Router QoS prioritises video calls and gaming on congested networks
QoS, or Quality of Service, is a router setting that prioritises network traffic based on importance, directing bandwidth to critical applications like video calls and gaming before routine tasks such as email. This feature matters particularly for users with limited internet bandwidth and many connected devices, as it prevents important applications from being starved of data when the network is congested.
The necessity of QoS depends largely on your connection speed and network demands. It is essential for internet plans offering less than 500 megabits per second with multiple demanding devices or users. However, on faster connections such as gigabit plans, QoS can become redundant and may even degrade performance by overloading the router's processor. An evolved version called SQM (Smart Queue Management) offers more sophisticated traffic management but requires greater processor capability, with gaming routers and Eero mesh systems being the best options for this advanced technology.
- QoS prioritises important network traffic when bandwidth is limited
- Essential for internet plans under 500 Mbps with multiple devices
- Faster connections make QoS redundant and potentially harmful
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Quality of Service, or QoS, is a setting on your router that decides which types of internet activity get priority when your connection is busy. It works by identifying different kinds of traffic—such as video calls, gaming, email, and general browsing—and directing your available bandwidth to the most important ones first. This means a video call won't freeze if someone else is downloading files at the same time.
The usefulness of QoS depends on how much bandwidth you have and how many devices need it. For homes with slower internet plans (under 500 megabits per second) and multiple people using demanding applications simultaneously, QoS can make a real difference in keeping everything running smoothly. However, if you have a very fast connection, such as gigabit-speed internet, QoS may not be necessary and can sometimes actually slow things down by making your router work harder than needed.
There is also a more advanced version called Smart Queue Management, which manages traffic in a more sophisticated way but demands more processing power from your router. Gaming routers and certain mesh systems like Eero are better equipped to handle this advanced technology, making them worth considering if you want cutting-edge traffic management.
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Originally published by Engadget as “What is QoS on your router, and should you turn it on?”.