[packman]

I'm wondering what QoS does, under WinXP Home. Anyone know?

You can find this setting at both:

Tools/Internet Options/Connections tab/Settings/Properties/Networking tab

and

Control Panel/Network Connections/Local Area Connection. Right-click on LA Connection and select Properties. Scroll through the box there.

It's obviously a Quality of Service option and, in WinXP Home, it's simply checkable or non-checkable. But what would you sacrifice if you didn't opt to check this entry?

I gather that, in WinXP Pro, the QoS option opens out into further settings and that using some of those settings can sometimes improve browsing speed.

[Relic]

http://www.tweakxp.com/article37125.aspx

Although it's suggested there is no need to disable it, I have it disabled, and it's going to stay that way.

[Pezo]

It is another background program that most don't use. Here is an important service that needs to be looked at. It is called RPC - Remote Procedure Call - you have activate Admin tools on program list by right click on taskbar - go to start/advanced/ show admin tools. once done go to admin tools start/programs/administration tool.
Go to services/Remote procedure call [ may be 2 listed] go to recovery and set 1 and 2 to 'Do Nothing'
This prevents repetitive unrequested restarts which has plagued windows for years when conflicts arise from certain software/hardware installs -esp symantec/norton products.
Another tip - if have symantec/norton products installed be aware that MS malicious removal tool can deactivate them and wipe out your licence even if new subscription. Symantec is aware of this - or some there are.

[Relic]

Easier to just download XP-Anti-Spy.

http://xp-antispy.or...tory/Itemid,26/

[BSchindler]

There are a number of people who do not understand this. QoS is very misleading but translates into "Quality of Service".

Refer to: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316666

Actually, as the Intel chipset for ethernet does not natively support VLAN tagging, this is M$ solution or an answer to 802.1q VLAN tagging.

You may either enable or disable this. The only time it will really matter to you is if you use your Windows machine as a "gateway" for other machines on your network. BTW, I would not recommend you do this as support for port 443 (HTTPS) is faulty.

[packman]

What do you mean by ".....I would not recommend you do this, as ......"? Do you mean "I would not recommend you use QoS", or do you mean "I would recommend you do NOT use QoS"?