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Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ - Technical Support

General

What connection speeds does US Message offer?
Does the US Message service work with Windows and Macintosh Operating systems?
I want to change my email address or Member ID to a different Name.
My computer at home does not have internet access, how do I get started?
My web browser says it was provided by my previous ISP, am I connected to US Message?
What are your DNS (Domain Name Server) addresses? Do I need them?
How do I transfer my existing service to my new/second computer?
I have a 56K Modem, how come I cannot connect at 56K?
I have a Mac / Linux / Playstation2 / Etc. Can I still use your service?
I have a V.92 modem... Is this available to me? What is my time limit for modem-on-hold?
What is V.92 modem-on-hold and how does it work?
How will I know if someone calls me on my other phone line?
Can I use FTP with US Message?
Does US Message provide any web space?

US Message High Speed
Support Information

Quick Start
Installation Guide
User Guide 4.0
Troubleshooting
Product FAQs
For Macintosh Users

What connection speeds does US Message offer?
US Message offers our services at speeds up to 56k using both V.90 and V.92 compression technology. You may also connect with slower modems at speeds of 28.8k and 33.6k.

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Does the US Message service work with Windows and Macintosh Operating systems?
The US Message dialer software that you can download from this site works with most Microsoft Windows operating systems. As for the various Macintosh operating systems, we don't offer automated configuration via downloadable software, but you can manually configure your Macintosh system by following the instructions for your particular operating system by clicking here.

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I want to change my email address or Member ID to a different Name.
Instructions for changing email address and member ID can be found in the Email FAQ.

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My computer at home does not have internet access, how do I get started?
You can sign up from any computer connected to the internet, (the Library, at work, or a friend's house). Or you can call our Order Desk toll free at 1-866-363-7724. You can then download our software and save it to a floppy disk to bring back to your home. If you have a Mac, you can follow our detailed instructions on our Support page on how to create a connection.

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My web browser says it was provided by my previous ISP, am I connected to US Message?
Yes, you are probably connected to US Message. Your previous ISP simply put their name in to your web browser, it will not affect your web performance.

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What are your DNS (Domain Name Server) addresses? Do I need them?
You do not need to enter our DNS servers, they will be obtained automatically when you log on to our servers.

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How do I transfer my existing US Message account to my new/second computer?
If you have a Windows PC, you can Download our Dialer to a floppy disk and bring that floppy disk to your new/second computer and install it there. If you have a Mac, you can follow our detailed instructions on our Support page on how to create a connection.

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I have a 56K Modem, how come I cannot connect at 56K?
All of our access points are V90/56K, however you will never connect at 56K, this is a theoretical speed. In reality, analog throughput is limited to a maximum of 53kbps per FCC regulations and in real live conditions speed will be lower and may fluctuate.

The connection speed is very dependant on the phone line quality, the hardware/software and the environmental conditions. It can fluctuate.

To make sure you connect at the maximum speed, you can verify that you have the latest update on you software programs and modem driver (check your hardware and software vendors web sites) and unplug any other equipment using the same phone line as your modem.

You should try different access numbers in your area (using a different path thru the phone network you might get a better connection). You should try again and see if you get a better speed at a different time (this may fluctuate during the day and over time).

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I have a Mac / Linux / Playstation2 / DreamCast / Etc. Can I still use your service?
Yes, we have no restrictions as to what operating system you can use with our service.

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I have a V92 modem... Is the modem-on-hold feature available to me? What is my time limit for modem-on-hold?
You can search through our list of access numbers, Next to each number it will tell you if that number is V92 compatible. The time limit on V92 modem-on-hold is three and a half minutes. This means if you have call waiting, and a V.92 modem, you can receive a phone call, and talk for 3.5 minutes before loosing you internet connection.

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What is V.92 modem-on-hold? How does it work?
V.92 modem technology allows the user to pause the internet connection and receive an incoming call. The amount of time you can place your Internet connection on hold while taking another call is 3.5 minutes. Your V.92 modem may include software that will warn you when the timeout time approaches, as well as to display call-waiting and caller-id info (requires call-waiting/caller-id service with your phone company).

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How will I know if someone calls me on my other phone line?
Our service does not have a phone answering system built into it. There are programs such as CallWave -which allow you to see if someone is calling you- readily available over the internet. Otherwise you would need to disable your call waiting feature.

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Can I use FTP with US Message?
Yes. If you have a website or FTP server, you will still be able to use FTP (File Transfer Protocol) with our service.

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Does US Message provide any web space?
Currently, we do not offer any web space or storage. If you do need web space, there are many free web hosts available such as GeoCities.

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Quick Start

This section will assist you with downloading, installing, and running USMessage Web Accelerator Version 4.0 and later.
(**Adobe Acrobat is required to view these files.)

Minimum System Requirements:

  • Pentium 200MHz (or equivalent)
  • 64MB RAM
  • at least 11 MB of hard-drive space

USMessage Web Accelerator is supported on the following Windows Operating Systems:

  • Windows 95b with Winsock 2
  • Windows 98
  • Windows 98SE
  • Windows Millennium Edition (Windows ME)
  • Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6
  • Windows 2000 Service Pack 4
  • Windows XP
  • Windows XP Service Pack 2

USMessage Web Accelerator works seamlessly with the following Web browsers:

  • Internet Explorer 5.0 and later
  • Firefox 0.9 and later
  • Mozilla 1.4 and later
  • Netscape 6.0 and later (version 8.0 only with USMessage Web Accelerator version 4.0.127 and later)
  • Opera 8.0 and later (only with USMessage Web Accelerator version 4.0 and later)

1. Download.

  • USMessage will provide you with a location to download the USMessage Web Accelerator installer.
  • Download the installer to your desktop.
  • Once the download has completed, proceed to Step 2.

