WHO IS MOOFIE ?

 

OMG Moofie Had A Baby !!!!!

 

 

Moofie is our chat room ghost and mascot.

Moofie is a not so friendly monster, looking out for recovering folks and the friends and family alike, but sometimes he gets bored. And a bored Moofie likes to play pranks. You'll know you've been "moofed" if you suddenly find yourself kicked out of the rooms... it's Moofie!

If you are lagged or moofed out of the chatrooms, sometimes they still think your username is in the rooms. You have to wait up to 20 minutes for the rooms to automatically remove you before re-entering under the same username. Some users overcome this by registering two similar usernames and re-entering with the second.

But if you aren't a big fan of getting 'moofed', you might want to try these tips and suggestions to make Moofie's job a little harder.

Moofie is really lag - a drop in your Internet connection speed - which results in either very slow chatting or being 'dropped' from the chat rooms. Here are some things to look at:

PC
Try running Defrag and Scandisk (under Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools).

RAM

Internet web browsers (Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Communicator) use lots of system RAM and the chat rooms use even more. So, the more - the better. The bare minimum amount should be considered 64 megabytes.

Also, make sure you close any unnecessarily open applications.

To check the amount of RAM in your computer:

PC
Right click on "My Computer" on your desktop.
Select "Properties".
Here is will tell you how much physical RAM you have installed.

Number of Applications Open

Before entering the chat rooms, try closing all unnecessary programs like word processors, instant messengers, email programs, etc. This will free up system resources and RAM for the chat rooms.

Networks

Firewalls, proxy servers and routers have been known to slow down or stop connections. So chatting from work may be difficult or impossible.

Internet Service Provider

If you are using a slow or inefficient provider, your chances of being lagged out of the chat rooms increases dramatically. Also when chatting during the peak Internet times (6 p.m. to midnight, generally).

Some providers which MAY give you less than satisfactory results:

America Online - infamous for their slow Internet connections
NetZero - it's free, you get what you pay for
FreeInternet or FreeI - Again, it's free
FreeLane - another free service

Internet Connection

Your connection speed and/or type is the single greatest factor in reducing "Moofie" or lag. Having a fast connection to the Internet will generally allow for fast web access and virtually no lag.

T1, Fractional T1, ISDN, etc.
For corporations and businesses, a direct, high-speed connection to the Internet can provide fast connections for all employees on a network. However, T1 and similar services can be expensive to install and operate. (Note: T1 does not guarantee fast performance. Type, load, and number of users can slow connection speeds.)

DSL or Cable
DSL and cable modems offer high speed Internet access at a reasonable price, and should be preferred over a dialup modem. However, they are not available in all areas.

Dial-up
Dial-up modems (14.4, 28.8, 33.6, 56K - in order from slowest to fastest), are what many users have available for Internet connections. Of course, you should look at getting the fastest dial-up modem available - 56K. However, not all modems are created alike. Modems with names like: WinModems, HCF, or HSP rely on your system's CPU for much of their processing needs. The more you have open, the more you are doing, the harder it is on the modem (which does most of its functions through software), and you will see a gradual slowdown as the computer and modem try to keep up.

To improve dial-up modem speeds:
1) Keep your cord from modem to wall jack short (6 feet), with no spliters or surge protectors between modem and jack.
2) Try disconnecting all telephony devices (fax, phones, answering machines, alarm systems, etc.) from the phone line, even if they are in a different room.
3) Minimize line noise (if you hear line noise by using a regular phone in the jack, odds are it impedes the modem as well. Try using a different jack or having a qualified telephone technician inspect the line.) ( Line Noise Testing Procedures)
4) Make sure your ISP supports your 56K protocol (generally, today's standard is v.90).
5) Upgrade your modem's firmware/software.
6) Contact your ISP - if all the above fails to improve your dial-up speed, you may want to contact your Internet Service Provider to see if there may be an issue or incompatibility with your modem or setup. (Remember that 56K modems really only connect at speeds ranging from 33K to 54K)

Modem Resource Sites:

Official 56k modem website: Drivers, troublelshooting
Modemhelp.org: Drivers, resources, etc.
Official v90 website: Information on v90 modems
iMac Modem Support Center
About.com: Mac Modem Resources
About.com: PC Modem Resources

Modem Troubleshooting:

Troubleshooting resources from 56k.com
Microsoft: Troubleshooting Modem Problems in Windows 98
Troubleshooting resources from Modemhelp.org
Line Noise Testing Procedures
Test your phone line quality
MacFixIt - Troubleshooting Modem, Online & Networking Problems

Modem Drivers:

56k.com: Init strings and drivers
Modemhelp.org: Modem drivers

Cable Modem Resources

Cable Modem Reference Guide
CableModemHelp.com
CATV Cable Modem Information and Resources