: While it supports generic software offloading (which reduces CPU load), its primary value lies in hardware flow offloading , where the networking hardware itself handles packet forwarding for established connections at near-line speeds. Performance Impact and Use Cases
By "fast-pathing" packets, the CPU usage drops significantly during heavy downloads, leaving more room for other tasks like VPN encryption (WireGuard) or SQM (Smart Queue Management). kmod-nft-offload
Hardware is purpose-built for packet switching. Offloading allows systems to reach line-rate speeds (e.g., 10Gbps, 40Gbps, or 100Gbps) that might otherwise saturate a standard CPU. : While it supports generic software offloading (which
References and further reading
Routers that might top out at 400-500 Mbps in software-only mode can often reach full Gigabit speeds (1000 Mbps) with hardware offloading enabled. Reduced CPU Load: kmod-nft-offload