2. Install.

  • On your Desktop you will find an icon called "USMessageInstaller".
  • Double-click on the icon to start the installation procedure. Reboot if required.
  • Once the installation finishes, you will be prompted for a username and password. Enter the username and password provided to you by your ISP.
  • To avoid having to enter your username and password every time, ensure that the "Save Password" box is checked. Proceed to Step 3.

3. Starting USMessage.

  • USMessage Web Accelerator is automatically started when your computer starts up.
  • Acceleration will begin as soon as a supported browser (such as Internet Explorer or Netscape) or a supported email client (such as Microsoft Outlook or Eudora) is started.
  • On some Windows platforms, a bubble icon will appear when the USMessage Service has been established. On all other Windows platforms, you can verify that USMessage Service has been established by hovering over the USMessage Web Accelerator system tray icon (you should see a "USMessage Service Enabled..." message).

4. Using USMessage.

  • Browse the Web or download emails as you normally would.
  • Your Web access or email access will be automatically accelerated by USMessage Web Accelerator.
  • If you wish to stop the application, select Stop USMessage from the pop-up menu, or if you wish to exit the application completely, click Exit from the pop-up menu.

5. Further Assistance.

  • If you're having trouble installing the product, consult the detailed installation instructions.
  • To get the most out of your new software, please see the User Guide which includes step-by-step instructions on how to use the product.
  • If you experience problems downloading, installing or running USMessage Web Accelerator, consult the Troubleshooting section for further assistance.
  • Still having trouble? Please feel free to contact us for product support or feedback.

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Installation Guide

This section will assist you with the installation of the USMessage Web Accelerator.

Detailed Installation Instructions

Minimum System Requirements:

  • Pentium 200MHz (or equivalent)
  • 64MB RAM
  • at least 11 MB of hard-drive space
USMessage Web Accelerator is supported on the following Windows Operating Systems:

  • Windows 95b with Winsock 2
  • Windows 98
  • Windows 98SE
  • Windows Millennium Edition (Windows ME)
  • Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6
  • Windows 2000 Service Pack 4
  • Windows XP
  • Windows XP Service Pack 2
USMessage Web Accelerator works seamlessly with the following browser versions:

  • Internet Explorer 5.0 and later
  • Firefox 0.9 and later
  • Mozilla 1.4 and later
  • Netscape 6.0 and later (version 8.0 only with USMessage Web Accelerator version 4.0.127 and later)
  • Opera 8.0 and later (only with USMessage Web Accelerator version 4.0 and later)
1. Download.

  • USMessage will provide you with a location to download the USMessage Web Accelerator installer.

  • Download the installer to your desktop.

  • Once the download has completed, proceed to Step 2.

2. Install.

  • After downloading the USMessage Web Accelerator installer onto your Desktop, an icon as shown below will be on your Desktop. Double-clicking on the icon will launch the installer.

  • The installer will guide you through the complete setup process. Please reboot if required.

3. Connect.

  • As this is your first time launching the product, you will be prompted for a username and password. Enter the username and password provided to you by USMessage in the fields provided.

  • Click OK. USMessage Web Accelerator will connect to USMessage.

  • After installing USMessage Web Accelerator, an icon as shown below is placed in your system tray. Acceleration will take place immediately after any Web browser launches.

4. Browse the Web.

  • Browse the Web as you normally would.

  • When finished, simply close your Web browser (as you normally would) and USMessage Web Accelerator will remain idle in your system tray.

  • If you want to stop USMessage Web Accelerator after browsing, select Stop USMessage from the pop-up menu. If you wish to exit the USMessage Web Accelerator completely, click Exit from the pop-up menu. The pop-up menu can be accessed by clicking on the icon located in the system tray.

5. Further Assistance.

  • To get the most out of your new software, please visit the "User Guide".

  • If you experience technical problems downloading, installing, or running USMessage Web Accelerator, please consult the Troubleshooting section for further assistance.

  • Still having trouble? Please feel free to contact us for product setup or feedback.

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User Guide 4.0

This section will familiarize you with the features of USMessage Web Accelerator Version 4.0 and later.

1. Using USMessage Web Accelerator

2. Advanced Options

3. Uninstalling.

Need further assistance? Please feel free to contact us for product information or feedback.

 

Launching USMessage Web Accelerator

USMessage Web Accelerator launches automatically each time you start Windows. It operates in the background to accelerate your Internet connection. No user intervention is required.

If USMessage Web Accelerator is not running and you need to launch it manually, an icon titled "USMessage Web Accelerator" is located in the Windows Start Menu under the USMessage folder (as shown below).

If USMessage Web Accelerator is running, the USMessage system tray icon will appear in the Windows system tray.

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Accessing the User Interface

Once launched, the USMessage Web Accelerator icon will remain in the system tray (as shown below).

In general, there will be no need to change the settings during Web browsing. You can use the user interface to change settings, access the privacy manager, view the connection status, and check the acceleration statistics. To access the user interface features, click on the USMessage Web Accelerator icon in the system tray (shown above). A pop-up menu will appear (shown below), providing access to all the features of the product. Selecting and single-clicking any of the menu items will access that particular feature.

