Pocket PC Magazine, Issue 9-10/2003, p. 50

Speed isn't an Illusion
Online service SaferSurf Speed

TEST "Surfing up to 3 times faster", is promised by the suppliers of "SaferSurf Speed" – but does it actually work? And is the surf accelerator also compatible with Pocket PCs?

SaferSurf Speed is an online service which accelerates your internet connection. This process works like this: The data which your Web browser requests is processed by the proxy server before it actually lands on your computer. "Process", the way it is used here, means "compressed", therefore reduced. Through this process, less data is transferred to your computer and, as a result, saves time. Your computers web browser automatically recognizes compressed files and decompresses them to its original size.

Configuration

SaferSurf Speed works independently from any ISP and Internet connection (standard modem, ISDN, DSL, mobile communications, LAN, etc.) you use. Setting up SaferSurf is fast and simple: The user changes the port number and the name of the proxy server in the setup window of his web browser. Then the user enters his user name and password. This user data is sent via email to the user. No special software is required. In principle, almost every modern Web browser which can use a proxy server, like PC browsers "Internet Explorer", "Netscape navigator", and "Opera", are capable of handling SaferSurf.

The process

And… does SaferSurf Speed actually work? Yes. Indeed, web pages with the assistance of SaferSurf Speed display up to three times faster.

This acceleration value does not always apply. How fast the acceleration is actually depends on two things: The respective Web site and internet access connection.

The acceleration is clear if data which can be compressed is on the web page – long texts for example. Data which is already compressed, (particularly the common "Zip" archives) can not be compressed any further. When downloading software in the Zip format, acceleration is not noticeable.

The connection-type to the internet also important a factor. If you use a really fast connection (for example DSL), then the acceleration isn't particularly distinct. The data already arrives at a fast rate so the acceleration is not as noticeable as with a standard modem or mobile connection.

It displays faster if a relatively slow internet access (for example over a modem) is used. In this case, a very clear speed improvement is experienced. Some concrete examples from our tests: The German Yahoo-Site displays in 4 seconds instead of 10 seconds. The PocketPC.com-Homepage displays in 6 seconds instead of 33 seconds. The German GMX Homepage displays in 18 seconds instead of 52 seconds. These are speed increases which does not require the user to have a stopwatch nearby to clearly see a difference.

On the Pocket PC

Does it work with a Pocket PC? At first glance, the integrated Internet Explorer found in a Pocket PC is consistent with the SaferSurf Speed acceleration method. The user simply types in the proxy information.

(However, the user doesn't find the proxy settings directly in the Internet Explorer but in the "settings" program in the "connections" panel. SaferSurf is currently creating illustrated intructions regarding the setup procedure for SaferSurf Speed. It will be available on the SaferSurf Web site soon.)

The test results for the Pocket PC are the same as a desktop PC. So an acceleration is certainly available. However, this acceleration, just as with the desktop PC, depends on a few factors: With fast internet access (for example, about a wireless network), the acceleration is lower than at slow internet accesses (for example over a mobile telephone.)

The difference with a PC: Although there is a relatively large speed gap between a PC and a Pocket PC the acceleration factor remains the same. This means that a Pocket PC connected through DSL will relatively have the same speed increase as a Pocket PC connected through a modem. Some concrete examples from our tests:

Yahoo.de
modem without proxy: 70 seconds
modem with proxy: 38 seconds
network without proxy: 25 seconds
network with proxy: 20 seconds

www.pocket-pc.magazin.de
modem without proxy: 25 seconds
modem with proxy: 13 seconds
network without proxy: 7 seconds
network with proxy: 2 seconds

Other browsers

But, of course, there are other browsers available for the Pocket PC, not just the pre-installed Internet Explorer. "FtxPBrowser" (test in issue 7-8/2003) is also compatible with SaferSurf Speed. This isn't surprising because this browser is actually a clone of the Internet Explorer. The "FtxPBrowser" also uses the same proxy settings which the user configures at the "connections" panel.

It looks different at "NetFront" (test in version 5-6/2003), another Pocket PC browser. This Web browser uses proxy settings of its own. The user cannot enter the user name and the password in the option window.

Instead, the user must make these changes in a dialogue window which appears only if the program is accessed through the proxy server for the first time.

The "FtxPBrowser" is more advanced than Internet Explorer when processing the received data. This means that if you are using a fast internet connection (for example DSL) you will not experience a significant amount of acceleration.

However, with slow internet connections the acceleration is still very noticeable: If one uses the SaferSurf Speed proxy, then the pages are displayed up two and a half times faster. (Hartmut Schumacher)

Price: $5.90 per month, Setup fee $12.50 (one-time charge) For more Information: www.safersurf.com/english