QoS - Quality of Service settings

[Waansin]

Hi,

Perhaps someone could explain how to set the QoS settings for the GPRS/3G modem in order to improve the data throughput? I Mainly use the connection for time sensitive transactions and I have played with the settings to obtain, what I believe to be, a satisfactory result. However, if anyone out there knows more technical information on the QoS settings for a particular task then could they please give some feedback?

Thanks

[Tazz_Tux]

Hey Waasin,

What QoS settings are you refering to ? What OS are you running ?

Let see what we can sort out :)

Cheers,

[Waansin]

Thanks Tazz_Tux,

I'm using a Moto E1000 and the Mobile Phonetools that came with the phone to connect to the internet on a WinXP Pro SP2 box. I'm primarily using GPRS as there is no 3G coverage at my location yet. If I go to the properties of the GPRS internet connection that gets created for me I get a tab entitled "QoS Requested". This tab allows the following settings: Precedence, Delay, Reliability, Peak Throughput, Mean Throughput. By default they are all set to "0 - Unspecified".

The reason I even care about these settings is due to my experiences so far with the internet connection I have received. While the connection is fast enough it does not deliver packets of data within a reasonable time frame at certain times. As an example, IRC will work for awhile and then all conversation will appear to stop. The IRC server should be sending Pings through to my client yet none appear. A few minutes later everything catches up. As if my computer was halted in time and had to spring back to the present. This is even more of an issue when trying to play online card games.

I have thought that it may be an issue with the GPRS connection that may not be present when using 3G. I have also thought that it may be an issue with PE's infrastructure. It is very possible that the network is just not good enough yet. I plan to test the 3G connection next week.

In the interim I was hoping that playing with the QoS settings may improve the situation. However, it does not seem to help. I do not know which settings will have an impact on Vodacom's network (if any at all). So, if anyone does know more than the average joe about the QoS settings that may improve matters on the Vodacom network, I would be most grateful.

Thanks,

[vodacom3g]

Waansin, I'll check with the network guys, but I suspect there's no QoS settings you can set to influence the network. But let me check.

[Tazz_Tux]

Thanks Tazz_Tux,

This tab allows the following settings: Precedence, Delay, Reliability, Peak Throughput, Mean Throughput. By default they are all set to "0 - Unspecified".

The IRC server should be sending Pings through to my client yet none appear. A few minutes later everything catches up. As if my computer was halted in time and had to spring back to the present. This is even more of an issue when trying to play online card games.

I do not know which settings will have an impact on Vodacom's network (if any at all). So, if anyone does know more than the average joe about the QoS settings that may improve matters on the Vodacom network, I would be most grateful.

Thanks,

Hey Waansin,

To explain what those settings are used for is beyond the scope of this forum (I will glady explain if requested), but your best bet is to stay on either 0 or 4 (if devices allows), basiclly, network assigned.

The other nice thing that this command/setting allow you to do is lower the speed from 384k down to 144 or 64 (I don't think Vodacom supports the lower two although the network does) but not one of these settings will solve your problem.

Your problem sounds to be related to XPSP2, but without seeing the machine and "problem" it is hard to judge. Do you have a sim. problem when download files/mails (bursting) ?

Cheers,

[ic]

...
To explain what those settings are used for is beyond the scope of this forum (I will glady explain if requested)...Please explain ;)

PS: If there's one thing I know, it's that nothing is beyond the scope of MyADSL :).

[Waansin]

Hi Tazz_Tux,

I'm going to try it out more with my laptop as it doesn't have SP2 installed. Over the next few weeks I will try out as many different options as possible.

To be honest I don't use the GPRS/3G connection for heavy downloads. I have my office connection for that. I like the term 'Bursting'. It sums up the issue quite well.

I'll post here when I have more news.

Thanks

[Tazz_Tux]

Please explain ;)

PS: If there's one thing I know, it's that nothing is beyond the scope of MyADSL :).

Ok, np

There are 4 commands used to set the QoS:

AT+CGEQMIN
AT+CGEQREQ
AT+CGQMIN
AT+CGQREQ

These commands set the QoS "window" that will be used to check if the connection can be accepted. Let say you set the following QoS window:

MIN 64k (D) 32k (U)
REQ 144k (D) 64k (U)

The network will then accept the connection using REQ, since there is bandwidth avail. etc. but notice that the download speed *will* be limited 144k - if there wasn't bandwidth avail. the network will try 64k. The "connected rate" will always show 384k (for my memory using windows - Mac and Linux might varry)

Here is what the NovaTel card's help show the commands as :

AT+CGEQMIN=?
+CGEQMIN: "IP",(0-4),(0-384),(0-384),(0-384),(0-384),(0-2),(0-1520),("0E0","1E1","1E2","7E3","1E3","1E4","1E5","1E6"),("0E0","5E2","1E2","5E3","4E3","1E3",")
+CGEQMIN: "PPP",(0-4),(0-384),(0-384),(0-384),(0-384),(0-2),(0-1520),("0E0","1E1","1E2","7E3","1E3","1E4","1E5","1E6"),("0E0","5E2","1E2","5E3","4E3","1E3",)