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Setting the Username and Password Information

Your username and password information is located under the Connection tab. To set your username and password:

  1. Right-click on the USMessage Web Accelerator system tray icon and select "Settings..." from the menu.

  2. Click on the "Connection" tab.

  3. Enter your username and password in the fields provided. To avoid having to do this each time you connect, ensure that the "Save password" box is checked.

  4. To save your settings, press OK.

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Changing the Image Quality Setting

The image quality setting changes the quality of images that appear in your USMessage Web Accelerator. The higher the quality you select, the longer it will take for the image to load. For slower Internet connections, it is recommended that you lower your image quality. This slider can be adjusted anytime while browsing.

You can easily obtain full image quality for a particular image (described below), so don't be overly conservative about lowering your image quality setting.

  1. Right-click on the USMessage Web Accelerator system tray icon. Please refer to the user interface section of the product guide for detailed instructions.

  2. Select "Settings...".

  3. Select the "Image Quality" tab.

  4. Use the slider bar to adjust the image quality setting.

  5. Press OK to save the settings.


Getting Full Image Quality

Note: The following information applies only when browsing with Internet Explorer 5.0 or later, Firefox 1.0 or later, Mozilla 1.7.3 and later and Netscape 7.2.

If you would like to request the full quality image while browsing, simply right-click on the desired image from within your Web browser and select "Show Original Image" from the menu (shown below).

The full quality image will appear in place of the lower quality image (shown below).

If you want to see the full quality version of all images on the current page, simply right-click on any image from within your Web browser and select "Show All Original Images" from the menu (shown below).

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Changing the Pop-Up Blocker Settings

USMessage Web Accelerator can prevent pop-up windows and floating Flash advertisements from appearing while you browse the Internet. This behavior is enabled by default, and no user-intervention is required. However, you can disable these features at any time.

A limited number of Web sites require pop-ups to function correctly. USMessage Web Accelerator allows you to specify a "White List" of sites where pop-ups will not be blocked.

You can also see a list of all pop-ups that were blocked. This information is useful if you suspect a Web site is not functioning properly because pop-ups are being blocked.

To enable or disable the Pop-Up Blocker:

  1. Right-click on the USMessage Web Accelerator system tray icon and select "Pop-Up Blocker...". Please refer to the user interface section of the product guide for detailed instructions.

  2. Select the "Options" tab.

  3. If you would like to be notified when a pop-up is being blocked, check "Notify blocked pop-up by PC speaker beep".

  4. To enable the blocking of floating Flash advertisements, check "Block Floating Flash-Ads".

  5. To disable pop-up blocking for all sites, uncheck "Enable PopUp Blocker".

  6. Press OK to save the settings.

To disable the Pop-Up Blocker for specific sites:

  1. Right-click on the USMessage Web Accelerator system tray icon and select "Pop-Up Blocker...". Please refer to the user interface section of the product guide for detailed instructions.

  2. Select the "White List" tab.

  3. Use the "Add", "Remove" and "Remove All" buttons to manipulate the White List.

  4. Press OK to save the settings.

To view the Pop-Up Blocker log:

  1. Right-click on the USMessage Web Accelerator system tray icon and select "Pop-Up Blocker...". Please refer to the user interface section of the product guide for detailed instructions.

  2. Select the "Logging" tab.

  3. To add a Web site to the "White List" so that pop-ups are no longer blocked from that site, right-click on the site and click "Add to Whitelist".

To add sites to the White List:

You can add sites to the White List within the Pop-Up Blocker dialogs (which is shown above) or from within Internet Explorer.

  1. Right-click on any text while browsing within Internet Explorer.

  2. Select "Add to Whitelist" from the menu to add the current site to the White List.

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Blocking In-Page Advertisements

USMessage Web Accelerator can block many graphical advertisements that appear on various Web pages (i.e. ad banners). Enabling this feature will prevent these ads from being downloaded and displayed in your Web browser. Thus, the Ad-Blocking feature will reduce the time that it takes to download Web pages.

To enable or disable the Ad Blocker:

  1. Right-click on the USMessage Web Accelerator system tray icon and select "Settings...". Please refer to the user interface section of the product guide for detailed instructions.

  2. Select the "Features" tab.

  3. To enable ad blocking, check the "Ad-Blocking" box. To disable ad blocking, uncheck it.

  4. Press OK to save the settings.

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Starting and Stopping USMessage Web Accelerator

When USMessage Web Accelerator is launched it automatically connects. Occasionally, you may need to stop or start USMessage Web Accelerator manually.

Stopping USMessage:

If you want to manually disconnect USMessage Web Accelerator, right-click on the USMessage Web Accelerator system tray icon to access the pop-up menu. Select the menu item "Stop USMessage".

The icon that indicates USMessage Web Accelerator is disabled will appear on the system tray.

Starting USMessage:

If USMessage Web Accelerator is stopped and you want to start it manually, right-click on the USMessage Web Accelerator system tray icon to access the pop-up menu. Select the menu item "Start USMessage".

The icon that indicates USMessage Web Accelerator is disabled will now be replaced with the enabled icon.

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Closing USMessage Web Accelerator

To close USMessage Web Accelerator:

  1. Right-click on the USMessage Web Accelerator system tray icon and select "Exit" from the pop-up menu (see below). USMessage Web Accelerator will disconnect and close. Doing this will not close any open Web browser windows.

    Note: USMessage Web Accelerator will automatically launch again the next time you reboot your computer.

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Changing Your Settings from USMessage Toolbar

There are two methods to access the USMessage Web Accelerator menu. For previous versions, you can only access the menu by clicking the system tray. Starting from version 4, you can also access the menu from the USMessage Toolbar for Internet Explorer.

