State of QoS with standard routers

[Netscape]

Hi there!

I'm currently using an older TP-Link router (TL-WR1043ND) and am not satisfied with its bandwidth control / QoS feature.

What I would like to do is, give an IP a high priority, so that its traffic is always preferred over other connected clients.

I'm somewhat able to achieve this with my current router when I set the minimum download bandwidth of that IP to the maximum bandwidth I have specified for the WAN connection but the problem is, that the maximum download speed will be reduced for all other clients without any logic reason. When I enter higher maximum speeds for the WAN connection, this won't happen, but the IP that I would like to prioritise somehow doesn't receive the proper attention anymore.

So my question: whats your impression on QoS with the current router generation. Can you prioritize clients traffic without drawbacks (and with fairly easy setup, since I'm not deep into the networking game)?

 

[azazel1024]

No. QoS on basically any/all consumer routers is going to result in a reduction of the maximum attainable bandwidth to the internet. Figure if you have QoS or bandwidth management enable you are likely to lose somewhere between 5-15% total bandwidth.

There are routers with better bandwidth management/QoS than the 1043nd, just expect you are still going to have some "shaved off the top" if you have it enabled on any consumer router.