most people never think to check for new firmware updates for their cable/dsl modems or routers
I recommend people first go to the following site and check their home network / router if they are using one, to see how secure they have the router set up:
Gibson Research corp's Shields Up test Link:
https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2 <--- read the different links and what they check, very informative
Gibson Research corp's Router Leak test Link:
http://www.grc.com/lt/leaktest.htm <---- not necessary unless your router is not truly secure and it is showing your individual PC's behind the router
other cool items to check out on GRC's home page:
https://www.grc.com/default.htm ( <----- if you are interested after you done testing everything else )
next you need to get pingplotter standard ( this version is free )
download link:
http://www.pingplotter.com/downloads/pngplt_std.exepingplotter help~info link:
http://www.pingplotter.com/gsg/ <---- PingPlotter's "Getting Started Guide" Website
you need to run your ping plot test to these ip addresses for Aces High's Online arenas:
the server IP addresses, to be used for traces/ping plots.
Axis vs Allies, Dueling, Early, Mid: 206.16.60.39
All WW1 Dogfight Arenas, Training, Late War: 206.16.60.41
Special Events: 206.16.60.38
Custom Arenas: 96.226.224.166
and read ---> Skuzzy's Internet Connection Hints/Tips Thread Link:
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,68316.0.htmlnext, I recommend going to this internet speed test site to check your "TRUE" download/upload bandwidth/speed :
http://testmy.net/ <--- register on this site for free and then you will be ale to do tests and it will keep archives on your tests and you can run test for long periods of time like 3 hrs, 20 hrs, 48 hrs etc.......
you can cross check your results from the above test site with the likes of dslreports.com or speedtest.net or speakeasy.net etc.......... you will more than likely see that these test sites will report very much higher speeds than the
http://testmy.net/ test site
if you decide you might want to go and buy a new Router, I can highly recommend D-Link's DGL-4500 Xtreme N Gaming Router,
and if you decide to upgrade to a newer modem I can highly recommend the MOTOROLA SB6120 Cable Modem SURFboard
<---- note this may not work for DSL usersI have had wonderful experiences with these 2 items since I upgraded recently.........
( and I am glad someone finally mentioned firefox's memory leak problems, which last word I read on it is the leak will not be fixed until around version 8.0, I believe ... , if one would setup their IE8.0 or IE 9.0 correctly and not load it down with add-on's, they would find that it is one of the most if not the most secure browser out there as long as you keep your MS updates...... up to date...... <---- I kind of hate typing that because I don't like MS really.... but it is the truth..... IE 9 is the most secure browser out there at the moment going by all the reviews/reports lately )
hope this helps & good luck
TC