To access the USMessage Web Accelerator menu, simply click the arrow sign beside the USMessage title on the toolbar and expand the menu items.

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Changing Your Connection Settings

Normally, the connection settings that are set during installation do not need to be changed. If USMessage provides new connection settings, you will have to change the preset ones using the "Settings..." dialog.

  1. Click on the USMessage Web Accelerator system tray icon to access the pop-up menu.

  2. Select "Settings...".

  3. Click on the "Connection" tab.

  4. Click on "Advanced...".

  5. Change the "Remote Server Hostname" and "Server Port" to the ones that USMessage provided to you. In most cases, it is unnecessary to change the "Local Listening Port".

  6. Press "OK" to close the "Connection" dialog box.

  7. Press "OK" to save your new connection settings. These settings will be used next time you connect with USMessage Web Accelerator.

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Bypassing USMessage Web Accelerator for Selected Sites

If you wish to bypass USMessage Web Accelerator for certain Web sites (e.g. Web sites on your local corporate intranet), then simply select the "Features" tab on the "Settings..." dialog and click on "Proxy Exclusion" (see below). You have two options for bypassing sites:

  1. If you have already defined a proxy exclusion list in your Web brower, select "Use browser's proxy exclusion settings" to configure USMessage Web Accelerator to exclude these sites as well.

  2. You may also "Specify a proxy exclusion list" by selecting this option. In the given text field, list all the Web sites, separated by semicolons, that you wish to bypass USMessage Web Acceleration.

  3. Stop and then start USMessage Web Accelerator.

Note:  Some versions of Netscape do not support the wildcard (*) operator.

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Accelerating Flash

USMessage Web Accelerator can accelerate Flash files. The degree of compression is based on the Image Quality setting.

To enable Flash acceleration:

  1. Right-click on the USMessage Web Accelerator system tray icon. Please refer to the user interface section of the product guide for detailed instructions.

  2. Select "Settings...".

  3. Select the "Features" tab.

  4. Check "Macromedia Flash".

  5. Press OK to save the settings. The changes will take effect the next time that USMessage Web Accelerator and your Web browser are restarted.

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Accelerating FTP

USMessage Web Accelerator now provides FTP acceleration. If this feature is enabled, both download and upload FTP traffic will be accelerated. FTP acceleration works with any FTP client that supports passive mode, including Internet Explorer, Cute FTP, WS_FTP and Smart FTP. Please make sure that the FTP transfer is in the passive mode. This can be set in your FTP application.

To enable FTP acceleration:

  1. Right-click on the USMessage Web Accelerator system tray icon. Please refer to the user interface section of the product guide for detailed instructions.

  2. Select "Settings...".

  3. Select the "Features" tab.

  4. Check "FTP (Passive)".

  5. Press OK to save the settings. The changes will take effect the next time that USMessage Web Accelerator and your Web browser are restarted.

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Accelerating Email

USMessage Accelerator can reduce the amount of time that it takes to send and receive emails. This feature works with any POP3 or IMAP email accounts. USMessage Accelerator is compatible with Outlook Express, Eudora, Opera Mail, Pegasus and Netscape Mail. Since USMessage Accelerator accelerates email automatically without any user intervention, you can use your mail program exactly as you normally would.

To change the email acceleration settings:

  1. Right-click on the USMessage Web Accelerator system tray icon. Please refer to the user interface section of the product guide for detailed instructions.

  2. Select "Settings...".

  3. Select the "Features" tab.

  4. To enable/disable acceleration when receiving emails from a POP3 account, check/uncheck the "POP3" option.

  5. To enable/disable acceleration when sending emails, check/uncheck the "SMTP" option.

  6. To enable/disable acceleration when receiving emails from an IMAP account, check/uncheck the "IMAP" option.

  7. Press OK to save the settings. The changes will take effect the next time that USMessage Web Accelerator and your mail client are restarted.

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Viewing Your Acceleration Statistics

You can view the acceleration statistics and how they change dynamically using the Statistics dialog.

  1. Click on the USMessage Web Accelerator system tray icon to access the pop-up menu.

  2. Select "Statistics..." to display the Statistics summary dialog.

  3. Click "Reset" to reset the statistics. This can be done at anytime (even while browsing) without affecting USMessage Web Accelerator's performance or operation.

  4. Click the "Details" button to view more detailed statistics (see below).

    The following table provides a description of the statistics that are displayed.

    Original Data

    Size of the original (uncompressed) data.

    Actual Data

    Amount of data that has been sent by USMessage Web Accelerator.

    Savings Ratio

    Factor of reduction in data. E.g. A savings ratio of 4.00 means that the actual data that has been sent is 1/4 the size of the original data due to compression.

    Text-based

    Statistics regarding compression of text-based content.

    Graphics

    Statistics regarding compression of graphical content.

    Others

    Statistics regarding compression of content that is neither text nor graphical.

    Upstream

    The total amount of original and compressed data uploaded.

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Viewing USMessage Web Accelerator's Performance

You can view your USMessage Web Accelerator's overall performance using the Performance dialog.

  1. Click on the USMessage Web Accelerator system tray icon to access the pop-up menu.

  2. Select "Performance..." to display the Performance dialog.

  3. Click "Reset" to reset the statistics. This can be done at anytime (even while browsing) without affecting USMessage Web Accelerator's performance or operation.