AT+CGEQREQ=?
+CGEQREQ: "IP",(0-4),(0-384),(0-384),(0-384),(0-384),(0-2),(0-1520),("0E0","1E1","1E2","7E3","1E3","1E4","1E5","1E6"),("0E0","5E2","1E2","5E3","4E3","1E3",")
+CGEQREQ: "PPP",(0-4),(0-384),(0-384),(0-384),(0-384),(0-2),(0-1520),("0E0","1E1","1E2","7E3","1E3","1E4","1E5","1E6"),("0E0","5E2","1E2","5E3","4E3","1E3",)

AT+CGQMIN=?
+CGQMIN: "IP",(0-3),(0-4),(0-5),(0-9),(0-18,31)
+CGQMIN: "PPP",(0-3),(0-4),(0-5),(0-9),(0-18,31)

AT+CGQREQ=?
+CGQREQ: "IP",(0-3),(0-4),(0-5),(0-9),(0-18,31)
+CGQREQ: "PPP",(0-3),(0-4),(0-5),(0-9),(0-18,31)

I don't use the +CGQREQ commands since they require wierd profiles from the UMTS standard. Luckly for us, we don't have to enter the whole string, since the ones you leave out will go to default.

Here are my commands for the speed selection:

[Dialer 384k]

Init5 = AT+CGEQMIN=1,4,64,384,64,384
Init6 = AT+CGEQREQ=1,4,64,384,64,384

[Dialer 144k]

Init5 = AT+CGEQMIN=1,4,64,144,64,144
Init6 = AT+CGEQREQ=1,4,64,144,64,144

[Dialer 64k]

Init5 = AT+CGEQMIN=1,4,64,64,64,64
Init6 = AT+CGEQREQ=1,4,64,64,64,64


The first param. selects the IP profile (AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP"...).
The second one selects the Type of Service (0 - Conv,1 - stream, 2 - interactive, 3 - background, 4 - sub. value/network assigned)
It doesn't pay to try and select the other Type of Services since you are using data, which is (drum roll) number 3 and the connection will not be made.
The third is max. uplink - in kbits/s
The forth is guaranteed uplink - in kbits/s
The fifth os max. downlink - in kbits/s
and last but not least is guaranteed downlink, in kbits/s

I hope this helps. I have only been able to play with the QoS settings using the Option and Novatel cards. Things might be diff. using the E1000 but I can't see how. Talking of which Waansin, did you get the E1000 upgraded (software) ?

Disclaimer :D Please use the above code/info at your own risk.

[ic]

Thanks, even I understood that, so I'm sure there will be a few experimental types that pickup & use the info. You might want to add a disclaimer though: use at your own risk...;)

[Waansin]

Hi Tazz_Tux,

The phone manager software did update on my laptop. I haven't looked into updating firmware on the phone. I had a good connection last night with no problems at all with the laptop (XP Pro SP1 + updated phone manager software). The only hiccup happened when I received an SMS. The connection promptly died. I found this quite unusual. I'm thinking of getting another contract or pre-paid SIM with all incoming comms barred (in particular SMS). I didn't think a SMS would cause a problem :confused: .

Well, silly me. Took me a while to realise that the connection died thus allowing the SMS through. :o

The real test will happen next Monday when I play in the online poker tournament. I'll move myself into a good 3G area for the evening.

Regards

[Tazz_Tux]

Hi Tazz_Tux,

The real test will happen next Monday when I play in the online poker tournament. I'll move myself into a good 3G area for the evening.

Regards

Good luck for the tournament !!!

I would suggest that you go and get your E1000 upgraded - it is well worth it !

Cheers !

[Waansin]

Thanks Tazz_Tux,

I'll look into the upgrade for the E1000. I believe that I'll be without the phone for a while as they will have to send it to Jhb to get the job done. At least that is what I have heard. I'll phone a vodacare centre soon to find out.

Regards

[Tazz_Tux]

Thanks Tazz_Tux,

I'll look into the upgrade for the E1000. I believe that I'll be without the phone for a while as they will have to send it to Jhb to get the job done. At least that is what I have heard. I'll phone a vodacare centre soon to find out.

Regards

Hey Waansin,

I just confirmed that with the E1000 and new firmware you can be connected to GPRS and send and recv. sms's at the same time :)

Cheers !

[Waansin]

Hi,

Just a report back on my experiences so far. I haven't upgraded the firmware on my phone yet (E1000), but I intend to really soon as in my playing I have stopped the phone from working via the USB cable and have "lost" the vlive branded button. Oops.

Well, I first tried a different phone on GPRS, but I experienced the same "bursting" problem. So I figure it isn't the phone that is causing my problem (and neither is XP's SP2).

The explanation I got for the problem with GPRS is that the tower favours voice calls and so the GPRS connection will suffer the more voice calls it may be handling. I was also told (or read somewhere) that a 3G enabled tower would handle the GPRS connection better than the standard tower. I tested this theory out tonight.

I tried to connect via 3G to the internet, however the connection somehow gave me an IP address and a gateway yet failed to allow any internet traffic through. No websites, nothing, nada. I tested it later and it did seem to work. I forced the E1000 to GPRS only and it connected fine and I had full internet access. So I proceeded to use the GPRS on a 3G enabled tower. Only one hiccup after 1h23min. So I call that a good experience.

I must play around a bit to get a fully functional 3G connection.

I hope this info helps. I also managed, after trying for ages, to increase the speed of the bluetooth connection.

Regards