» Web Browsing

Private Internet Browsing

ztr3ngth — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:35:38 +0000

When most people think of Private Internet Browsing, they opt for the use of proxy websites; however this isn’t all as private as you may think. One obvious downside to this option is that unless you later remove your browsing history, it is clear that you have visited a proxy site. Internet Explorer has released their ‘InPrivate Browsing’ feature in their latest IE8, however it has been around on other browsers like Firefox for quite some time.

To Enable ‘Private Browsing’ (Firefox) or ‘InPrivate Browsing’ (IE8) just hold down Ctrl + Shift + P and hold the same keys down again to exit the feature.

You will soon realise that using the Private Internet Browsing feature in your browser is much faster than the proxy option as you don’t have to browse via a server half way across the world. It is also much safer in terms of privacy as you can safely continue your online banking for example, without worrying whether the proxy site you are using is a fraud. If you have already been browsing non-work friendly websites and wish to remove any traces of this, you should follow our guide on Deleting History and Cookies.

Internet Explorer & Firefox Shortcuts

ztr3ngth — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 22:48:03 +0000

The following shortcuts can be used when browsing the web in either Internet Explorer or Firefox. From bookmarking to opening a new tab, these shortcuts are sure to come in handy by making your web experience faster.

Compatible with Internet Explorer and Firefox:

Ctrl + W – Closes the current Tab

Ctrl + D – Bookmarks the Page

Ctrl + T – Opens a new Tab

Ctrl + N – Opens a new Window

F5 / Ctrl + R – Refreshes the page

Ctrl + F – Searches for text in a web page

Ctrl + Shift + P – Starts Private Browsing*

Ctrl + Shift + P – Stops Private Browsing*

Backspace – Reverts to the previous web page

Compatible with Firefox only:

Clicking here opens a new Tab:

Ctrl + J – Opens the Downloads window

Ctrl + Shift + W – Closes the current Window

*Private Browsing enables you to browse the web anonymously without any history or cookies being saved.

You may also be interested in our article on 5 Steps To Speed Up Firefox

Make YouTube Videos Load Faster

ztr3ngth — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:18:00 +0000

Do you find that when watching YouTube videos, they take far too long to load/buffer? Here’s a simple solution to boost your buffering speeds on YouTube and hundreds of other video streaming websites.

There really are no downsides to this program, it takes 30 seconds to install (at the most), works a treat and most of all IT’S FREE!

Go to https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/748 and click Add To Firefox
Click Install Now

Restart Firefox
Go to http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/9151 to install ‘Coralized Youtube’ (this is what actually speeds up your videos)
Click Install
When the Firefox window pops up, click Install again
Restart Firefox for the last time and enjoy!

Now try watching videos on YouTube and see how much faster they load after just a 30 second installation!

Speed Up Broadband Connection

ztr3ngth — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:32:05 +0000

To get the most out of your broadband connection, there are tonnes of pricey programs that supposedly boost your speeds. TCP/IP Optimizer is a FREE program that does all the hard work for you at the click of a button.

1. Download and install TCP/IP Optimizer
2. Go to the General Settings tab and select your Connection Speed (Kbps).
3. Click Network Adapter and pick the device you use to connect to the Internet.
4. Check Optimal Settings at the bottom of the General Settings tab, then Apply.
5. You will need to reboot your PC before changes take place.

Make Firefox Faster

ztr3ngth — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:13:25 +0000

Despite being known for its fast speeds, Firefox can be tied down by pointless plugins and company adverts. This 5 step guide will take you through the main causes and solutions for a slow Firefox browser

1. Simple Homepage

- Setting your homepage to a busy website full of ads such as msn.com is bound to slow down the startup of Firefox. Instead, use a simple search engine like Google.com

2. Remove Shortcuts

- Often, whilst installing certain programs, they will automatically install icons and shortcuts to their websites on your browser. The most common, being “smiley/emoticon” shortcuts. These slow down your Firefox all round, whilst loading the program initially and loading each web page you visit.

- To remove these, right click on the icon and click Delete

3. Delete Temporary Internet Files

- Temporary Internet Files are used to make regularly visiting the same time, quicker. However, over time these files build up and slow down your overall browsing speeds.

- You may be interested in this article for removing temporary internet files

4. Disable Unused Plugins

- Click Tools on the menu bar

- Click Add-Ons, then Plugins

– Click Disable on any unused Plugins

5. Block Flash

- Sick of being slowed down by flash-advert-ridden websites? Download and install the Flashblock plugin. and it will block all Flash applets from loading, so web pages will display much more quickly. Click here to download Flashblock

Delete History and Cookies for faster browsing

ztr3ngth — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:07:33 +0000

Over time, saved usernames, visited websites can build up and make surfing the web, slower. Deleting Cookies and History files from your browser can boost your web browsing speeds massivley.

Firefox:

Open Firefox
Click Tools in the menu bar
Click Clear Private Data
Check Browsing History, Saved Form and Search History, and Cookies
Click Clear Private Data Now
All Done!

Firefox 'Clear Private Data' window

Internet Explorer:

Open Internet Explorer
Click Tools in the menu bar
Click Delete Browsing History
Check Temporary Internet Files, Cookies and History
All Done!

Internet Explorer 'Delete Browsing History' window

You may also be interested in our 5 steps to speeding up Firefox guide.