From this screen you can view the size of the original (uncompressed) data transferred through USMessage, the actual (compressed) size of the data, and your savings ratio. For example, a savings ratio of 4.00 means that the actual data that has been sent is 1/4 the size of the original data due to compression.

Also, this window displays the speed of your connection and the estimated amount of downloading/uploading time that has been saved by using USMessage Web Accelerator. Note that these two features are only available when using a dial-up connection.

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USMessage Web Accelerator's Privacy Manager

USMessage Web Accelerator's Privacy Manager provides a safer and more secure browsing environment. It can clear the cache, cookies, and history in the Temporary Internet Files folder. This is the same as clearing Internet Explorer's cache and the cache of any Web browser which uses the same cache folder.

  1. Right-click on the USMessage Web Accelerator taskbar icon to access the pop-up menu.

  2. Select "Privacy Manager" to bring up the Privacy Manager dialog.

  3. Please check off the items you would like to clear. For example. If you want to clear the Internet Explorer's cache, please check the option "Delete all cached Webpages and other Temporary Internet Files".

  4. Click on the "Run" button to start the actions. A dialog "The selected actions have completed successfully" will appear once all the items are deleted.

    Click on the "OK" button to close this window.

  5. Click on the "Close" button to exit the Privacy Manager dialog.

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Running Diagnostics Tool

If you contact USMessage for technical support, the support personnel may request that you send a diagnostics report to them. The diagnostics report contains system information, such as your USMessage Web Accelerator settings and connectivity, which will allow USMessage to provide further assistance.

To create a diagnostics report:

  1. Right-click on the USMessage Web Accelerator system tray icon to access the pop-up menu.

  2. Select "Help" > "Diagnostics" to display the Diagnostics dialog.

  3. Click on "Create Report".

  4. Launch your email application, compose an email, paste the results into the email (the results have already been copied to your clipboard), and send it to USMessage.



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Getting Technical Help

To get more information on USMessage Web Accelerator and troubleshooting, please visit our support Website. You can access our support site by right clicking on the system tray icon and selecting "Help", "Support Website".

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Accessing Product Version Information

To view the product version information:

  1. Right-click on the USMessage Web Accelerator system tray icon to access the pop-up menu.

  2. Select "Help" > "About" to display the About dialog (see below).

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Updating Your Software

AutoUpdate will inform you of any major or minor software upgrades to the USMessage Service. By default, you will be notified of all software upgrades.

To manually update USMessage Web Accelerator:

  1. Open the "Settings..." dialog.

  2. Click on the "Update" tab.

  3. Select "Update Now" to upgrade to the latest version.

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Uninstalling USMessage Web Accelerator

  1. Under the Windows Control Panel, select "Add or Remove Programs".

  2. Select USMessage Web Accelerator and click Remove.

  3. The uninstaller will launch and guide you through the uninstallation procedure.

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Troubleshooting

This section helps troubleshoot general issues that may occur while installing, using, and uninstalling USMessage Web Accelerator. Click on any of the following issues for solutions.

I have problems when I ...

...install USMessage Web Accelerator

  1. Where can I find a “step-by-step” procedure for installing USMessage Web Accelerator on my computer?

  2. During installation, a dialog appears warning that email acceleration and FTP acceleration are disabled because another LSP was detected.

...use USMessage Web Accelerator (Web-Browsing Related)

  1. Why am I not able to connect to the remote service?

  2. Why is USMessage Web Accelerator disabled right after it launches?

  3. Why can't I right-click on an image to get the "Show Original Image"?

  4. Why can’t I load/open some specific Websites when USMessage Web Accelerator is enabled?

  5. Why is Netscape/Mozilla not working with USMessage Web Accelerator?

  6. How can I manually configure my proxy settings to use USMessage when browsing with Netscape?

  7. Why is Opera not working with USMessage Web Accelerator?

  8. Why do some Java-applets (such as certain games on www.pogo.com) not work?

...use USMessage Web Accelerator (Email Related)

  1. During installation, a dialog appears warning that email acceleration and FTP acceleration are disabled because another LSP was detected.

  2. When USMessage Web Accelerator starts, a dialog appears warning that another application is using port 25 or port 110.

...uninstall USMessage Web Accelerator

  1. How do I remove USMessage Web Accelerator from my computer?

 

Problems when installing USMessage Web Accelerator

  1. Where can I find a “step-by-step” procedure for installing USMessage Web Accelerator on my computer?

    Click here for detailed installation instructions. A full set of screenshots are provided to assist you with the installation procedure.

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  2. During installation, a dialog appears warning that email acceleration and FTP acceleration are disabled because another LSP was detected.

    This dialog is a warning stating that email acceleration and FTP acceleration will not be installed on this computer due to a software conflict. However, the Web acceleration will still work properly. If you would like to have email acceleration and FTP acceleration, the other LSPs must be removed followed by a re-installation of USMessage Web Accelerator.

    Please contact USMessage for proper instruction regarding this matter.

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Problems when using USMessage Web Accelerator (Browsing)

  1. Why am I not able to connect to the remote service?

    Please ensure that you have the correct username, password, server name, and server port number. Some Internet Service Providers might require users to log in with their full email address (i.e. user@usmessage.net). Also please make sure that you have an active internet connection and your server is currently available.

    If the problem persists, please contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) for further assistance.

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  2. Why is USMessage Web Accelerator disabled right after it launches?

    Please make sure that you have configured USMessage Web Accelerator properly; this includes the correct username, password, server name, and server port number. It is also important to check if you have a valid internet connection.

