How Jumbo Frames Improve VPS Networking Performance

Have you ever made some sort of change to a server setting and it felt like you discovered something new? I had that feeling the first time I heard about jumbo frames. If you are on a VPS (Virtual Private Server) and you want to obtain better speed from your network, then you will appreciate this content. So what are jumbo frames and why are they important? Let me break it down in an easy-to-understand way.

What Are Jumbo Frames?​

Have you ever had the experience when your network does not feel fast? One reason for this slow speed is due to the size of the packets that your VPS sends. Most networks are by default set to a maximum transmission unit (MTU) of 1500 bytes. Jumbo frames are the maximum transmission unit size of approximately 9000 bytes.

Your server is sending larger packets, which makes it work faster, more efficiently, and back and forth over the network to your VPS. I told a friend that jumbo frames are like moving from a small soda to a large soda. Same work required, just more soda in each cup.

Why Jumbo Frames Matter for VPS Networking​

Jumbo frames can help improve the performance of your VPS; however, it will only help when everything in that system supports jumbo frames.

The Benefits

• Less CPU usage on your VPS due to fewer packets being processed
• Better speeds, especially for larger files
• Less overhead and smoother-feeling network system

Have you ever tried to transfer a large file only to wonder to yourself, “Why is this taking so long to copy?” Jumbo Frames can help with that.

Potential Issues​

Jumbo frames do not always work properly. You may run into issues like:

• Packet breaks on a network path that does not support jumbo frames
• Connections getting dropped with mismatched MTU
• Unexplainable slowdowns

I remember setting the MTU wrong on my VPS and thinking my provider just throttled my network for two hours, when in fact I caused the issue!

So, should you use jumbo frames?

Good question. Here’s a simple checklist:

• Your VPS provider must support jumbo frames
• You need to be on a private network or VLAN
• You regularly push large files
• You want to save on CPU usage on your server

If all of those apply to you, then jumbo frames can absolutely help!

Real-World Performance​

What happens if you use jumbo frames? Personally, there's a tiny but discernable performance improvement, with file transfers moving a bit more smoothly and lower CPU load (by a small percentage). This small degree of difference feels particularly useful if you run a homelab or do any type of server interconnectivity.