How to Enable BBR on Linux Mint 21 or 20

This article will demonstrate how to enable BBR on Linux Mint 21 or 20 using the command-line terminal, offering a straightforward method to boost your network speed and efficiency.

Enabling BBR (Bottleneck Bandwidth and Round-trip propagation time) on Linux Mint is a savvy move for users looking to optimize their internet connectivity. Originating from Google, BBR is a network congestion control algorithm designed to improve how data packets are managed, ensuring a more efficient and stable internet experience.

Here are the key highlights of enabling BBR on Linux Mint:

• Speed Enhancement: BBR significantly increases network throughput, ensuring faster data transmission.
• Reduced Latency: It minimizes delays in data transmission, making your online activities smoother.
• Easy Implementation: The process to enable BBR is straightforward, requiring only a few commands in the terminal.
• Stability: BBR helps maintain a stable connection even in fluctuating network conditions.
• Versatility: It is beneficial for a wide range of online activities, from web browsing to online gaming.

In the following sections, we’ll walk through the easy steps to activate BBR on Linux Mint. Prepare to unlock a more efficient and robust networking experience on your system.

Verifying BBR Status on Linux Mint

Checking the Current Congestion Control Algorithm

To begin the process of enabling Google’s BBR on your Linux Mint system, first, ensure it isn’t already active. Execute the following command to inspect the current congestion control algorithm:

sysctl net.ipv4.tcp_congestion_control

Interpreting the Command Output

The output of this command reveals your system’s current congestion control state. When BBR is active, the output will display:

net.ipv4.tcp_congestion_control = bbr

On the other hand, if you see a different algorithm, such as cubic or reno, this signifies that BBR has not been activated on your Linux Mint system.

Enable BBR on Linux Mint

Verifying BBR Compatibility

Before proceeding, it’s essential to confirm if your Linux Mint system supports BBR. Use the following command to check for BBR compatibility:

sudo modprobe tcp_bbr

This command operates silently if BBR is compatible. If it’s not, you’ll receive an error message indicating the incompatibility. All modern Linux Mint releases should have no issues with compatibility, but this command is still good to run beforehand.

Activating BBR

Once you’ve confirmed BBR compatibility, the next step is to enable it. Run these commands to modify your system’s configuration:

sudo sh -c 'echo "net.core.default_qdisc=fq" >> /etc/sysctl.conf'
sudo sh -c 'echo "net.ipv4.tcp_congestion_control=bbr" >> /etc/sysctl.conf'

These commands designate ‘fq’ (Fair Queuing) as the default queuing discipline and set BBR as the congestion control algorithm.

Applying the BBR Settings

To activate the newly configured settings, reload the sysctl configuration using this command:

sudo sysctl -p

Executing this command applies the changes to the sysctl configuration file, thereby enabling BBR on your Linux Mint system.

Confirming BBR Activation on Linux Mint

Verifying BBR Activation

After the BBR feature has been enabled, it’s vital to confirm its activation to ensure your Linux Mint system is leveraging BBR for network congestion control. Execute this command for verification:

sysctl net.ipv4.tcp_congestion_control

Understanding the Verification Output

When BBR is successfully enabled, the command output will show:

net.ipv4.tcp_congestion_control = bbr

This response confirms that BBR is actively managing the network congestion on your Linux Mint system, indicating an optimized network performance using Google’s BBR technology.

Conclusion

That’s it! We’ve walked through the simple yet effective steps to enable BBR on your Linux Mint system, from verifying compatibility to ensuring it’s actively managing your network congestion. Remember, regular checks and updates are key to maintaining optimal network performance. With BBR now in action, you can expect a smoother and more efficient online experience. Feel free to experiment and tweak settings to suit your specific needs, and enjoy the enhanced speed and stability that BBR brings to your Linux journey!