looking similar to one of the images below. The boot screen will have the wording of Windows XP or Windows Vista on it.

Windows XP

Windows Vista

Yes, sometimes it can be just that easy!

What is Broadband?

The simplest explanation of Broadband is a fast ‘always on’ method of connecting to the internet. In Cairns, broadband is available via Cable, ADSL, Naked ADSL and Wireless access – with ADSL which uses a standard telephone line as the most common. However, ADSL is not available at all telephone exchanges and Cable is only available if you have Cable TV such as Austar. ADSL allows you to make a phone call at the same time that you are using the internet connection. Naked ADSL means you do not have a standard voice phoneline just the ADSL component running through the wires. Wireless is the newest type of broadband access and provides freedom of use anywhere, no need to be tied to a normal telephone line. If a telephone exchange does not support ADSL, and Cable is not available, Wireless may be the only option. Wireless is the most expensive option, but you can take it with you when travelling so it has many advantages.

A quick comparison of currently available light usage internet plans as at 3rd March 2009. Light usage will be suitable for most people switching from dial-up, as an example a light user may use the internet daily, semd/receive 10-30 emails per week, download up to 10 songs per week, watch up to 15 videos per week, and play up to 8 hours of games per week.. Don’t worry if you don’t do all of those activities – it is just meant as an indication of usage.

Understanding Broadband Plans

When you start investigating Broadband plans, there will be some new terms & concepts to consider. Broadband plans are talked about in terms of Data, Speed, Contract Length, Bundling, Excess Data so lets look at these individually

Data or Data Allowance is how much information you are allowed to use within your plan each month – the light usage as discussed above would be around 1-5 Gigabytes of data – part way through the first month of your plan, check your usage to get an indication of how much you actually use and you may be able to switch to a different plan if you need less or more

Speed – Dial-up speed is generally 56kbps, and by comparison broadband comes in 512kbps to 24000kbps – don’t worry too much about exactly what that means – if you are using voice over internet then you will want a plan faster than 1500kbps to get a reliable service.

Contract Length – if you are happy to be in a 2 year contract for your broadband service, there will be perks like free months, discounts and free hardware to connect your computer to the internet. However, prices on broadband are always dropping, so by the end of your contract you may be paying a lot more than the market rates at that time. Prepaid service is also an option if you prefer to do that, like prepaid phones you can buy credit at the post office, over the phone by credit card or on the internet.

Bundling – you can bundle your home, mobile and broadband services with the same provider to save money

Excess Data – if you go over your monthly data allowance, your provider may charge you extra – sometimes A LOT extra, or slow your broadband service to a very low speed similar to dial-up speeds. Check this in your contract. Most providers will provide a way to monitor your usage online and/or be notified by email.

Hopefully that is enough information to give a general understanding of how to read broadband plans, below is a summary of plans available at the time of writing (3rd March 2009), with the links so you can then go to the provider for in depth terms & conditions and to sign-up. If you need further information, or have any requests, please feel free to leave a comment or contact me directly.

The table below shows some light usage plans with 12-36 month contracts. This is by no means an exhaustive list, an excellent resource for finding other plans is the Broadband Plan Finder at youcompare.com.au

As you can see, even that small selection of broadband plans is a lot of information to take in, if you are a light internet user as discussed above, sign up with a plan which allows you to change your usage, then monitor it closely for the first month – does it feel fast enough, how much of your data allowance have you used, and switch to a more suitable plan. I would suggest starting with a 1500kbps speed and as high a data allowance as your budget will allow, then switching to another plan level after you have monitored usage. If you do sign up for a plan with a relatively low data allowance which charges for excess data, monitor that very closely at first to make sure you do not get a surprisingly large bill.

Once you have decided what type of broadband plan to get, it is a relatively simple process of contacting your provider, telling them your phone number and they will arrange the setup. When signing up with a provider they will supply a piece of hardware called a modem or a modem/router if you need wireless within your home or have multiple computers. There will be a step by step guide on how to connect this hardware once your ADSL has been provided. For plan such as Telstra Bigpond Wireless, you can set the hardware up and be online the same day. ADSL lines generally take 7-10 business days to be organised but can take 3-20 days.

This article grew significantly as I was thinking through what information is helpful in getting started with broadband, so some parts were intentionally left out and oversimplified, if you would like additional information, please leave a comment or contact me directly. If it’s just the right amount of helpful information about broadband plans then I’d love to hear that too. If you require much more assistance I am happy to meet with you and take you to Broadband providers around Cairns to facilitate your broadband connection, I can also set up the hardware and test it once the ADSL line or wireless is activated.