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View Full Version : reserving memory for nic

Shep
08-07-01, 02:42 PM
Does anybody know how I can reserve memory for my nic? Using 98se. Thanks
Jon
08-07-01, 09:09 PM
Go to Start-->Run-->type in system.ini-->hit <Enter>

This is the System.ini file. Scroll down until you find [386Enh]. Add this line IRQ#=M#

substitute the first "#" for the IRQ number your NIC is on. System Info under System Tools should tell you this. The second "#" is the amount of memory in Kilobytes you want to allocate it.

Here is an example if my NIC was on IRQ 10 and I want to allocate 2MB of memory to it:

[386Enh]
IRQ10=2048

That's it.

I wouldn't use more than 2MB. It generally isn't needed and if your NIC doesn't use it, it's still locked up to that IRQ and nothing else can use it.
pii100
08-07-01, 11:06 PM
why would you want to reserve mem ory for the nic most have on board ram and any excess data is not usualy lost thanks to tcp
pii100
08-07-01, 11:11 PM
sorry forum is actin funny
AmbientFiction
08-07-01, 11:12 PM
It will cause you speed to be faster on DLS or a cable modem
pii100
08-07-01, 11:32 PM
what makes u think that?
Shep
08-08-01, 01:00 PM
I don't know if it speeds up the connection or not, heard it did so I thought I would try it
Jon
08-08-01, 07:31 PM
In some cases it can speed up your transmit rate a little. Not so much with today's faster processors, hard drives etc. It works on the same principle that the cache on hard drives, processors, etc. work.

There is no harm in trying and if you have a really terrible NIC it can help quite a bit sometimes. This little trick did the most good when we all had crappy dialup connections. It worked wonders for most people.

All it does is add to any memory that is onboard the NIC and acts as an extended buffer.
pii100
08-08-01, 08:34 PM
i havent heard of a card that uses system memory as an extended buffer most cards only use the on card memory and when that fills they drop the packets and ask for retransmission
Jon
08-08-01, 09:36 PM
Exactly. No card does this by itself. If you tell Windows to reserve it for that IRQ then the card will use that addressed memory for itself. If you have a little extra buffer to add to that you don't have to worry about dropping packets which, in turn, increases throughput.

Like I said though, it mostly was useful when we all had modems and such. Most NICs today do a good enough job the way they are.