Enable/Disable TCP Task Offloading to NIC in Windows

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TCP protocol can offload some of the tasks that are being processed by the system processor like Checksum calculation on header and data or IPSec Tunnel Encryptio (if supported by the NIC) onto the Network Interface Card (NIC). Task offloading is designed to improve performance and it is seen to have indeed significantly improve performance.

Windows Server 2008/2003, Windows Vista/XP by defines enables support Task Offloading. However, there may be instance where you need to troubleshoot network performance issues and need to disable the Task offloading. This can be done from the Windows Registry

The following procedure to edit the Windows Registry should help you disable Task Offloading in Windows.

1. Click Start -  Search and type “regedit” (Start - Run in Windows XP/2003/2000). This launches the WIndows Registry.

2.  In the registry, navigate to the following registry key

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters]

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
     \SYSTEM
          \CurrentControlSet
               \Services
                    \Tcpip
                         \Parameters

3. In the right pane, right-click and select New - DWORD (32-bit value) and set its name as “DisableTaskOffload” and set its value as “1“. Setting “1” will disable TCP Task offoading. Should you like to enable it back at a later time, set it “0” or simply delete the this key.