How to Achieve an extra 20% Increase in Bandwith with XP!

[Saltin]

I'm sure alot of you noticed that XP installs the QoS packet scheduler by default ( it can be seen in your network connection properties sheet).
I always found this strange, especially if you are using your box(es) in a home/SoHo environment.
So like me, I bet alot of you uninstalled/unchecked the QoS.

This weekend while browsing through policy, I found that this is not enough to stop the system from reserving a full 20% of your available bandwith for QoS priority services (which are most likely non-exsistant/not worthy of 20% in your setup). Luckily, there is a way to adjust this.

1) Type MMC at the Run line
2)Click the File Menu and select Add/Remove Snap in
3) Click the Add button
4) Scroll down to Group Policy
5) Click Add
6) Verify that it says "local computer" in the box and click Finish
7) Click Close
8) Click Ok

Now, you need to expand the Tree to Local Computer >Computer Configuration>Administrative Templates>Network>QOS Packet Scheduler

You will see a policy in the right hand pane that is called "limit reservable bandwith" it will not be configured. This is actually a bit of smoke and mirrors. If you read the description of the policy, it clearly states



<< By default, the Packet Scheduler limits the system to 20% of the bandwith of a connection.........if you disable this setting or do not configure it, the system uses the default of 20% >>



Enable the setting and configure it to 0%.

I noticed a nice gain in my speeds/pings. A test on DSL reports confirmed this for me. If this has been posted earlier or is in the FAQ, please forgive me re-posting. I thought it a worthy enough point to risk making it again.

 

[TimberWolf]

And here I was, blissfully bumbling along with my current config, and you had to go and expose me to a whole new level of tweaks and optimizations to explore . . .

Thanks for the info!

Any suggestions on where I can learn more?

 

[JackBurton]

Thanks for the tip man!

 

[jjm]

What is QoS used for?

 

[TssTech2]

That tweak Rocks.....Thanks Man.

 

[TheWart]

what is QoS, and do i need it to be on a university lan/ethernet

 

[Saltin]

QoS is Quality of Service. Basically, it allows the system to reserve a certain amount of your bandwith for mission critical applications that absolutely MUST have a certain amount of bandwith available. A good example is Video Conferencing. Say Joe is playing quake 3 arena. Without QoS he could take up all the bandwith available. If someone else then attempts to video conference, they get crappy performance....there is no bandiwth available to them, its all used up by Quake.

As a solution, you can configure QoS to guarantee your video conferencig app say, 30% of your total available bandwith. That way, Mr.Quake will only get 70% of it. So regardless of wether he is playing, your conferencing should go smoothly.

Basically its like making a reservation for a badwith intensive, mission critical app.

Picture your computer as a restaraunt with 100 tables. Each representing 1% of your bandwith. By default, XP has 20 of those tables marked "reserved", even though it has no idea who (i.e. what app) they are reserved for. Its a silly situation considering the line up of customers at the door waiting for a seat.
You might as well free up your extra twenty and let them eat!!

If you don't know what QoS is, I can guarntee you don't require it

 

[AnMig]

good tip

now if only I had xp i could increase my 56k modem bandwith

anybody know if this qos is enabled in w2k? or is this purely a xp phenomenon?

 

[CQuinn]

has anyone actually confirmed that this makes a difference?

From what I understand, XP is not taking away bandwidth that is already in use.
This topic has been posted on before, and what I've seen reported afterward, and
my own experience, do not indicate a 20% increase in network performance.

A lot of people seem to be reading this to mean that XP is throttling the bandwidth.
When what is really seems to be is XP is reserving a section of the pipe in a manner
similar to the way the disk cache works, so if the rest of the system needs it,
then that amount is given back up.

I don't think it will hurt anything to turn this setting to 0%, but don't expect a sudden boost in
all your downloads because of it.

I don't think this setting is "strange" since XP Pro was targeted towards workspace environments where the
server might expect to has such assistance from the workstations in measuring QoS.
I'd be interested in seeing if the same setting is carried over into XP Home.
(I have a copy here I can check in a little while).

You can also check sites like http://www.tweakxp.com and http://www.xp-erience.org for other networking tips.

 

[TheWart]

Saltin, do u play pictionary? lol thx for the analogy, it was very helpful.

 

[her209]

that is an awesome tweak. nice find

 

[dirtrat]

Are you sure this isn't just for XP Pro ? I don't even have "Group policy" listed as an option in XP Home.

 

[bigrash]

hey thanks man.

 

[jsouth]

I don't think this gonna work with XP Home Edition. Since when I tried,there is no any "Group Policy" in XP Home Edition.

 

[BD231]

Sweeeeeeet, I havent tested any but knowing that I have 100% of my system resources at my finger tips, I feel like God now.

 

[CTho9305]

i'm with quinn... i haven't noticed any changes (on a lan here... xfers still go at ~1000k/sec - max possible is 1250k/sec). so either it didn't help, or xp just uses this number to decrease an app by 20% if something else needs bandwidth.

 

[jfunk]

Yeah, I'm thinking that unless XP actually wants this bandwidth for something, it's going to let other things use it. Probably just a set amount it is allowed to take away from other tasks if required.

I think modem users would have noticed right away if they lost 20% of their 4K/s as soon as they upgraded to XP.<G>


j

 

[deeznuts]

it is much easier to do just:

at the run line type in "gpedit.msc" without quotes obviously. then you can skip right to:
expand the Tree to Local Computer >Computer Configuration>Administrative Templates>Network>QOS Packet Scheduler and continue on.

just a quicker alternative.

 

[Magnum58]

This tweak rocks. It fixed my slow 56k problem. Working great now. Thanks.

 

[Saltin]

I've done some further research into this subject, and it appears that I have stumbled into a rather hotly debated topic. There are many people who believe this offers no boost to speeds whatsoever. The argument is solid technically, but I have run numerous bandwith tests on my box and my internet speeds are somewhat faster with this setting at 0% than at 20%. Who knows what the actual truth may be?!

Deez, I gave the Run line "MMC" route of doing things, because I am always suprised how many people don't know about Snap In's. That route gives you the opportunity to see and explore the other snap in options as well. Certainly your way is faster.

Well, if it works for you it works, if it doesnt it doesnt, just thought I would throw it out there..

 

[spamsk8r]

what are snap ins? I've been using windows since before 3.1, and I've never heard of anything like that

 

[Sketcher]

<< Deez, I gave the Run line "MMC" route of doing things, because I am always suprised how many people don't know about Snap In's. That route gives you the opportunity to see and explore the other snap in options as well. Certainly your way is faster. >>


MMC's a nice, often overlooked tool, Thanks Saltin.

 

[Sketcher]

Great Tip!!

Just implented the change on my broadband connection, very noticeably faster!

DSLreports.com line test 2973 kbps down / 1382 up.

lovin' it

 

[renorocks]

Thanks for the education on QoS. Quick question......I have a gigabit hub (one port connected to the server is gigabit, the remaining 8 ports connected to the clients are 100Mbit). Would having QoS turned on limit the bandwidth of the 100Mbit port(s), even if the gigabit port could supply the full 100 Mbit bandwidth to all of the clients?

 

[EXman]

I might have to try this shiznit! My@home went to @ATT and bandwidth has been cut in half or further!!!! A$$holes