How many ways to maintain an ISP connection (keep alive) -- 11 so far

[BillR]

How many ways are there to maintain an ISP connection (keep alive
utilities)?

I've come up with 10 so far. Many solutions use software already on
virtually all PCs (i.e., ping, netstat, browser, or email) or that
many people already have (i.e., time synchronizer, pop-up stopper, or
download manager). The 10 categories are:

1. Browser Automatic Refresh
2. Email and Related Programs
3. Internet Time Synchronization
4. Browser Off-line Page Synchronization
Sync on Schedule
Sync when Idle
5. Netstat
6. Ping
7. Pop-up Stoppers (???), Automated Button Pushers (PTFB), Etc.
(PowerPro, WireKeys)
8. Dedicated Utility (any number of them)
AntiIdle, Connection Keeper, Stay Alive 2000
9. DUN Manager or DUN Launcher (a feature; NetLaunch XP)
10. Download Manager (a feature; Net Transport)

I know I have seen Pop-up Stoppers that would work but I don't
remember any of them. Without spending time researching, does anyone
happen to recall which ones could press the right button on a reply to
a standard ISP "Connection Idle. Disconnecting in x minutes" pop-up?
I know that is a feature of at least Connect Keeper and WakeUp.

BillR

 

[Tom McDonald]

(e-mail address removed) (BillR) wrote in @posting.google.com:

How many ways are there to maintain an ISP connection (keep alive
utilities)?

I've come up with 10 so far. Many solutions use software already on
virtually all PCs (i.e., ping, netstat, browser, or email) or that
many people already have (i.e., time synchronizer, pop-up stopper, or
download manager). The 10 categories are:

1. Browser Automatic Refresh
2. Email and Related Programs
3. Internet Time Synchronization
4. Browser Off-line Page Synchronization
Sync on Schedule
Sync when Idle
5. Netstat
6. Ping
7. Pop-up Stoppers (???), Automated Button Pushers (PTFB), Etc.
(PowerPro, WireKeys)
8. Dedicated Utility (any number of them)
AntiIdle, Connection Keeper, Stay Alive 2000
9. DUN Manager or DUN Launcher (a feature; NetLaunch XP)
10. Download Manager (a feature; Net Transport)

I know I have seen Pop-up Stoppers that would work but I don't
remember any of them. Without spending time researching, does anyone
happen to recall which ones could press the right button on a reply to
a standard ISP "Connection Idle. Disconnecting in x minutes" pop-up?
I know that is a feature of at least Connect Keeper and WakeUp.

BillR

You have a very polite ISP, to pre-warn you about disconnection. Mine just
pulls the plug. But there is a setting in my own browser, somewhere under
Advanced Dialup Properties, that will disconnect if idle for x minutes,
which would pop up such a message. I long ago disabled it. Bad enough
that my ISP will disconnect me, without doing it to myself.

(For those curious, I find this setting in IE under Tools - Internet
Options - Connections - Settings - Advanced)

 

[Suzanne]

You have a very polite ISP, to pre-warn you about disconnection. Mine just
pulls the plug. But there is a setting in my own browser, somewhere under
Advanced Dialup Properties, that will disconnect if idle for x minutes,
which would pop up such a message. I long ago disabled it. Bad enough
that my ISP will disconnect me, without doing it to myself.

I'm not sure how an ISP could do this unless there is some sort of
client program running in the background. This type of popup msg
would require some specific knowledge about the user's OS. At the
connection level, the dialup connection (and also broadband
connection) should be completely independant of OS and modem type.

If your ISP has some software that you are required to install (like
AOL, for instance), these popups might be coming from the ISP but
otherwise, they are much more like to be coming from the idle
disconnect feature of dialup networking.

Suzanne

 

[BillR]

If your ISP has some software that you are required to install (like
AOL, for instance), these popups might be coming from the ISP but

[otherwise not.]

Yes, they did require a download.

I also wouldn't put it past ISPs with branded browsers to set the
browser's disconnect when idle feature and not tell you, reset it
every time you update, or even hide the option. Netscape and Mozilla
are open source and I'm sure MS would provide a custom IE for a small
(versus their usual "'small'") fee to ensure an ISP used IE.

BillR