Recommendations for Packet Prioritizing Routers

I have a cable modem connection and usually am uploading
something or other through P2P clients, and recently a lot
through FTP so my upload bandwidth is nearly always
saturated.

This causes a big problem when I want to chat with friends
and family through voice applications like Yahoo Instant
Messenger or any other real-time application -- even when I
have to SSH to a computer at work to do some work from home!
Typing lags and my voice stutters beyond recognition to my
friends on the other end. I have to apologize, shutdown my
FTP upload, and call them back. That is really lame.

Does anybody know of any easy to setup routers that can be
set so that, for instance, FTP data on port 20/21 can be set
on "low priority". Additionally, if I find out what port
Yahoo uses for voice, I can set that port for maximum or
real-time priority.

No, getting a faster Internet connection wouldn't work in my
situation -- I'd just be uploading faster and end up with
the same problem! The only solution here is real-time
packet prioritization -- kinda like how modern O/S kernels
time slice hundreds of threads but, in this case, the router
is prioritizing TCP packets in real time.


Thanks,

J

On Sun, 07 May 2006 22:06:15 GMT, JJ <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I have a cable modem connection and usually am uploading
>something or other through P2P clients, and recently a lot
>through FTP so my upload bandwidth is nearly always
>saturated.
>
>This causes a big problem when I want to chat with friends
>and family through voice applications like Yahoo Instant
>Messenger or any other real-time application -- even when I
>have to SSH to a computer at work to do some work from home!
> Typing lags and my voice stutters beyond recognition to my
>friends on the other end. I have to apologize, shutdown my
>FTP upload, and call them back. That is really lame.
>
>Does anybody know of any easy to setup routers that can be
>set so that, for instance, FTP data on port 20/21 can be set
>on "low priority". Additionally, if I find out what port
>Yahoo uses for voice, I can set that port for maximum or
>real-time priority.
>
>No, getting a faster Internet connection wouldn't work in my
>situation -- I'd just be uploading faster and end up with
>the same problem! The only solution here is real-time
>packet prioritization -- kinda like how modern O/S kernels
>time slice hundreds of threads but, in this case, the router
>is prioritizing TCP packets in real time.
>
>
>Thanks,
>
>J


I have had good luck with the Netopia 3387W-END model and they have
one of that series specifically designed for prioritized packets such
as you are asking. Take a look at www.netopia.com.

Bob

Bob_M (remove X for email) wrote:
> On Sun, 07 May 2006 22:06:15 GMT, JJ <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> I have a cable modem connection and usually am uploading
>> something or other through P2P clients, and recently a lot
>> through FTP so my upload bandwidth is nearly always
>> saturated.
>>
>> This causes a big problem when I want to chat with friends
>> and family through voice applications like Yahoo Instant
>> Messenger or any other real-time application -- even when I
>> have to SSH to a computer at work to do some work from home!
>> Typing lags and my voice stutters beyond recognition to my
>> friends on the other end. I have to apologize, shutdown my
>> FTP upload, and call them back. That is really lame.
>>
>> Does anybody know of any easy to setup routers that can be
>> set so that, for instance, FTP data on port 20/21 can be set
>> on "low priority". Additionally, if I find out what port
>> Yahoo uses for voice, I can set that port for maximum or
>> real-time priority.
>>
>> No, getting a faster Internet connection wouldn't work in my
>> situation -- I'd just be uploading faster and end up with
>> the same problem! The only solution here is real-time
>> packet prioritization -- kinda like how modern O/S kernels
>> time slice hundreds of threads but, in this case, the router
>> is prioritizing TCP packets in real time.
>>
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> J
>
>
> I have had good luck with the Netopia 3387W-END model and they have
> one of that series specifically designed for prioritized packets such
> as you are asking. Take a look at www.netopia.com.
>
> Bob



Thanks Bob. I've actually ordered the D-Link DGL-4300 4
port gigabit router. This is the first Gigabit router I've
seen at the commercial level that didn't cost several
hundred dollars.

http://games.dlink.com/products/?pid=370

Most importantly, this D-Link router has their market
branded "GameFuel" packet prioritization that somehow
automatically monitors the data stream and puts FTP and
other non-interactive data on the background while letting
interactive data like games and hopefully telephone and
Yahoo voice data on top priority. I have my skepticism on
how well this will work for real but I'll give it a try.
There is also a fully manual way to specify which TCP ports
and which IP addresses get what priority (user selectable
between 0 and 255). I'd put my VoIP, Yahoo and Remote
Desktop connections at the top right away. The website has
the full PDF manual plus a *full* simulation of the router's
actual administration web pages. Cool!

Hopefully this will fix my problems if not I'll return the
D-Link and try the Netopia router. In the era of VoIP, I
think a prioritizing router is a must. I hope this feature
starts to become more common place cuz Internet voice is
getting more common at home and a non-prioritizing router
can really cause that service to be erratic -- normal home
computer users will be *clueless* on why their IP voice
service sucks sometimes. My old SMC 100Mbit router will go
in the closet cuz it can't deal with modern day needs. ;-)


J