# Solved: How to configure QoS?



## mewgirl (Jul 22, 2008)

I am using various internet connection devices but the one which has a QoS option on the driver is Broadcom. The Broadcom website does not seem to have any information on how to do this. (What would be the point of enabling QoS if you cannot configure it anyway...?) This should be obvious in regards to anyone who's using the internet at "home" (or other), but I want to put "internet traffic" first; I am sure there are other types of "traffic" being considered here or the QoS probably would not exist; I want to put EverQuest first, then WWW, then IMs as they'll just reconnect when they need to. Any other option suggestions would be alright too , but EQ goes first, this thing has 512 RAM :X.


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

QoS does not need any configuration. Its defaults are fine. It will use no bandwidth under most "home" situations where QoS protocols are not used.


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## mewgirl (Jul 22, 2008)

I want to define them. It has to be possible. I have no idea how these people set up their networks. And, in most cases the network will not be set up for "home".


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

The settings are obviously going to depend greatly on what capability the specific device with the QoS has, and your requirements. All QoS implementations are not created equal.


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## mewgirl (Jul 22, 2008)

I found the setting for "enable" or "disable" on soemthing listed under "device manager", of course these are not all actually devices that are listed. It is listed as "Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated Controller" and has an option for "802.11p QoS".


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## avisitor (Jul 13, 2008)

The point of QoS is to prioritize mission critical services. For example, VoIP devices generally have a higher priority QoS than internet browsing.


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## mewgirl (Jul 22, 2008)

That was my point... I wouldn't want voice to take precedence over websites! You can just have them call your cell phone if you need to! On my mother's dial up connection I set MMO downloader's to high priority, and even realtime if the system can handle it. If the default QoS setup was really critical in order to make the system work or make devices work when enabled, you wouldn't be able to disable the QoS (at least not through the Windows CP). So if I want to make sure something such as a game which takes an hour to load every time it is disconnected is given more bandwidth then IM programs, I should be able to do so when the option is there... I just don't know where the settings are to change this. I'd assume you'd be adding ports or IPs or something along those lines. Or maybe using DOS?


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## avisitor (Jul 13, 2008)

You may be able to get some program that will prioritize traffic within Windows, but the QoS you're referring to is on the Data Link and Network layers (OSI 2 & 3). It has absolutely nothing to do with prioritizing what programs get priority, rather which computers/network devices get priority with the router.


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## mewgirl (Jul 22, 2008)

This setting was disabled when I opened the properties (Windows clean install, then a very time-consuming search for all non-Microsoft driver updates, official when possible, including drivers for stuff that isn't actually hardware). Should I set it back to diabled? (I am not using any one particular connection but rather whatever of 1,000s of connections is most available wherever I am at.)


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## avisitor (Jul 13, 2008)

You can leave it at whatever the default was for your card.



mewgirl said:


> (I am not using any one particular connection but rather whatever of 1,000s of connections is most available wherever I am at.)


I gathered that from your other thread in the networking forum. Generally, you don't want to QoS your traffic on other people's networks. They might get really mad at you when their stuff stops because you're flooding the connection with higher priority traffic.


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## mewgirl (Jul 22, 2008)

In that case I'll leave it enabled . I usually don't have to resort to stealing a connection from a home. Although, it doesn't make sense to me since you already said that this particular QoS option doesn't refer to traffic.


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## avisitor (Jul 13, 2008)

No, it does refer to traffic, but rather all the traffic coming from your computer in relation to the other computers on the network, not just the traffic from a specific program in relation to all the other programs on your computer.


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

Since there are so few QoS enabled services and applications, chances are that it is never being used at all. And it would have nothing to do at all with any game downloads or web surfing.


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## mewgirl (Jul 22, 2008)

I didn't say game downloads, I said playing games. If I could configure my own QoS for the programs on my computer, I am sure I could set it to do so. Or at least a person could. At least avisitor's reply made it seem as though there are at least two different QoS's that can be referred to, and this one refers to the one that can't be set to do that.


