Propel PBM Software FAQ

1. What is Propel PBM?
2. What does the Traffic Monitor do?
3. How does Propel PBM handle multiple applications competing to use an Internet connection?
4. How is PBM different from personal bandwidth management that might be handled by my home router or the Quality of Service (QoS) software residing in my ISP’s network?
5. Does Propel PBM work in both the inbound and outbound direction of my Internet connection?
6. Does Propel PBM provide benefits to Web surfing even if I am not a VoIP user?
7. What are the system requirements to operate Propel PBM software?
8. Does Propel PBM work in a single-user or a multiple-user environment?
9. Does Propel PBM work over a VPN connection?
10. Does Propel PBM work outside of the United States?
11. Is Propel PBM compatible with personal firewall software?
12. Why does Propel PBM test the speed of my Internet connection?
13. What does the Demo in the software show?
14. An application is shown on the Traffic Monitor that I do not recognize. How can I find out more about it?
15. I don’t have “Skype Test Call” on my Skype contacts list.  How do I add it?
16. Who do I contact if I have a support question or if I would like to submit feedback on the Propel PBM product?

1. What is Propel PBM?
Propel PBM is personal bandwidth management software for individual PC users. It provides three critical features to help you get the most from your personal Internet connection:

• Displays which applications are using your PC's Internet connection in real time
• Shows how much bandwidth each application consumes over time
• Automatically prioritizes bandwidth consumption when multiple applications compete for bandwidth on your PC

Let’s explore each of these features in more detail below.

1. Real-time display of network activity broken down by application

Propel PBM includes a Traffic Monitor that shows which applications are using your Internet connection in real-time, similar to how the Windows Task Manager shows which processes consume CPU resources. This can help you to better understand how your connection is being used, especially when it reveals consumption from unexpected applications.  If you detect that an unfamiliar application is using your network, you can ask Propel PBM to display more information about the application. This can help you determine if the unknown application is safe or not.

2. Cumulative bandwidth consumption broken down by application

The Traffic Monitor in Propel PBM also shows the cumulative traffic consumption over time, broken down by application. This can help you detect potential malware and manage the applications you use, if needed, in order to stay within bandwidth limits imposed by your ISP.

3. Automatic traffic prioritization

Propel PBM manages the way that PC applications share the bandwidth available on your personal Internet connection. When multiple applications compete for your Internet bandwidth at the same time, Propel PBM automatically and dynamically prioritizes the amount of bandwidth allocated to each application. This enables time- or latency-sensitive Internet traffic to be given higher priority, while traffic that is less time-sensitive or lower priority can continue in the background.

This feature protects the bandwidth used by time-sensitive Internet applications (e.g., Skype, other VoIP products, video calls or video conferencing, and online interactive games) from other applications such as email and file transfers, without requiring you to shut down the lower priority activities or block them altogether.

Back to top

2. What does the Traffic Monitor do?

The Traffic Monitor displays a dashboard view of applications using your Internet connection. You can use the Traffic Monitor to see how much bandwidth your applications use, which can help you to make better decisions about your bandwidth usage.

The Traffic Monitor displays two types of data:

• Cumulative bandwidth consumed (incoming/outgoing traffic): This data can give you insight into bandwidth consumed to help you stay within bandwidth usage limits (as imposed by some Internet providers) and can help you detect unexpected (e.g., rogue) applications using your network connection.

The cumulative amount(s) shown on the Traffic Monitor reflect the total amount of external Internet data uploaded and downloaded by each application since the counters were last reset. The counters are reset automatically whenever the computer or the Propel PBM application is restarted, or whenever you click the “Reset” button in the Traffic Monitor window. The data is presented in bytes (B), kilobytes (KB or 1024 bytes), etc.

• Current transfer rate (incoming/outgoing traffic): This shows the applications currently using your network connection, and the proportion of bandwidth utilized by each application. The data is presented in bits per second (bps), kilobits per second (Kbps or 1000 bits per second), etc.

3. How does Propel PBM handle multiple PC applications competing to use an Internet connection?

Most people are unaware that they have multiple applications on their PC competing for use of their personal Internet connection. Propel PBM gives precedence in use of this bandwidth to time-sensitive applications such as VoIP calls, video calls and online gaming, while lower-priority applications such as file transfers run in the background. Propel PBM provides real-time management of bandwidth use by application, and automatically and dynamically ensures that time-sensitive applications have access to bandwidth when they need it — in both the inbound and outbound direction.

Back to top

4. How is PBM different from personal bandwidth management that might be handled by my home router or the Quality of Service (QoS) software residing in my ISP’s network?

Propel PBM software is unique in that it is the only software that manages applications’ competition for bandwidth on your PC’s Internet connection. Home routers and other QoS systems do not sit on the PC, so they cannot know for certain which applications are generating the traffic. In addition, Propel PBM software works in concert with traditional QoS systems by using the DiffServ standard to mark packets to reflect their priority.

