How to Enable BBR on Ubuntu 22.04 for Better VPS Performance

If you're running a VPS on Ubuntu 22.04 and want to maximize your network performance, enabling TCP BBR is a simple yet powerful optimization. BBR (Bottleneck Bandwidth and Round-trip propagation time) is a congestion control algorithm developed by Google that significantly improves throughput and reduces latency by optimizing how Linux handles TCP traffic.

For high-bandwidth VPS deployments, APIs, game servers, and proxy workloads, enabling BBR can provide noticeable improvements in real-world network performance.

Understanding TCP BBR

Traditional congestion control algorithms, like the default CUBIC, adjust transmission speed based on packet loss, which can be inefficient. BBR works differently; it measures the actual bottleneck bandwidth and round-trip propagation time to determine the optimal data sending rate.

Key benefits of using BBR include:

• Improved Throughput: Especially on high-latency or long-distance connections.
• Reduced Latency: Lower queue buildup leads to reduced bufferbloat.
• Consistent Performance: More stable network speeds under heavy load.
• Better Utilization: Helps high-bandwidth VPS servers fully use their available connection.

Step 1: Check Your Current Congestion Control

Before making any changes, verify which congestion control algorithm your VPS is currently using:

sysctl net.ipv4.tcp_congestion_control

The default output on most Ubuntu 22.04 servers will be cubic.

Step 2: Verify BBR Module Availability

Ubuntu 22.04 ships with a modern Linux kernel that includes BBR support by default. You can confirm the module is available with the following command:

lsmod | grep bbr

If this command returns no output, that's normal—it simply means BBR is not currently loaded or enabled.

Step 3: Enable BBR in sysctl

To enable BBR, you need to modify the sysctl configuration file. Open it with a text editor like nano:

sudo nano /etc/sysctl.conf

Add the following two lines to the end of the file. The first line sets the queuing discipline to fq (Fair Queueing), which is required for BBR to work correctly, and the second line enables BBR itself.

net.core.default_qdisc=fq
net.ipv4.tcp_congestion_control=bbr

Save the file and exit the editor (in nano, press Ctrl+O, Enter, then Ctrl+X).

Step 4: Apply the Changes

Apply the changes you just made to the sysctl.conf file without rebooting your server:

sudo sysctl -p

Step 5: Confirm BBR Is Active

Verify that BBR is now the active congestion control algorithm:

sysctl net.ipv4.tcp_congestion_control

The output should now be:

net.ipv4.tcp_congestion_control = bbr

You can also confirm the queuing discipline:

sysctl net.core.default_qdisc

It should return:

net.core.default_qdisc = fq

When Should You Enable BBR?

BBR is highly recommended for a variety of server workloads, including:

• High-bandwidth VPS deployments
• API servers handling global, diverse traffic
• Game servers where low latency is crucial
• Streaming media or proxy servers
• Any server experiencing inconsistent network throughput

If your VPS is hosted in a modern data center with a high-speed connection (e.g., 1Gbps or 10Gbps), BBR can help you more effectively utilize that available bandwidth.

Does BBR Increase Your Port Speed?

It's important to understand that BBR does not increase your physical port speed. Instead, it improves the efficiency with which your VPS uses its available bandwidth. On high-latency routes or during periods of network congestion, users often experience:

• Higher and more sustained throughput
• Lower ping and reduced lag under load
• More stable and reliable transfer speeds

Final Thoughts

Enabling BBR on Ubuntu 22.04 is a quick and effective way to significantly improve your VPS network performance, especially for bandwidth-intensive or latency-sensitive applications. It's a simple tuning step that can yield substantial real-world benefits.

However, operating system tuning is only part of the equation. For the best performance, you also need a high-quality infrastructure foundation.

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