What does the ring parameter in ethtool -g output signify

ethtool

For instance, if I run ethtool -g eth0 on my system, I get the following output:

Ring parameters for eth0:
Pre-set maximums:
RX:             4096
RX Mini:        0
RX Jumbo:       0
TX:             4096
Current hardware settings:
RX:             4096
RX Mini:        0
RX Jumbo:       0
TX:             4096

Is 4096 the buffer size in bytes allocated for one frame, there being multiple number of such buffers or is it the number of buffers?

Best Answer

Tx/Rx buffers are memory spaces allocated by a network adapter to handle traffic bursts. Buffering takes place when the traffic exceeds physical capacity of network adapter. Increasing the buffer size would help to avoid packet loss when adapter is overloaded.

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