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## zx10guy (Mar 30, 2008)

You need to read up more about what QoS is and how it's implemented. Even if you have a NIC capable of supporting 802.1p, you need a switch or router which understands how to prioritize traffic. All implementations of QoS I've seen and done are device specific and doesn't have the granularity of controlling traffic flow based on application. QoS is basically a policy applied to a specific packet or frame which controls whether this packet or frame has priority over the available bandwidth on the network. The tagging of this traffic can be port based, access rule list, or by tagged frames or packets using CoS or DSCP.

Once the traffic leaves your computer, the QoS implementation doesn't care if your packet has streaming video, http, Quake, or IM traffic. It just tags the entire packet or frame in a specific category/queue and the policy rule for the network takes over from there.


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## mewgirl (Jul 22, 2008)

QoS is described in most places as a way to control and prioritize traffic - "for example, to optimize media such as voice or video". "Video" is not a device, it is a type of traffic. A specific port would also be a type of traffic. (I know "type" isn't the best word.) I was already told by a user who has proven his integrity to me that this particular setting refers to "traffic going to my computer," rather then to any particular type of traffic. That also implies, as well as all the overly- or under....ly- technical websites which say that this is most often used to optimize video or something of the like, that that is not the only possible use for QoS. However it makes that aprt of your reply entirely redundant. Some write-ups do say you need a rotuer which supports this as well - do you think I am going to physically break into every house and place of business I see and then hack into their connection to see whether or not their router is set to use QoS?! Of course not; I will make the much more logical decision of configuring my own computer to use what is best (since in most cases if the router doesn't support a particular option it will simply not be used rather then adversly effecting anything) so that when a router or other componenet needed does support it, it works. Then you go on to state yourself that "the tagging of this traffic can be port based", which obviously has little to do with what devices are being used unless you have an oddity device that only uses a specific port with the internet.

And, since the internet involves both incoming and outgoing traffic, then what happens to traffic "once it leaves my computer" is irrelevant, unless we are talking about unreachable devices.


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## zx10guy (Mar 30, 2008)

Look. It's obvious you still have a lot to learn about network ing technologies.

In a corporate setting, video or voice is delivered by specific devices. These services are not co-mingled with regular traffic. In the case of video, there would be a server using multicasting and it's very easy to either tag that traffic from the originating port with a QoS policy or to do it via IP. Voice is typically separated on its own VLAN and QoS may or may not be employed but might be at the corporate backbone.

Your source is not well versed with this and it's clear. Yes, the use of QoS is to help prioritize traffic flow but it's not only to specific computers but overall across the network. You're thinking is locked in to a single LAN switch situation where as many corporate LANs have multiple switches spread across multiple campuses.

Again, you need to research more about this topic and I don't mean just reading a Wiki. If you want a good book to read on this subject, you should go out and pick up the Cisco Press book entitled CCNP BCMSN. There's a pretty thorough discussion of the topic in there. Also, if you are intending on doing QoS on your home network, you will need the proper hardware. Having one computer with the capability to 802.1p tag the traffic leaving it is not enough. You need to have either a switch or a router which supports these functions. And depending on the layout, you might need to have both in place.


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## mewgirl (Jul 22, 2008)

I don't want to add devices and whatnot obviously; I do want to take full advantage of what's there. You yourself seemed to contradict yourself, saying it can only filter traffic from different devices, then later going on to say you could filter by port. Now if you meant a port such as "COM1" that's fine, but if you meant a port such as "6357" (random number) then you have contradicted yourself. Most of the connections I use will be corporate, so if there is something that "only corporate centers use" that's irrelevent, unless it's "only ISPs" that use it. Even so some companies may have their own stuff set up rather then using a commercial ISP.

The only thing I said that came form a 'source' the idea that QoS is most commonly used for things such as optimizing video transfer, and this was cited in about 15 different places. Anything else that was not personal opinions or questions came from this topic.


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## zx10guy (Mar 30, 2008)

Look. I'm not contradicting myself. When I mentioned "port", this does not mean TCP port. This is why you need to do yourself a favor and read up more about QoS. You still don't have an understanding of higher level networking. If you've ever worked with managed switches and business/enterprise level routers, you would know that there is a lot of flexibility one can have with what a switch port will do.