    This might also be caused by the High speed Auto-detection feature. USMessage Web Accelerator might be disabled once an active high speed connection, such as DSL or cable modem, is detected.

    If the problem persists, please contact USMessage at 1-866-363-7724 for further assistance.

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  3. Why can't I right-click on an image to get the "Show Original Image"?

    The "Show Original Image" option is available only if you browse with the following Web browsers:

    • Internet Explorer 5.0 and later
    • Firefox 1.0 and later
    • Mozilla 1.7.3 and later
    • Netscape 7.2

    Some Web sites disable the ability to right-click using Javascript. On other sites, the image in question may be a background image. To view the full quality image under these conditions, change the Image Setting to "Full Quality" and press Ctrl-Refresh in Internet Explorer. Please note that Internet Explorer must be launched after USMessage is started in order to have "Show Original Image" as a menu option.

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  4. Why can’t I load/open some specific Websites when the Accelerator is enabled?

    The Websites may be blocked by the Popup-blocker component of USMessage Web Accelerator. Please disable the “Block Floating Flash-ads” option in the Popup-blocker settings. If the problem persists, please add the Website to the “Popup-blocker White list”.

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  5. Why is Netscape/Mozilla not working with USMessage Web Accelerator?

    USMessage Web Accelerator works with Netscape 6.0 and later. The primary reason why the Netscape/Mozilla browsers are not working with USMessage Web Accelerator is that the proxy setting is not updated properly. Please make sure that the Netscape/Mozilla browsers, including the quick launch located in the system tray, are launched after USMessage Web Accelerator is enabled.

    Please do not attempt to stop/disable USMessage Web Accelerator while you're browsing. Always leave it on for the entire time that you're browsing. If USMessage Web Accelerator is working properly, the USMessage icon (in the system tray) should be flashing/changing colour when you visit any Web sites. If the problem persists, please contact your ISP for further assistance.

    Netscape/Mozilla might not function properly if there are multiple versions of Netscape/Mozilla installed on the same computer. To solve this problem, please uninstall any old version(s) of Netscape/ Mozilla and reinstall USMessage Web Accelerator.

    An alternative solution is to configure the proxy settings manually. For detailed instructions on how to do this, click here.

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  6. How can I manually configure my proxy settings to use USMessage when browsing with Netscape?

    Please open the "Preferences" window in your browser and set the HTTP Proxy as "localhost:5400" (shown below). Please note that if you do this, you must remove these proxy settings when you wish to browse without USMessage Web Accelerator.


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  7. Why is Opera not working with USMessage Web Accelerator?

    USMessage Web Accelerator works with Opera version 8.0 or later. For other versions, you must configure Opera's proxy settings manually. Please open the "Preferences" window in Opera, go to Network, and then click on Proxy Servers. Set the HTTP Proxy as "127.0.0.1:5400" (shown below). Please note that if you do this, you must remove these proxy settings when you wish to browse without USMessage Web Accelerator.



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  8. Why do some Java-applets (such as certain games on www.pogo.com) not work?

    Older versions of the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) cannot display certain image types (such as 'PNG'). To fix this problem, simply change your Image Setting to the maximum quality level or upgrade to the newest JRE.

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Problems when using USMessage Web Accelerator (Email)

  1. During installation, a dialog appears warning that email acceleration and FTP acceleration are disabled because another LSP was detected.

    This dialog is a warning stating that email acceleration and FTP acceleration will not be installed on this computer due to a software conflict. However, the Web acceleration will still work properly. If you would like to have email acceleration and FTP acceleration, the other LSPs must be removed followed by a re-installation of USMessage Web Accelerator.

    Please contact USMessage for proper instruction regarding this matter.

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  2. When USMessage Web Accelerator starts, a dialog appears warning that another application is using port 25 or port 110.

    By default, USMessage Web Accelerator listens to 127.0.0.1:25 and 127.0.0.1:110 in order to accelerate SMTP and POP3 traffic. This warning shows that another application on the computer is listening to either one of these ports, which causes a conflict. However, the Web acceleration will still work properly. If you would like to have email acceleration, you need to disable the application that is listening to the specified port(s).

    Please contact USMessage for proper instruction regarding this matter.

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Problems when uninstalling USMessage Web Accelerator

  1. How do I remove the USMessage Web Accelerator from my computer?

    Click here for detailed uninstallation instructions. There will be a dialog warning you to close all the other application windows. If you have done so, please proceed with the uninstallation.

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Product FAQs

Have a question about the accelerator product or how it will benefit you while using the Internet? Read on, we have the answers for you!

1. Overview of USMessage Web Accelerator

  1. Will USMessage Web Accelerator speed up everything I do on the Web?

  2. How fast is USMessage Web Accelerator?

  3. What other features does USMessage Web Accelerator offer?

  4. How does USMessage Web Accelerator work?

  5. Will I benefit from using USMessage Web Accelerator?

  6. What types of content does USMessage Web Accelerator speed up?

2. Supported Browser Versions:

  1. Can I use USMessage Web Accelerator with browsers other than Internet Explorer?

3. Product Details

  1. How do I use Internet Explorer with USMessage Web Accelerator?

  2. Where can I get product information on how to use USMessage Web Accelerator?

  3. Where do I go if I have problems with USMessage Web Accelerator?

  4. Does USMessage Web Accelerator speed up email?

  5. Does USMessage Web Accelerator speed up my secure (HTTPS) transactions such as my Web banking?

  6. What operating systems or platforms can USMessage Web Accelerator be installed on?

  7. What system requirements are necessary to use USMessage Web Accelerator?

  8. Why is USMessage Web Accelerator disabled right after it launches?

1. Overview of USMessage Web Accelerator

  1. Will USMessage Web Accelerator speed up everything I do on the Web?

    USMessage Web Accelerator accelerates certain text and graphics on Web pages. With USMessage Web Accelerator you will notice a significantly faster experience when you visit Web sites, send and receive your email, and perform many other Web-based activities. Currently, USMessage Web Accelerator will not accelerate file downloads (except over FTP), such as music files, or streaming video or audio media.

