Debian and Ubuntu are two of the most popular Linux distributions, known for their stability and versatility. However, out of the box, they may not be fully optimized for modern workloads. Whether you’re looking to speed up your internet connection, improve memory management, or boost overall system performance, a few tweaks can make a significant difference. In this guide, we’ll walk you through optimizing your Debian or Ubuntu system for fast internet, efficient memory management, and faster application loading using tools like Preload.

Part 1: Optimizing for Fast Internet

To achieve faster internet speeds, we can tweak the Linux kernel’s network settings using sysctl. These changes focus on improving throughput, reducing latency, and optimizing buffer sizes.

Step 1: Edit the sysctl.conf File

Open the /etc/sysctl.conf file in your favorite text editor:

sudo nano /etc/sysctl.conf

Step 2: Add or Modify Network-Related Parameters

Add or update the following lines to the file:

# Increase network buffer sizes
net.core.rmem_max = 16777216
net.core.wmem_max = 16777216
net.core.rmem_default = 16777216
net.core.wmem_default = 16777216

# Increase the maximum size of the receive queue
net.core.netdev_max_backlog = 30000

# Increase the number of open files (sockets)
fs.file-max = 2097152

# Increase the local port range
net.ipv4.ip_local_port_range = 1024 65535

# Enable TCP window scaling and selective acknowledgments
net.ipv4.tcp_window_scaling = 1
net.ipv4.tcp_sack = 1

# Increase the maximum number of SYN backlog requests
net.ipv4.tcp_max_syn_backlog = 8192

# Increase the maximum number of connections
net.core.somaxconn = 65535

# Reduce TCP FIN timeout
net.ipv4.tcp_fin_timeout = 15

# Reuse TIME-WAIT sockets for new connections
net.ipv4.tcp_tw_reuse = 1

# Enable TCP Fast Open
net.ipv4.tcp_fastopen = 3

# Disable ICMP redirects
net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_redirects = 0
net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_redirects = 0
net.ipv4.conf.all.send_redirects = 0
net.ipv4.conf.default.send_redirects = 0

# Disable IPv6 (optional)
net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 = 1
net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 = 1

Step 3: Apply the Changes

Save the file and apply the changes immediately:

sudo sysctl -p

Step 4: Verify the Changes

Check if the changes have been applied:

sysctl -a | grep net.core
sysctl -a | grep net.ipv4

Part 2: Optimizing Memory Management

Efficient memory management is crucial for system performance, especially under heavy workloads. Here’s how to tweak your Debian or Ubuntu system for better memory utilization.

Step 1: Edit the sysctl.conf File

Open the /etc/sysctl.conf file again:

sudo nano /etc/sysctl.conf

Step 2: Add or Modify Memory-Related Parameters

Add or update the following lines:

# Adjust swappiness (lower values prioritize RAM over swap)
vm.swappiness = 10

# Increase the percentage of system memory for caching
vm.vfs_cache_pressure = 50

# Increase the maximum number of memory map areas
vm.max_map_count = 262144

# Optimize writeback buffer settings
vm.dirty_ratio = 10
vm.dirty_background_ratio = 5
vm.dirty_expire_centisecs = 1000
vm.dirty_writeback_centisecs = 500

# Enable memory overcommit (use with caution)
vm.overcommit_memory = 1

# Increase the size of the TCP window for better network performance
net.ipv4.tcp_rmem = 4096 87380 16777216
net.ipv4.tcp_wmem = 4096 65536 16777216

Step 3: Apply the Changes

Save the file and apply the changes:

sudo sysctl -p

Step 4: Verify the Changes

Check if the changes have been applied:

sysctl -a | grep vm

Part 3: Using Preload for Faster Application Loading

Preload is a daemon that runs in the background and analyzes your usage patterns to preload frequently used applications into memory. This can significantly reduce application startup times.

Step 1: Install Preload

Install Preload using the following command:

sudo apt install preload

Step 2: Configure Preload (Optional)

The default configuration is usually sufficient, but you can customize it by editing the configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/preload.conf

Step 3: Restart Preload

After making changes, restart the Preload service:

sudo systemctl restart preload

Step 4: Monitor Preload

Check the status of Preload to ensure it’s running:

sudo systemctl status preload

Part 4: Should You Use Transparent HugePages (THP)?

Transparent HugePages (THP) is a Linux kernel feature that improves performance by using larger memory pages (2 MB or 1 GB) instead of the standard 4 KB pages. Here’s how to decide whether to use THP on your Debian or Ubuntu system.

What is THP?

• THP dynamically allocates larger memory pages to reduce the overhead of managing page tables and improve performance for memory-intensive workloads.
• It operates in three modes: always, madvise, and never.

When to Use THP

• Memory-Intensive Applications: Use THP if you run virtual machines, databases, or scientific simulations.
• Gaming: Modern games with large memory footprints may benefit from THP.
• Multitasking: If you frequently use memory-hungry applications (e.g., browsers with many tabs, IDEs), THP can help.
• High RAM Systems: Systems with 16 GB or more RAM are better suited for THP.

When to Avoid THP

• Lightweight Workloads: If your usage is light (e.g., web browsing, office apps), THP may not provide noticeable benefits.
• Low RAM Systems: Systems with 4 GB or less RAM may experience fragmentation or increased swap usage.
• Real-Time Applications: THP can cause latency spikes, which are problematic for real-time workloads.

Recommended THP Mode

For most users, the madvise mode is ideal:

echo "madvise" | sudo tee /sys/kernel/mm/transparent_hugepage/enabled

How to Disable THP

If THP causes issues, disable it:

echo "never" | sudo tee /sys/kernel/mm/transparent_hugepage/enabled

Part 5: Additional Tools for Performance Optimization

Use Zswap or Zram

• Zswap: Compresses swap data in RAM before writing to disk.

  echo 1 | sudo tee /sys/module/zswap/parameters/enabled

• Zram: Creates a compressed block device in RAM for swap.

  sudo apt install zram-tools
  sudo systemctl enable zramswap
  sudo systemctl start zramswap

Monitor System Performance

Use tools like htop, glances, or vmstat to monitor system performance:

sudo apt install htop glances
htop
glances

Optimize Boot Times with systemd-analyze

Analyze and optimize your boot time:

systemd-analyze blame
systemd-analyze critical-chain

Conclusion

By optimizing your Debian or Ubuntu system for fast internet, efficient memory management, and faster application loading, you can significantly improve performance and responsiveness. Tools like Preload, Zswap, and Zram further enhance your system’s efficiency. Whether you enable THP depends on your specific workload, but for most users, the madvise mode is a safe and effective choice. Always test and monitor your system to ensure these tweaks provide the desired benefits.

Happy optimizing! 🚀