All I can say is admit you don't understand the topic of QoS and do some heavy research on it. The book I referenced in my previous post is a good starting point. Until you have a better understanding of at least managed switches and the basics of QoS, you'll never get beyond the level of just using QoS as a buzz word.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

zx10guy, before you bang your head against the wall needlessly, review some of her other threads.

Or for more fun, google her user name.


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## mewgirl (Jul 22, 2008)

I said "unless you mean another type of port". I did read about QoS. If I hadn't, I wouldn't be asking questions about it. I never said I understood exactly how to work with QoS. If I did, it would be pretty stupid to ask a question I already know the answer to by asking how to set it's commands or options. Some posts in this thread have been helpful. For example, the post that says THIS QoS options refers to device traffic, but OTHER QoS options control certian "types" of network (multicomputer) traffic. Or the post that clarified what setting it to enabled/disabled would do if no options are set.


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## zx10guy (Mar 30, 2008)

I'm going to just post one last time here as I'm seeing what AcaCandy is telling me.

Everything I've said about QoS is spot on. No one has come in to this thread and pointed out where I'm in error. I've given you enough information as a framework to do more reading about QoS. I've also told you, you have zero equipment on your network that will support QoS. Just because you have one box which will tag frames leaving its NIC with most likely CoS tags doesn't mean it's going to do anything on your network. The switch or router has to be able to decipher the 802.1p tags and do something with it. Even if you had all the equipment needed to implement QoS, the chances of you seeing anything appreciable is nill to zero. The only time QoS actually makes a noticeable difference is when network traffic is heavy enough to saturate the backplane of the switch, the forwarding engine of a router, or the links between network devices (ie router to switch or switch to switch.)

As a parting nugget for you if you choose to really understand what QoS is, you need to understand the role of CoS (class of service) which pertains to layer 2 and DSCP which pertains to layer 3 and thus can be applied to IP addresses.

I've been very specific and detailed with my responses. If you still don't believe what I'm saying, I can't help you then.

As to what you really want to do with this, you're all over the map. You first started the thread talking about wanting to set up QoS because you happen to run into an option setting on your NIC driver properties. Then you go on to say you want to use a layer 2/3 protocol to applications in layer 7 for home use. Then I see this statement by you: "Most of the connections I use will be corporate, so if there is something that "only corporate centers use" that's irrelevent, unless it's "only ISPs" that use it." If you are indeed connecting to a corporate network, all the QoS functionality would have already been done for you and you wouldn't be able to configure anything anyways. So which is it?


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## mewgirl (Jul 22, 2008)

I never said you were wrong, other then telling me I can't use QoS or QoS won't do anything, 'cause, obviously, according to what you've said, it could. And, of COURSE nothing on my network is configured for QoS, cause, that would requrie the netowrk to exist in the first place, yes? And, why websites randomly stop loading on all webpages for about 30 seconds and nothing's been unplugged or reset ('less the ISP's resetting), then, a possible cause of that could be saturated traffic I think though there are other possible causes as well I think. I didn't say anything about wanting to "set up" QoS if you're referring to a network, if you mean configuration then yeah, and I certianly didn't say anything about layers! As a matter of fact the word "layer" has never until this very post entered my vocabulary on this board, and I *definitely* never said anything about "home" use! Why would a "corporate person" come and set up my computer unless I'm paying them to do so, and, even if they did, why would I be stupid and/or lazy enough not to change a single setting if they did?! (After all how many corporations setting up someone's computer would configure it to use a public DNS server, for example?)


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## zx10guy (Mar 30, 2008)

mewgirl said:


> I never said you were wrong, *other then telling me I can't use QoS or QoS won't do anything*, 'cause, obviously, according to what you've said, it could.


So you're the expert now on QoS. Because that statement reads to me that you're telling me I'm wrong that in your network deploying QoS would have zero effect. So please provide me proof that it's going to work as I'm really curious what kind of network degradation and services you're running on your network which would cause QoS to have a profound effect.



> And, of COURSE nothing on my network is configured for QoS, cause, that would requrie the netowrk to exist in the first place, yes?


So now you're saying you don't have a LAN. QoS is just going to magically make an impact on a directly wired ISP connection when your ISP (and any ISP out there for that matter) would care less if you are doing 802.1p.



