MTU in a router: what is it

A Wi-Fi router is an indispensable thing these days. Agree, for owners of many gadgets its use is most convenient. Setting up a router mostly happens automatically and few people think about the fact that it is necessary to change the device options.

If you want to enjoy a fast and high-quality Internet connection, then this article is for you. In it we will look at what the MTU option is and how to choose the right value for the best functionality of the router.

What is MTU in a router?

Let's start with decoding. MTU-maximum transmission unit. Literally can be translated as the maximum block size transmitted over networks.

A packet contains a certain number of bytes. The data flows from the provider to the user. Speed? with which they are transmitted depends on how the MTU is configured.

Data loss is also kept to a minimum. The quality of their transmission depends on the correct settings of the parameters. When sending large data to the router, fragmentation will occur. Further? going through a router? Perhaps there will be more cutting of packages. All this is labor-intensive and costly.

How and why to limit the MTU size

Automatic configuration of routers is not always performed correctly. In order for the Internet to work quickly and efficiently, you must manually set a limit on the MTU size. You can make changes in the settings.
What is it for?

1. The channel load decreases, the transmission speed increases.
2. Transfer extension will help you use many programs, processes and other things at the same time.
3. Packages will be delivered intact.
4. The loss of information is reduced to a minimum, the communication channel can be used to the maximum.
5. If you notice that when working with your computer you are having problems in the form of long file downloads or loss of connection to sites, then you need to limit the MTU size. If there are no such problems, then you should not change the automatic settings yourself.

What value should be set?

You can check whether the MTU is set correctly using network testing. The computer will determine how long it takes to transfer a package of information from the PC to the server. Need to follow up? how many bytes are in the packet. Next, we reduce their number until fragmentation is completely eliminated. The recommended value is 1500, in some cases closer to 1400 bytes.

You can check the network as follows:

1. We log into Windows as an administrator.
2. We enter a test command, change the MTU to 1500. We look at the result. Will it be displayed in it? how many packets were received, sent, how many were lost.
3. If the loss value does not exceed 10%, we try to determine the optimal value. We change it in the settings.
4. If you are unable to change the value yourself, you can always consult with support. In different routers, the value can be completely different, so you will have to try a little to set the right one.