This can be controlled through the Quality of Service (QoS) feature in the following Microsoft products:
WindowsWindows 11Windows 10Windows 8.1Windows 8Windows 7Windows 7Windows VistaServerServer 2022Server 2019Server 2016Server 2012 R2Server 2012Server 2008 R2Server 2008
Before we move on to showing you how to limit the bandwidth of a specific app using QoS, there are a few things we’d like you to understand.
What is Quality of Service (QoS)
Quality of Service in networking terms refers to controlling network traffic through a set of rules and policies. QoS enables users to have granular control over their system network/internet download and upload bandwidth. Networking devices function properly whilst relying on a combination of rules that enable them to sort and prioritize packets. QoS is used to define this information in the packet header so that the networking devices understand how to prioritize individual data. For example, voice packets (Voice Over IP (VoIP)) have a higher priority over regular packets, which is why they are let through these devices before the ones with the lesser priority, which in turn increases the priority of the application transmitting and receives the VoIP packets. QoS is mostly used for resource-intensive networks. However, individuals can also use this feature to prioritize one app over the other to ensure it communicates over the network without an interruption from other tasks. You can also apply a cap on individual apps and tasks/services to not use more than the permitted network bandwidth, also known as throttling rate, using QoS. You can control the throttle rates for outbound network traffic for the following:
Sending the application and directory pathSource and destination IPv4 or IPv6 addresses or address prefixesProtocols – Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP)Individual source and destination ports and port rangesSpecific groups of users and computers through deployment in Group Policy
The network traffic priority is defined by the Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) inside a packet.
What is Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP)
The DSCP is a number between 0 and 63 inside the Type of Service (ToS) field in the IPv4 packet’s header, and inside the Traffic Class field in the IPv6 packet. This value defines the priority of the packets. A different range of DSCP values determines the different classes of these packets. Here is a table defining the packet classes and the associated DSCP ranges: Before the launch of Windows Vista, Microsoft allowed different software manufacturers to define their own DSCP values. However, due to incorrect DSCP values being configured by these manufacturers and causing hindrance to mission-critical packets (such as VoIP), Microsoft began setting the DSCP values of application packets to 0. You can now redefine these DSCP values for individual apps. This information is important in the process of limiting the bandwidth consumption of an app. Let us now show you how to do it.
Limit App Bandwidth Using Quality of Service (QoS)
You can configure QoS on a Windows computer using the Group Policy Editor. Follow the steps below to do so: Note: Windows Home editions come without a Group Policy Editor. Learn how to enable it in Windows Home editions. The QoS policy is now configured. Here, we have limited the bandwidth consumption for Google Chrome to 2 Mbps. You can repeat the steps above to limit bandwidth for more applications and create more policies. You can also edit an existing policy if you wish to make changes to it, or delete it entirely if you wish to continue with the system default settings. This can be done through the context menu of the policy.
Limit Inbound TCP Traffic Throughput using QoS
You can also limit the throttle rate of the inbound TCP traffic on your PC using the QoS feature in Windows. Here is how:
Why Use Quality of Service (QoS)
There are many other bandwidth management tools out there, but QoS gives you more advantages over them. Without having to use third-party software, QoS allows you to manage your network’s traffic, especially with the increasing network activity on organizational scales. Thus, it becomes important to prioritize mission-critical traffic and reduce the latency for communication. With no additional overhead costs for third-party licenses, you can manage your network’s traffic with QoS integrated right into your operating system.
Closing Words
If you are looking to increase your internet speed, you can limit the bandwidth usage of individual apps as discussed in this post, or limit the system reservable bandwidth to increase your available bandwidth.
