9.2 Bandwidth Limiter configuration
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## 9.2 Bandwidth Limiter configuration

The Bandwidth Limiter parameters can be set under Configuration → Bandwidth Limiter.

Figure 9.1. Bandwidth Limiter configuration

The Bandwidth Limiter module enables to define reduction of speed of incoming traffic (i.e. from the Internet to the local network) and of outgoing data (i.e. from the local network to the Internet) for transmissions of big data volumes and for users with their quota exceeded. These limits do not depend on each other. This means it is possible to use one of these functions, both or none.

### Warning

In the Bandwidth Limiter module, speed is measured in kilobytes per second (KB/s). while ISPs usually use kilobits per second (kbps, kbit/s or kb/s), or in megabits per second (Mbps, Mbit/s or Mb/s). The conversion pattern is 1 KB/s = 8 kbit/s.

A 256 kbit/s line's speed is 32 KB/s, a 1 Mbit/s line's speed is 128 KB/s.

### Setting limit values

The top of the dialog box contains a section where limits for transfers of big data volumes can be set. These values determine bandwidth that will be reserved for these transfers. The remaining bandwidth is available for other traffic.

Tests have discovered that the optimal usage of the Internet line capacity is reached if the value is set to approximately 90 per cent of the bandwidth. It the values are higher, the bandwidth limiter is not effective (not enough speed is reserved for other connections and services if too much big data volumes are transferred). If they are lower, full line capacity is often not employed.

### Warning

For optimal configuration, it is necessary to operate with real capacity of the line. This value may differ from the information provided by ISP. One method of how to find out the real value of the line capacity is to monitor traffic charts (see chapter 20.2 Interface statistics) when you can be almost sure that the line is fully employed.

At the bottom of the dialog box, download and upload speed limits for users with exceeded traffic quota can be set. The bandwidth defined will be shared by all users with their quota exceeded. This implies that the total traffic volume of these users is limited by the bandwidth value set here.

No optimal values are known for these speed limits. WinRoute administrators decide themselves what part of the bandwidth will be reserved for these users. It is recommended to set the values so that activities of these users do not affect other users and services.

Note: It is also possible to block any traffic for a particular users who exceed their quota. The restriction described above are applied only if the Don't block further traffic (Only limit bandwidth...) action is set in configuration of the particular user account. For details, see chapter 15.1 Viewing and definitions of user accounts.

### Advanced Options

Click on Advanced to define advanced Bandwidth Limiter parameters. These parameters apply only to large data volume transfers. They do not apply to users with exceeded quota (bandwidth values set for these users are applied without exception).

Services

  Certain services may seem to perform large data volume transfers, although, in fact, they don't. Internet telephony (Voice over IP — VoIP) is a typical example. It is possible to define exceptions for such services so that the bandwidth limiter does not apply to them.

  It may also be desired to apply bandwidth limiter only to certain network services (e.g. when it is helpful to limit transfers via FTP and HTTP).

  The Services tab enables definition of services to which bandwidth limiter will be applied:

  Figure 9.2. Bandwidth Limiter — network services

  - Apply to all services — the limits will be applied to all traffic between the local network and the Internet.

  - Apply to the selected services only — the limits will apply only to the selected network services. Traffic performed by other services is not limited.

  - Apply to all except the selected services — services specified in this section will be excluded from the bandwidth limiter restrictions, whereas the limiter will apply to any other services.

  Click on Select services to open a dialog box where network services can be selected. Hold the Ctrl or the Shift key to select multiple services. All services defined in Configuration → Definitions → Services are available (for details, refer to chapter sect-services"/>).

  Figure 9.3. Bandwidth Limiter — selection of network services

IP Addresses and Time Interval

  It may be also helpful to apply bandwidth limiter only to certain hosts (for example, it may be undesired to limit a mailserver in the local network or communication with the corporate web server located in the Internet). This exclusive IP group may contain any IP addresses across the local network and the Internet. Where user workstations use fixed IP addresses, it is also possible to apply this function to individual users.

  It is also possible to apply bandwidth limiter to a particular time interval (e.g. in work hours).

  These parameters can be set on the Constraints tab.

  Figure 9.4. Bandwidth Limiter — IP Addresses and Time Range

  At the top of the Constraints tab, select a method how bandwidth will be applied to IP addresses and define the IP address group:

  - Apply to all traffic — the IP address group specification is inactive it is irrelevant.

  - Apply to the selected address group only — the bandwidth limiter will be applied only if at least one IP address involved in a connection belongs to the address group. The other traffic will not be limited.

  - Apply to all except the selected address group — the bandwidth limiter will not be applied if at least one IP address involved in a connection belongs to the address group. Any other traffic will be limited.

  In the lower section of the Constraints tab, a time range within which the bandwidth would be limited can be set. Click Edit to edit the selected interval or to create a new one (details in chapter 14.2 Time Intervals).

Setting of parameters for detection of large data volume transfers

  The Advanced tab enables setting of parameters that will be used for detection of transmissions of large data volume — the minimal volume of transmitted data and inactivity time interval. The default values (200 KB and 5 sec) are optimized in accordance with long-term testing in full action.

  Caution! Changes of these values may reduce Bandwidth Limiter performance dramatically. With exception of special conditions (testing purposes) it is highly recommended not to change the default values!

  Figure 9.5. Bandwidth Limiter — setting parameters for detection of large data volume transfers

  For detailed description of the detection of large data volume transmissions, refer to chapter 9.3 Detection of connections with large data volume transferred.

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9.1 How the bandwidth limiter works and how to use it | Contents | 9.3 Detection of connections with large data volume transferred