Tweaking broadband

**geopfm** · 03-09-2005

I have a question about tweaking my broadband internet, I'm using a Belkin 54mb wireless card to connect to a wireless router (802.11g) and I was wondering if anyone knows how to change the rwin and mtu for that particular nic? Or does linux automatically assign the best possible rate? My download rate sucks for the dsl service I'm subscribing to and I would like to "play" around with the settings to see if I can bump it up.

I'm using a HD install of Knoppix.

Thanks

**swemic** · 03-09-2005

If you shall change your "rwin" or "mtu" you should do that on your wireless router/fw. Since Linux IP will adapt what is requiered from it's nearest router.
That is, if your router tells your Linux that the MTU is 1200 and nothing else, then Linux IP will adapt to this setting.
And AFAIK when it comes to DSL and broadband-router-fw's, usually a good setting is a IP MTU of around 1200.

**geopfm** · 03-09-2005

Is there any way I can see what my stats are? I know I've set my router to a MTU of 1500, so that means my NIC is automatically set to 1500?

If these aren't the problem with D/L what else could be eating up bandwidth? Just lately I've been really sucking on my download speed (about 100k, usually 1.5-2Mbps.)

Any suggestions?

P.S. I've checked to see if any other programs are accessing the network and hogging the bandwidth, but I don't see any. Of course I'm not by any means a Linux expert.

**swemic** · 03-09-2005

Actually if a router after your router claims a MTU of 1400, then your router has to adapt to 1400 and will also tell your NIC about it.

Anyhow,

Code:

netstat -i <if-id>

will give you current status

**swemic** · 03-09-2005

Hmm! Just to be sure that we talk about the same thing here now,

100k's ?? Is it 100kB or 100kb, HUGH difference.

100kB ~ 1Mbps

**geopfm** · 03-09-2005

netstat returns this

root@Frontdesk:/home/jbradley# netstat -i
Kernel Interface table
Iface MTU Met RX-OK RX-ERR RX-DRP RX-OVR TX-OK TX-ERR TX-DRP TX-OVR Flg
eth0 1500 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 BMU
lo 16436 0 122 0 0 0 122 0 0 0 LRU
wlan0 1500 0 9930 0 0 0 7763 0 0 0 BMRU

So my MTU is set at 1500, but what about my rwin? How can I find that out? and or change it?

BTW: 100kb(if I'm lucky), and when I download files I usually top out at about 10-30kbps

**swemic** · 03-09-2005

By default your MTU will always be 1500, to check which MTU you get when sending over your DSL you have to check through something like Ethereal.
Btw, when you said you'd get higher/better bandwidth with Windows, have you afterwards installing Linuc tried Windows with bandwith again?

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