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  2. How fast is USMessage Web Accelerator?

    The exact amount of acceleration can vary, but with USMessage Web Accelerator you will notice a significantly faster experience when you visit Web sites, send and receive email, and perform many other Web-based activities.

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  3. What other features does USMessage Web Accelerator include?

    USMessage Web Accelerator offers the following value-added services in addition to speeding up your Web and email usage:

    • Pop-Up Blocker - block annoying pop-up advertisements while surfing!
    • Banner-Ad Blocking - Stop the ads, and surf faster!
    • FTP Acceleration - Accelerate FTP file transfer (in passive mode)!
    • Privacy Manager - Provide a more secure browsing environment!
    • Integrated Diagnostic Support Tool!

    For detailed information about these features, please refer to the "User Guide" section.

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  4. How does USMessage Web Accelerator work?

    USMessage accelerates your Internet access through proprietary text and image compression, content caching, and other network optimizations.

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  5. Will I benefit from using USMessage Web Accelerator?

    If you have a slow Internet connection (such as a dial-up or wireless connection) with a bandwidth of less than 300Kbps, you will experience a significant degree of acceleration using USMessage.

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  6. What types of content does USMessage Web Accelerator speed up?

    USMessage Web Accelerator significantly speeds up Web page access.  To achieve this speed up, proprietary lossless compression is applied to text, html, xml, javascript and style sheets.  Proprietary image compression is applied to gif images, jpeg images and Flash content.

    USMessage also accelerates email traffic (POP3, IMAP and SMTP) and FTP (in the passive mode) using lossless compression.

    USMessage does NOT speed up file downloads (except over FTP) and streaming audio/video. The HTTPS (secure Web sites) solution is only available with our SE product.

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2. Supported Browser Versions:

  1. Can I use USMessage Web Accelerator with browsers other than Internet Explorer?

    Yes. USMessage Web Accelerator works with any Web browser that allows you to specify an HTTP proxy. Here's the list of supported Web browsers:

    • Internet Explorer 5.0 and later
    • Firefox 0.9 and later
    • Mozilla 1.4 and later
    • Netscape 6.0 and later (version 8.0 only with USMessage Web Accelerator version 4.0.127 and later)
    • Opera 8.0 and later (only with USMessage Web Accelerator version 4.0 and later)

    Make sure that you install the Firefox extension when you install USMessage Web Accelerator. Once USMessage Web Accelerator is running, start the browser and browse as you normally would. No user intervention is required since USMessage Web Accelerator operates in the background.

    If you encounter any problems, please make sure that the the HTTP proxy host is set to "localhost" or "127.0.0.1" and that the port number is set to the same local listening port as the one in your USMessage Web Accelerator settings. Its default value is 5400. Please refer to the the "Troubleshooting" section for detailed information.

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3. Product Details:

  1. How do I use Internet Explorer with USMessage Web Accelerator?

    Start Internet Explorer and browse as you normally would. USMessage Web Accelerator is launched automatically every time Windows starts. It operates in the background to accelerate your Web connection. No user intervention is required.

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  2. Where can I get product information on how to use USMessage Web Accelerator?

    Please visit the "User Guide" section for detailed information on using the product and discovering its useful features.

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  3. Where do I go if I have problems with USMessage Web Accelerator?

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  4. Does USMessage Web Accelerator speed up email?

    Yes. USMessage Web Accelerator can reduce the amount of time it takes to send and receive email. USMessage Web Accelerator accelerates email automatically without any user intervention, so you can use your mail program exactly as you normally would. It is compatible with any POP3/IMAP/SMTP client, including Outlook Express, Eudora, Pegasus, Opera Mail, Mozilla Mail, and Netscape Mail. Email acceleration is disabled by default.

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  5. Does USMessage Web Accelerator speed up my secure (HTTPS) transactions such as my Web-banking?

    HTTPS acceleration is supported in our SE product (Corporate Solution). Normal USMessage Web Accelerator (SP Product) does not accelerate secure transactions. Secure Web sites will continue to work by bypassing the acceleration component.

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  6. What operating systems or platforms can USMessage Web Accelerator be installed on?

    Windows Operating Systems:

    • Windows 95b with Winsock2
    • Windows 98
    • Windows 98SE
    • Windows Millennium Edition (Windows ME)
    • Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6
    • Windows 2000 Service Pack 4
    • Windows XP
    • Windows XP Service Pack 2

    Macintosh Operating System:

    • OS X 10.2 or later
    • Web Browser: Safari 1.0 or later

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  7. What system requirements are necessary to use USMessage Web Accelerator?

    Minimum system requirements for a PC:

    • Pentium 200MHz (or equivalent)
    • 64MB RAM
    • at least 11MB of hard-drive space.

    Minimum system requirements for a Macintosh:

    • PowerPC G3 processor at 333MHz
    • 128MB RAM
    • 6MB of hard drive space.

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  8. Why is USMessage Web Accelerator disabled right after it launches?

