14 DAY TRIAL // Your default Internet connection settings are good enough to let you do your job, but what if you want more? Just like a stock car can be turned into a better one with some ECU adjustments, your network settings can also be changed to obtain improved performance. As usual, there are the manual and the assisted ways to do that, and now, I want to tell you more about such an assistant...
The name of the subject is TweakMASTER, the version that I have here is labeled 2.06 build 788 and comes as a 30 days trial version. The installation kit is 9.5MB in size and the setup process is very easy to accomplish. Once the download and installation issues are a part of the past, we're in!
TweakMASTER is a program built to help you optimize your Internet connection settings and get useful information about it. The version that I have allows you to use nine tools for this purpose, which will be described right away, after we check the program's interface.
There isn't much to say about TweakMASTER's interface. This program's main window is organized like a control center that contains excellent icons leading to its tools. Some of the tools show up as a wizard that guides you all the way, while others show into separate windows that require your intervention for choosing each setting. We have nine stops to go, so let's start now!
First area to visit is called Connection Optimization Wizard. Its name says it all - you have to follow the on screen information and after the required restart, you'll have the connection optimized...or maybe not. Why? After answering the initial set of questions and making some choices, you have to choose one of the five strategies available without having any details about them at your disposal. In order to find the one that works better for you, you have to test them all and compare the results. Not quite a time saver, I must say...
Fortunately, the Advanced Optimization Settings allow you to manually adjust your network settings. The areas available here are Global Settings, Local Area Connection and Internet Connection. Here, you can also start the Connection Optimization Wizard.
Moving on, we encounter the DNS Accelerator, Connection Speed Measurement and Advanced Ping & TraceRoute. All these are very easy to use yet powerful, and there's nothing special to say about them, all you have to do is click their icons and change the settings.
Next, we have another useful tool, the Network Connection Viewer, just above the excellent Clock Synchronization tool that lets you synchronize your computer's clock to different online time servers.
There are only two areas remaining - Keep Connected and WhoIs. The first one prevents you from being disconnected if your ISP disconnects you when your connection is idle by automatically connecting to a given site from time to time (the site and interval can be both random, if you want), while the last one is a frontend to the notorious whois command.
If you try this program for yourselves, I am sure you'll find it useful and interesting. Now, my conclusions time has arrived!
The Good
TweakMASTER is a useful application, very easy to use, yet powerful. The built in documentation is comprehensive and can help you a lot.
The Bad
Although useful and with enough features, I think this program's price is too high. Other than that, the optimization strategies should allow you to see exactly what changes are performed in each case, not make you waste your time on testing, instead.
The Truth
TweakMASTER was an interesting program to review and I am sure it's going to be an interesting one to check out for all of you. If you have the time for this, don't think twice; get it as soon as possible!
Here are some snapshots of the application in action:
