BOOSTING YOUR NETWORK

Boost your network’s reliability and speed by tuning two important network
settings in Windows: RWIN, short for Receive Window, and MTU, or Maximum
Transmission Unit. You can use Regedit to set these values in the Windows
Registry following the instructions from Annoyances.org (find.pcworld.com/46436),
or you can download and run the free DrTCP from www.dslreports.com/drtcp.

The RWIN setting alters the TCP/IP received-data buffering on your PC—the more you have, the faster your downloads, within limits. Most users have found that an
RWIN value of between 32768 and 65536 yields the speediest downloads (if you
don’t set this, RWIN defaults tofour times the MTU value). MTU sets the maximum
size of data packets sent and received, and it must match the type of connection you
have— dial-up, PPPoE (most DSL and cable), or LAN. The standard maximum value
for TCP/IP is 1500, but for dial-up connections it should be 576 to ensure minimal
packet fragmentation. For PPPoE, an MTU of no more than 1492 is
recommended.

Some ISPs and virtual private network connections require a setting as low as 1300 to
allow for the differences in all the networking gear in the system and for data
encryption overhead.
For a little extra oomph, also tweak the number of simultaneous connections your PC
can make to one server. If you have a fast cable or DSL connection, boosting this
setting from its default value of two to four or six can help pages load faster. Some
Web servers limit you to two simultaneous connections, so you won’t see a speed
increase on all sites you visit.

You will have to restart Windows for the changes to take effect.
Determine the settings recommended for your PC and test them using the
Tweak Test at www.dslreports.com/tweaks. It may take some time to find the best
settings for your Internet connection.