TCP Chimney Offload VS. Checksum Offloading

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Hello. Mr. network noob here again. I've been reading some stuff over on speedguide about Windows 7 networking tweaks and I am in a little bit of a cloud here. They have a TCP Optimizer 3.0.8 and I've been looking at what my Intel adapter offers and I don't see TCP Chimney Offload in the Advanced Adapter settings. In the TCP Optimizer it shows an 'Enabled' setting. First thing that comes to mind is if I don't have it in my Advanced Adapter properties then it won't work despite what the optimizer says. What I am wondering is should I change it to disabled via registry or cmd, or does it relate to Checksum Offloading er something?

It probably sounds like I'm splitting hairs to the network savvy but I don't really know and that's why I'm asking.

Also, I see a 'Gaming Tweak - Network Throttling Index' & 'Gaming Tweak - Disable Nagle's algorithm' Does this improve multi-player (online) gaming?

 

[Gryz]

I wouldn't bother much about the TCP offload settings. I think those are important on servers maybe, much less on clients. And then only when transferring large amounts of data. I don't think they'll have any impact on gaming. I don't have enough experience to say more about it.

The TCP Nagle trick is a different thing. That really works. But afaik only in World of Warcraft. Because Blizzard has incompentent programmers who can't set socketoptions on a TCP connection. Even when it has been explained to them many times.

Most online games that require fast responses (FPSs) use UDP in stead of TCP. So Nagle doesn't even come into play. Maybe there are other MMOs that don't disable Nagle on their TCP connections, I don't know. If you worry about your performance in pvp or raiding in an MMO, then it is worth it to do the registry tweak. In all other case, I wouldn't bother.