> And, why websites randomly stop loading on all webpages for about 30 seconds and nothing's been unplugged or reset ('less the ISP's resetting), then, a possible cause of that could be saturated traffic I think though there are other possible causes as well I think.


Again prove you're saturating your LAN. Oh I forgot, according to you in the above quote, you don't have a LAN. But it's more plausible your talking about your ISP connection which I believe you could be saturating. But guess what, there's nothing you can do about it unless you choose to find an available service from a provider which provides more bandwidth. Again, no ISP is going to have QoS set up for you to utilize over their infrastructure.



> I didn't say anything about wanting to "set up" QoS if you're referring to a network, if you mean configuration then yeah, and I certianly didn't say anything about layers! As a matter of fact the word "layer" has never until this very post entered my vocabulary on this board, and I *definitely* never said anything about "home" use! Why would a "corporate person" come and set up my computer unless I'm paying them to do so, and, even if they did, why would I be stupid and/or lazy enough not to change a single setting if they did?! (After all how many corporations setting up someone's computer would configure it to use a public DNS server, for example?)


This last quote shows you know absolutely nothing about QoS and haven't understood anything you've read. QoS is a network based protocol. So of course, you would be configuring it to work on a network provided you have the proper equipment to utilize it. And the fact you don't even understand why I'm mentioning layers means you don't understand networking in general either. I'll do you a favor with regard to this _layer_ thing. Look up OSI model.

This is your first post quoted verbatim: "I am using various internet connection devices but the one which has a QoS option on the driver is Broadcom. The Broadcom website does not seem to have any information on how to do this. (What would be the point of enabling QoS if you cannot configure it anyway...?) This should be obvious in regards to anyone who's using the internet at "home" (or other), but I want to put "internet traffic" first; I am sure there are other types of "traffic" being considered here or the QoS probably would not exist; I want to put EverQuest first, then WWW, then IMs as they'll just reconnect when they need to. Any other option suggestions would be alright too , but EQ goes first, this thing has 512 RAM :X."

Then here's another quote from one of your posts which I've quoted before: "Most of the connections I use will be corporate, so if there is something that "only corporate centers use" that's irrelevent, unless it's "only ISPs" that use it."

So which is it? If you're not using a home connection and using some mythical corporate connection, then your droning about QoS is irrelevant as the network group would have this already configured over the corporate infrastructure. If you're the one configuring the corporate network, God help the company and users. You're all over the map with your posts where it shows you have no understanding or clarity on what you're attempting to do. I've refrained from saying this in public but I'm just going to have to say it. You are a classic case of someone who looks up buzz words in technology and thinks what ever snippet they've managed to comprehend makes them somewhat knowledgeable about it. Or in other words a Cliff Claven. Your droning has also shown up with your incessant PMs to me about expecting to find a FDDI connection at your local Starbucks or 7 Eleven. You only want to have posts that agree with your hair brained ideas as evidenced by your various replies.

And with this post, I'm done with you on QoS and your PMs about FDDI. I'm going to heed the advice from AcaCandy but only responded as you were calling me out with your first sentence in the post I quoted.


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## avisitor (Jul 13, 2008)

zx10guy said:


> So which is it? If you're not using a home connection and using some mythical corporate connection, then your droning about QoS is irrelevant as the network group would have this already configured over the corporate infrastructure. *If you're the one configuring the corporate network, God help the company and users. *You're all over the map with your posts where it shows you have no understanding or clarity on what you're attempting to do. I've refrained from saying this in public but I'm just going to have to say it. You are a classic case of someone who looks up buzz words in technology and thinks what ever snippet they've managed to comprehend makes them somewhat knowledgeable about it. Or in other words a Cliff Claven. Your droning has also shown up with your incessant PMs to me about expecting to find a FDDI connection at your local Starbucks or 7 Eleven. You only want to have posts that agree with your hair brained ideas as evidenced by your various replies.


Amen.

Can we just close this thread now?

(PS. Just put her on your PM Ignore list ).


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I think we've pretty much exhausted this topic, so I'm going to close this thread. I can't imagine more good coming from additional _*discussions*_.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

I think we've had just about all we can handle from this user. Account is now disabled. Go find another forum in which to argue.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

That thought crossed my mind.


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