Configure Network Settings on Windows Host

Since R2026a

NI™ USRP™ radios use an Ethernet connection to communicate between the host computer and the radio hardware. The Ethernet connection is often referred to as a network connection. This connection is necessary for transmitting data, such as the FPGA image or firmware image, from the computer to the radio. It is necessary also for sending and receiving control packets and data to and from the radio. The data rates you can achieve depend on this connection.

Your host computer should contain at least one dedicated network interface card (NIC) for connecting to the radio. If you do not have a dedicated NIC available because your host computer does not have one or if you have a single NIC that is required for internet access, you can use a USB3/Ethernet adapter dongle, but performance might be affected.

• For USRP E320 radios, the host computer should contain a 1 Gigabit NIC.

• For USRP X410 radios, the host computer should contain a 10 Gigabit NIC.

• For other supported radio devices, the host computer should contain either a 1 Gigabit or 10 Gigabit NIC.

On a Windows^® host, several network adapter settings can affect the connectivity and performance of the network connection. This topic shows you how to configure the recommended settings on Windows 11. For earlier Windows versions, the steps are similar.

Identify Network Adapter

To configure the network adapter settings, identify the network adapter you are using to connect to your radio.

1. In Windows Control Panel, navigate to Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center.

2. In the left pane, click Change adapter settings to navigate to open the Network Connections window.

3. Identify the entry that corresponds to the network adapter you are using to connect to your radio.

Disable Unused Clients, Protocols, and Services

To remove any potential overheads that might affect performance, disable all clients, protocols, and services apart from Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).

1. Open the Ethernet Properties window by right-clicking the network adapter you are using to connect to the radio and selecting Properties.

2. Deselect all options apart from Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).

Verify Network Adapter Driver

Verify that you are using the latest version of the vendor driver for your network adapter.

1. Open the Properties dialog box by clicking Configure in the Ethernet Properties dialog box.

2. Navigate to the Driver tab.

3. Verify that the latest version of the vendor drive is used. For details, refer to the vendor documentation for your network adapter.

Configure Frame Size

Configure the frame size for your network adapter depending on your NIC.

Configure Frame Size for 1 Gigabit NIC

To configure your network adapter for 1 Gigabit Ethernet, first confirm that jumbo frames are not enabled.

1. In the Properties dialog box for your network adapter, click the Advanced tab.

2. Set the Jumbo Packet (or Jumbo Frame) value to one of the following options.

   • If the dialog box has a dropdown menu, select disabled.

   • If you can enter a value, enter 1514. The maximum size of a standard Ethernet frame, including the header, is 1514.

Then, set the maximum transmission unit (MTU) size of your network interface.

1. Open a Windows command prompt or PowerShell as an administrator.

2. Use network shell, netsh, to display details about your network interfaces.

   netsh interface ipv4 show subinterfaces

3. Identify your network adapter from the list. Set the MTU value to 1498.

   netsh interface ipv4 set subinterface "<name of interface>" mtu=1498 store=persistent

   Note

   In UHD™ version 4.6.0.0, the radio firmware adds two bytes to the MTU value that you set using netsh on Windows (since R2025a). The maximum payload of a standard Ethernet frame is 1500 bytes, so you must set the MTU value to 1498.

Configure Frame Size for 10 Gigabit NIC

To configure your network adapter for 10 Gigabit Ethernet, first enable jumbo frames. Jumbo frames are Ethernet frames that are larger than the maximum payload of a standard Ethernet frame, which is 1500 bytes.

1. In the Properties dialog box for your network adapter, click the Advanced tab.

2. Set the Jumbo Packet (or Jumbo Frame) value to one of the following options.

   • If the dialog box has a dropdown menu, select the largest value.

   • If you can enter a value, enter 9014, or the maximum supported value. The maximum size of an Ethernet jumbo frame, including the header, is 9014.

Then, check the MTU size of your network interface.

1. Open a Windows command prompt or PowerShell as an administrator.

2. Use network shell, netsh, to display details about your network interfaces.

   netsh interface ipv4 show subinterfaces

3. Identify your network adapter from the list. If you set the jumbo packet value to 9014, set the MTU size to 9000. If you set the jumbo packet value to a different value, set the MTU size accordingly.

   netsh interface ipv4 set subinterface "<name of interface>" mtu=9000 store=persistent

Increase Receive Buffer Size

To maximize the throughput you can achieve, set the transmit and receive buffer size to the maximum supported value.

1. In the Advanced tab of the Properties dialog box for your network adapter, select Receiver Buffers (or Receiver Descriptors). For some network adapters, the setting is under Performance Options.

2. Set the value to the maximum supported value, for example, 2048.

   Note

   If you are using a USB3/network adapter dongle and you cannot access this setting, you may not be able to achieve the required data transfer speed. Consider using a dedicated NIC or a different adapter dongle.

Disable Packet Prioritization and Virtual LAN

Disable any properties related to packet prioritization and virtual LAN (VLAN) on both the network adapter you are using for your radio and the network adapter you are using to connect to the internet.

1. In the Advanced tab of the Properties dialog box for your network adapter, look for a property named Priority & VLAN or similar. The property name varies depending on the network adapter.

2. Disable these properties.

3. Repeat this step for the network adapter you are using for your internet connection by identifying this driver under Network adapters in the Device Manager.

Disable Power Saving

Disable any properties that allow the computer to turn off the device to save power.

1. Navigate to the Power Management tab of the Properties dialog box for your network adapter.

2. Deselect any options that allow the computer to turn the device off to save power.

Some network adapters do not have a dedicated Power Management tab but have equivalent settings in the Advanced tab.

1. In the Advanced tab of the Properties dialog box for your network adapter, look for properties with these names:

   • Energy-Efficient Ethernet

   • Green Ethernet

   • Idle Power Saving

   • Battery Mode Link Speed

   • Adaptive Link Speed

2. Disable these properties.

Disable Firewall

Disable the Windows Defender Firewall on your network adapter. The firewall settings may be managed by your system administrator.