Here’s a simple 5 minute tweak that will increase broadband speed in XP (Pro) and Windows 7 (Pro & Ultimate).

By default (even with QoS disabled) Windows reserves up to 20 percent of your connections bandwidth.
To override this reserve take the following steps.
Make sure you Log on as Administrator, not as a user with Administrator privileges.

Windows XP
 

  • Open the Run dialog box using shortcut Window + R and type gpedit.msc

  • Expand [ Computer Configuration ] branch


  • Expand [ Administrative Templates ] branch
  • Expand [ Network ] branch
  • Highlight [ QoS Packet Scheduler ]
  • Double-click [ Limit Reservable Bandwidth ]


  • Enabled is set by default, if [ Not Configured ] is your current setting Change to [ Enabled ]
  • Change [ Bandwidth limit % ] to 0
  • Click [ Apply ] [ OK ]

Windows 7
 

  • Open the Run dialog box using shortcut Window + R and type gpedit.msc


  • Expand [ Computer Configuration ] branch
  • Expand [ Administrative Templates ] branch
  • Expand [ Network ] branch
  • Highlight [ QoS Packet Scheduler ]
  • Double-click [ Limit Reservable Bandwidth ]


In Windows 7 Not Configured is the default setting.
Even though bandwidth limit (%) indicates 0, Windows reserves up to 20 % of the current bandwidth available, as seen below.


  • Change setting from [ Not Configured ] to [ Enabled ]
  • Change [ Bandwidth limit % ] to 0
  • Click [ Apply ] [ OK ]