Windows 8 / 8.1 automatic tweaker?

Fabulist · Post by **Fabulist** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 6:48 am

Hello everyone,

As far as I am concerned, and after reading some threads in this forum, TCP Optimizer version 3.0.8 does not fully work with Windows 8 and does not work at all with Windows 8.1 (almost all menus are blanked out).

So I would like to ask, whether anyone knows any way I can find and implement automatically various TCP optimizations for Windows 8/8.1 - for example; has anyone created their own registry key that bundles various fixes together or is there any other alternative to such an idea?

I regularly format multiple computers for testing purposes, and I need TCP optimizations across all platforms, unfortunately it is very time consuming to manually go through every single setting posted here: http://www.speedguide.net/articles/wind ... weaks-2574 and I am also unable to find any special tweaks for Windows 8, assuming there are any.

Thanks in advance.

Fabulist · Post by **Fabulist** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 5:05 pm

400+ views and not a single response?

I assume there is no chance there can be a registry package or program?

RaisinCain · Post by **RaisinCain** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 5:32 pm

I recommend leaving the OS alone/as it is.

Fabulist · Post by **Fabulist** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 3:26 pm

Hello RaisinCain, please excuse my delayed response.

Are you suggesting that enabling CTCP, disabling nagling, setting TCPNoDelay and so on have no effect whatsoever in Windows 8 / 8.1?

RaisinCain · Post by **RaisinCain** » Sun Oct 20, 2013 4:27 pm

I am not suggesting anything. There isn't a reason to "tweak" anything.

Fabulist · Post by **Fabulist** » Sun Oct 20, 2013 10:05 pm

And why is that?

Some of those tweaks (if not all) have severely decreased ping in games and increased overall network performance on: XP, Vista, Windows 7 across multiple platforms and OS versions, why would I not consider the same tweaks on Windows 8 / 8.1?

You are either suggesting they are not working or that they are irrelevant for some reason in Windows 8 / 8.1, am I not correct?

hclarkjr · Post by **hclarkjr** » Thu Nov 07, 2013 7:14 am

i too am interested in this discussion. i am running 8.1 pro and got this from the analyzer just now -

« SpeedGuide.net TCP Analyzer Results »
Tested on: 2013.11.07 07:09
IP address: 24.3.xx.xx
Client OS/browser: Windows NT 4.0 (Firefox 25.0)

TCP options string: 020405b40103030801010402
MSS: 1460
MTU: 1500
TCP Window: 65536 (NOT multiple of MSS)
RWIN Scaling: 8 bits (2^8=256)
Unscaled RWIN : 256
Recommended RWINs: 64240, 128480, 256960, 513920, 1027840
BDP limit (200ms): 2621kbps (328KBytes/s)
BDP limit (500ms): 1049kbps (131KBytes/s)
MTU Discovery: ON
TTL: 111
Timestamps: OFF
SACKs: ON
IP ToS: 00000000 (0)

it is telling me my rwin is not optomized, how do i fix that?

Mineria · Post by **Mineria** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 11:38 am

RaisinCain wrote:I am not suggesting anything. There isn't a reason to "tweak" anything.

That is something you assume.

I can tell you that there are plenty of setups where it helps a lot to disable Receive Windows Auto-Tuning Level.
MSDN downloads are just one out of a few examples where you will see the difference when you don't have support for auto-tuning all the way.
And believe it or not, very few have support for it all the way trough.

Besides that, there are a few other things that can be set to fit better with the network equipment a given PC is connected to, even on Windows 8.1.

RaisinCain · Post by **RaisinCain** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 1:03 pm

Mineria wrote:That is something you assume.

I can tell you that there are plenty of setups where it helps a lot to disable Receive Windows Auto-Tuning Level.
MSDN downloads are just one out of a few examples where you will see the difference when you don't have support for auto-tuning all the way.
And believe it or not, very few have support for it all the way trough.

Besides that, there are a few other things that can be set to fit better with the network equipment a given PC is connected to, even on Windows 8.1.

Again, tell me how much faster your connection is since implementing these "tweaks".

Post by **Philip** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 10:44 am

RaisinCain, please stop trolling all tweaking discussions with that opinion. The fact that you believe there is no room for improvement does not prove anything. If that were the case, Microsoft would have had a perfect TCP/IP stack since before XP. I agree that recent OSes are much better at handling broadband without much tweaking, however, the same does not work for all cases/connections, and there are newer algorithms (like CTCP) that are not turned on by default that can make a lot of difference in the presense of packet loss, for example.