    Please make sure that you have configured USMessage Web Accelerator properly; this includes the correct username, password, server name, and server port number. It is also important to check if you have a valid internet connection.

    This issue might also be caused by the High speed Auto-detection feature. USMessage Web Accelerator might be disabled once an active high speed connection, such as DSL or cable modem, is detected.

    If the problem persists, please contact USMessage at 1-866-363-7724 for further assistance.

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For Macintosh Users

This section will assist you with the installation of the USMessage Web Accelerator for the Macintosh. It will also familiarize you with the features of the accelerator.

1. Minimum System Requirements

2. Installation.

3. Using USMessage Web Accelerator.

Note: check the proxy settings

4. Advanced Options.

5. Uninstalling.


Minimum System Requirements
  • 333Mhz PowerPC G3 processor
  • 128MB RAM
  • 6MB of hard drive space
  • OS X 10.2 or later
  • Safari 1.0 or later
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Detailed Installation Instructions

1. Download.

  1. Open the link provided by USMessage for the USMessage software and download the software.

  2. After the download is complete, double-click on the file so it mounts itself to Desktop.

2. Install.

  1.  Double-clicking on the icon will launch the installer.

  2. The installer will guide you through the complete setup process.

3. Connect.

  1. As this is your first time launching the product, you will be prompted for a username and password. Enter the username and password provided to you by USMessage in the fields provided.

  2. Click "Save and Continue". USMessage Web Accelerator will connect to USMessage.

  3. After launching the USMessage Web Accelerator, you will see the following icon in the dock.

4. Browse the Web.

  1. Browse the Web as you normally would. The USMessage Web Accelerator will automatically accelerate your browsing session.

  2. When finished, simply close your Web browser, as you normally would, and USMessage Web Accelerator will remain open and ready to accelerate your next browsing session.

  3. If you want to stop the application after browsing select Stop USMessage Web Accelerator from the application menu, or if you desire to exit the application all together click Quit from the application menu.

5. Further Assistance.

  1. Still having trouble? Feel free to contact us for product setup or feedback.

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Launching USMessage Web Accelerator

If the USMessage Web Accelerator is not running and you need to launch it manually, locate the USMessage Web Accelerator icon in the Applications folder and double-click it.

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Setting Username and Password Information

Your username and password information is located in the Connection Tab. To set your username and password:

  1. Click on the USMessage Web Accelerator dock icon (assuming the software is running already).

  2. Click on the "Connection" tab.

  3. Enter your username and password in the fields provided. To avoid having to do this each time you connect, ensure that the "Save password" box is checked.

  4. To save your settings, press "Apply".

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Changing the Image Quality Setting

The image quality setting changes the quality of images that will be displayed in your Web browser. The higher the quality you select, the longer it will take to load. For slower Internet connections, it is recommended that you lower your image quality. This slider can be adjusted anytime while browsing.

  1. Click on the USMessage Web Accelerator dock icon (assuming the software is running already).

  2. Select the "Images" tab.

  3. Use the slider bar to adjust the image quality setting.

  4. Press "Apply" to save the settings.


Starting and Stopping

To Stop:

If you are connected and you want to manually disconnect,  click on the USMessage Web Accelerator dock icon (assuming the software is running already). Select the menu item "Stop USMessage" from the application menu-bar.

To Start:

If USMessage Web Accelerator is stopped and you want to manually start, click on the USMessage Web Accelerator dock icon. Select the menu item "Start USMessage" from the application menu-bar.

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Note: check the proxy settings

When USMessage Web Accelerator is enabled, it will change the proxy settings to 127.0.0.1:5400 (the port number might vary depending on the value stored in the connection settings). Please refer to the screenshot below. This can be checked by launching System Preferences and checking "Proxies" under "Network"

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Changing Your Connection Settings

Normally, the connection settings that are set during installation do not need to be changed. However, if USMessage provides new connection settings, you may change the preset ones using the following instructions.

  1. Click on the USMessage Web Accelerator dock icon (assuming the software is running already).

  2. Click on the "Connection" tab.

  3. Press "Advanced...".

  4. Change the "Server Hostname" and "Server Port" to the ones your ISP provided you. In most cases, it is unnecessary to change the "Local Port".

  5. Press "OK" to close the "Connection" dialog box.

  6. Press "Apply" to save your new connection settings. These settings will be used next time you connect with the USMessage Web Accelerator.

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Accessing Product Version Information

You may view the product version in the About dialog.

  1. Click on the USMessage Web Accelerator dock icon.

  2. Select "About USMessage Web Accelerator" from the application menu bar.

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Uninstalling USMessage Web Accelerator

For Mac OS X 10.3 users, USMessage Web Accelerator can be uninstalled by simply dragging the Application icon (in the Application folder) into the trashcan. The users will need to have the administrator privilege to do so; the admin password has to be input in order to complete the uninstallation process. Under Mac OS X 10.2, one can not delete files/folders, which are owned by root, by using GUI. The uninstallation must take place through the Terminal.

Under OS X 10.3

  1. Quit the USMessage Web Accelerator.

  2. Launch the finder and browse to the Applications folder.

  3. Drag the accelerator icon to the trash can.

Under OS X 10.2

  1. Log in to the machine with an administrative account.

  2. Open a terminal (Launch "Finder", browse to "/Applications/Utilities" and launch "Terminal.app")

  3. In the terminal type "cd /Applications" then hit "ENTER" key

  4. Type "sudo rm -rf USMessage\ Web\ Accelerator.app" then hit "ENTER" key

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