Case Study 2: Cases of Failure Due to Suboptimal MTU Size and How to Overcome It
One user, let’s call him Ani, is having trouble with the VPN connection on his office network. When connected to a VPN, it often experiences long connection times and frequent disconnections. This problem has an impact on work productivity and access to company resources.
Problems Faced
- High Latency: Ani experiences high latency when connected to a VPN, which makes access to files and apps very slow.
- Packet Loss: There are significant indications of packet loss, which causes data to be frequently lost or corrupted during transmission.
Steps Taken
- Problem Identification: Ani consulted with the IT team in her office, who suspected the issue was related to suboptimal MTU sizing.
- Ping Test: The IT team performs a Ping Test to determine the optimal MTU size using the following command in Terminal on a macOS computer:
ping -D -s 1472 google.com
After several tests, they found that the maximum unfragmented packet size was 1432 bytes. By adding 28 bytes to the IP header, they determined that the optimal MTU size is 1460 bytes.
- Setting the MTU on the Router: The IT team then sets the MTU size to 1460 bytes on the office router and also sets it on the VPN configuration.
Result
After setting the optimal MTU size, the Ani VPN connection issue is resolved. Latency is significantly reduced, and there is no more significant packet loss. Access to files and apps through a VPN is faster and more stable, increasing Ani’s productivity at work.
Conclusion
Setting the optimal size of MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit) is essential to ensure maximum network performance and a stable internet connection. The main benefits of determining the right MTU size include Increasing Internet Speed, Reducing Latency and Packet Loss, and Improving Network Security and Network Stability and Reliability.
After determining the right MTU size, there are a few recommended steps to ensure network performance remains optimal. Perform periodic testing to ensure MTU size remains to meet your network needs. Network conditions can change over time, so it’s important to monitor and adjust the size of MTU if needed.