Priorities

What are Priorities?

Priorities allow users to prioritize internet/network traffic of one filter (application) over others. NetLimiter's internal priority engine automatically detects when application (or custom filter) transmit data to/from internet and then starts to restrict other applications/filters in order to allocate enough bandwidth for apps with higher priority.

NOTE: Applications with highest active priority always take as much bandwidth as they need. Rest of the bandwidth is shared among the rest depending on their priority.

Priority levels

Critical: Designed for situations where quick response is crucial for good performance. Suitable for VoIP applications and online multiplayer games.

High: Ideal for interactive applications like web browsers when some other applications uses internet in the background.

Normal: If you don't set a priority for any app, it will have Normal priority by default.

Low: When app has a Low priority it will be restricted if any app with Normal or higher priority will be active (transferring data). Useful for various non-interactive background services.

Priorities vs. Limits

Main differences between Priorities and Limits:

• Priorities are fully automatic. Just select an app with high priority and let NetLimiter 4 work.
• Limits are more rigorous and exact. If you want to give any app specific constant size of bandwidth then Limits are way to go.
• To share your bandwidth among apps with Limits you need to know maximum/total bandwidth size of your current internet connection.
• Priorities detect total bandwidth size of your current internet connection dynamically (on the fly). This is handy if you often change your internet connection (you move among several Wi-fi networks and providers). This dynamic detection is not 100% acccurate, nevertheless very reliable.

Fine-tuning settings

You can adjust behaviour of priority engine using settings located on Priorities tab in the main screen.

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Usage

Some usage scenarios of Priorities follow...

Online multiplayer game response

To ensure best uninterrupted online experience set your games priority to Critical and uncheck Use adaptive bandwidth allocation on the Priorities tab.

VoIP sound quality

Put your Skype (or other VoIP app) to Critical level during the calls (you can do it manually if you want prioritize the app only during the calls).

Taming gready Backup service

Does a program which backs up your photos to a cloud service eat too much bandwidth? Just put it on Low priority level.

Smoother browsing

Do you use your browser a lot and do you want smoother browsing? Just put it on High priority level.