As to the original question: most of the Windows 7 tweaks still apply. There may be some minor differences in the way some are configured, i.e. netsh command syntax, and it's been suggested that a couple of settings are now per application, rather than global.

RaisinCain · Post by **RaisinCain** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 6:59 pm

I am not trolling. I haven't witnessed any improvements from Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 using the "optimizer" tool. Don't get offended because it is your software.

Mineria · Post by **Mineria** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 9:47 am

RaisinCain wrote:Again, tell me how much faster your connection is since implementing these "tweaks".

Regarding the Receive Window the difference is HUGE, from very slow to not be able to complete downloads to working downloads at the speed they should be at.

Or just try to take and old router with Receive Side-Scaling enabled and track dropped packets

Just because your complete network setup works fine with the default setting doesn't mean that it works out for everyone.
Even Microsoft, the company that implemented the default settings, states that the same default settings can cause issues in several scenarios.

As to the OP's question regarding an automatic tool, automatic tools are bad practice, you need to test and analyze to get the best possible settings.
Do you have any issues since you want to "tweak"?
If everything works smooth and flawless there isn't a reason to do anything, in case you have issues you need to analyze first, check the net-flow etc.

Besides that, on Windows 8 / 8.1 some settings will fall back to default at reboot unless you remove their profiles write protection and edit them via PowerShell, or create batch script that runs on every startup.

RaisinCain · Post by **RaisinCain** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 10:44 am

Mineria wrote:Regarding the Receive Window the difference is HUGE, from very slow to not be able to complete downloads to working downloads at the speed they should be at.

Or just try to take and old router with Receive Side-Scaling enabled and track dropped packets

Just because your complete network setup works fine with the default setting doesn't mean that it works out for everyone.
Even Microsoft, the company that implemented the default settings, states that the same default settings can cause issues in several scenarios.

As to the OP's question regarding an automatic tool, automatic tools are bad practice, you need to test and analyze to get the best possible settings.
Do you have any issues since you want to "tweak"?
If everything works smooth and flawless there isn't a reason to do anything, in case you have issues you need to analyze first, check the net-flow etc.

Besides that, on Windows 8 / 8.1 some settings will fall back to default at reboot unless you remove their profiles write protection and edit them via PowerShell, or create batch script that runs on every startup.

That's my point. You're referencing an "old router" which the current technology doesn't have issues with.

Mineria · Post by **Mineria** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 2:30 am

RaisinCain wrote:That's my point. You're referencing an "old router" which the current technology doesn't have issues with.

Side-scaling yes, cause of 1Gbit to 100Mbit differences, not everyone can afford to upgrade you know.
I have even seen differences when going to a 1Gbit office switch and then routings out via a 100Mbit Zyxel Firewall, packet drop like crazy with side-scaling enabled on the NIC (pretty easy to track via the switchs log).

Regarding Auto-Tuning, it's a pretty general issue, as example Enterprise Firewall routers (We are talking ASA and alike here, not cheap home crap) cause it with practice restrictions regarding auto tuning.
You can also see loads of examples regarding the difference with Auto Tuning level on and off with newer home routers, even those that are considered top end, just check the Netgear forum as example.
Also, connections to quite a few Akamai servers seem to have issues with it, not to mention HP...

RaisinCain · Post by **RaisinCain** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 8:11 am

Well, I own a WNDR4000 and have never had issues. From what you are insinuating, I will just assume that your replies are from a business standpoint and not the typical home user.

Post by **Philip** » Wed Jan 22, 2014 9:26 am

RaisinCain wrote:I am not trolling. I haven't witnessed any improvements from Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 using the "optimizer" tool. Don't get offended because it is your software.

I am not offended because it's our software, and I don't mind you sharing your experience. However, you are also suggesting that your experience is the one everyone should follow, everyone should just stop tweaking their connection in the "Tweaks Help" forum... It's like repeatedly telling everyone at the running track there is no point in them running.

Gamesturbator · Post by **Gamesturbator** » Tue May 20, 2014 11:19 pm

Sorry to revive and older thread, Philip, but I would also like to see full support for Windows 8 and 8.1 by SG TCP Optimizer. The ability to override Windows 8 resetting certain settings upon reboot, for instance. My download speed exceeds 150Mbits, so I'm not sure that the TCP Receive Window max setting of 107840 is still viable.
Maybe you could start a Kickstarter campaign to make it worth your time!

I'd donate!