5. Does Propel PBM work in both the inbound and outbound direction of my Internet connection?

Yes, Propel PBM prioritizes Internet traffic based upon the applications’ sensitivity to time or latency on both your inbound and outbound bandwidth. However, Propel PBM’s bandwidth management is more likely to be noticed on your outbound traffic. This is partly because your outbound connection is more likely to be constrained than your inbound, and also because PBM is able to exercise more control over the way outbound bandwidth is utilized by competing applications.

6. Does Propel PBM provide benefits to Web surfing even if I am not a VoIP user?

Propel PBM is geared to help VoIP and non-VoIP users alike. First, the Traffic Monitor assists in finding what applications are using your bandwidth. You may be surprised to find that other applications, potentially even malicious software, are active and access your network. This allows you to make informed decisions regarding your network activity.

Second, Propel PBM makes sure low priority traffic doesn't interfere with and slow down your Web browser. Two common scenarios that are applicable to most browsing activity are sending or receiving an email with a large attachment while surfing the Web, and receiving a Windows or an anti-virus update while surfing the
Web. In both cases, Propel PBM protects your surfing performance by giving your web browser's traffic higher priority than the competing traffic, which it dynamically limits when needed (without ever bringing it to a complete halt), while allowing it to continue at full speed whenever there is no active browser traffic.

Back to top

7. What are the system requirements to operate Propel PBM software?

Propel PBM 1.0 works with 32-bit PC architectures of Windows XP with Service Pack 2.  Click here for more detailed system requirements.

8. Does Propel PBM work in a single-user or a multiple-user environment?

Yes, Propel PBM supports both single- and multiple-user environments. In a fast-user switching setting (i.e., multiple users logged on simultaneously), only one user can run Propel PBM at a time. Fast-user switching may interfere with the operation of Propel PBM, and a reboot may be required to regain functionality of the software.

In particular, please ensure that only the user who installed the product is logged on when uninstalling or upgrading to a later version of Propel PBM.

9. Does Propel PBM work over a VPN connection?

Yes, the software works over VPNs. However, some VPN traffic may not be registered by the PBM Traffic Monitor nor prioritized by PBM if the VPN client establishes a connection and exchanges traffic that terminates on the VPN host's local network (e.g., a VPN client updating a corporate database). This type of VPN traffic is deemed local by this version of the software and thus is not tracked by Propel PBM.

Back to top

10. Does Propel PBM work outside of the United States?

Yes, this product works outside of the United States. However, you will need to test your line speed by going to http://www.speedtest.net/ (or another Internet speed measurement site), and manually enter in the speed results.  To enter in the results, select “Line speed Calibration Settings” from the Propel PBM taskbar menu, uncheck “Use Automatic Calibration when available,” and enter your speed measurements.  Click here for more details.

11. Is Propel PBM compatible with personal firewall software?

Yes, Propel PBM is compatible with personal firewall software. However, the components called “accelvpn.exe” and “PrplPBM.exe” which are used by Propel PBM must be permitted to pass freely by the firewall. For instructions on how to do this, please consult your firewall software documentation, or contact your firewall software vendor.

12. Why does Propel PBM test the speed of my Internet connection?

The product optimizes your applications’ use of your Internet connection for the activities of both uploading and downloading. To ensure the right applications get the right amount of bandwidth at any point in time — part of the dynamic bandwidth management feature of the software — the Propel PBM software needs to know your line speed in both incoming and outgoing directions.

Back to top

13. What does the Demo in the software show?

The Demo walks you through the exercise of making a call to the Skype call testing service under three different conditions:

• Call #1: In this step, you are asked to make a test call to Skype to assess normal call quality provided by your PC and Internet connection.

• Call #2: In this step, you are asked to make another test call to Skype while additional traffic is generated, simulating competing traffic. (A slider bar is present to adjust the amount of simulated traffic if you would like to make the call again under a different traffic load. The end result is you should notice the call quality is degraded, especially the sound of your voice.)

• Call #3: In this step, you are asked to call Skype again to test call quality while the same amount of traffic is generated as in Call #2. However, with Propel PBM software now in place, the bandwidth of your Skype call is protected. The quality of Call #3 should be better than Call #2 of the Demo.

Back to top

14. An application is shown on the Traffic Monitor that I do not recognize. How can I find out more about it?

Select the application of interest within the Traffic Monitor and click the “Application Info” button. This will display additional information about the application. From the “Application Info” window, you can also click on the “Search the Web For” link in order to find more information online.

15. I don’t have “Skype Test Call” on my Skype contacts list.  How do I add it?

Within the Skype application, you may need to add “Skype Test Call” as a contact. To do so, click on “Add” at the top of the Contacts list, and search for “echo123.” Add “echo123.”  When you place the test call, you should hear a female voice prompting you to leave a short message, which will then be played back to you.

16. Who do I contact if I have a support question or if I would like to submit feedback on the Propel PBM product?

We appreciate your feedback on the product.  Please email us at pbm-feedback@propel.com at any time with your feedback.  If you have a support question, please contact us by email at pbm-support@propel.com.  If applicable, attach to your email relevant log files.

Back to top