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Originally Posted by akamai.com/html/misc/akamai_client/netsession_interface_faq.html
What is the Akamai NetSession Interface?
The Akamai NetSession Interface is distributed networking software which greatly enhances the quality and speed of downloads and video streams you get from websites that support Akamai technology. The Akamai NetSession Interface handles the caching, reflecting and sending of files delivered to you through the Akamai network. The software is safe and secure, and does not contain any adware or spyware and never will. It can also be easily removed if you no longer wish to use it (see 'How do I uninstall the Akamai NetSession Interface?').
Why should I use the Akamai NetSession Interface?
The Akamai NetSession Interface improves the speed and quality of downloads and streams that your favorite sites are able to provide to you. You'll see a great improvement in your download experience. The client does away with much of the traffic spikes and network congestion that can make the Net a difficult place to get your content. Most sites that support the Akamai NetSession Interface do so to provide you a much richer, broadband-enabled service offering.
How does the Akamai NetSession Interface work?
When you click on a link utilizing the Akamai NetSession Interface, the technology creates efficiency and speed in several ways. The client works by coordinating all caches of content on the network, including caches on end user machines as well as thousands of Akamai edge servers distributed around the world. Mostly, the client employs significantly more intelligence in the download process:
downloading from multiple sources of a file simultaneously
capable of connecting to other end user machines to help speed delivery
continually looking for (and connecting to) faster/nearer sources of a file
intelligently routing your download around network congestion and traffic spikes
What information is shared between the Akamai NetSession Interface and my computer?
The Akamai NetSession Interface captures and stores about the same information as a standard web server. The Akamai NetSession Interface is made up of various networking protocols designed to manage the distribution of files over IP networks and is solely used for that function. And just to be clear: The Akamai NetSession Interface is networking software only. Absolutely zero personal information is *ever* captured, shared or stored via the Akamai NetSession Interface.
How do I install the Akamai NetSession Interface?
The Akamai NetSession Interface is technology that is integrated into other software applications that utilize the Akamai desktop networking technology. Akamai also distributes a Download Manager that can integrate with the Akamai NetSession Interface.
What are the minimum system requirements for the Akamai NetSession Interface?
The Akamai NetSession Interface works with Windows 2000, XP, Vista as well as Mac OS X 10.4+.
How do I uninstall the Akamai NetSession Interface?
Windows: The Akamai NetSession Interface is a network library integrated into other applications. When you uninstall any of those applications, the library uninitializes. If you wish to uninstall the Akamai NetSession Interface, go to the AdminTool found at C:\Program Files\Common Files\Akamai\AdminTool.exe
What are the Do's and Don'ts of the Akamai NetSession Interface?
Akamai has always provided professional software that respects its users and their systems. The Akamai NetSession Interface has been so non-intrusive that people often have questions as to what the background service DOES and DOES NOT do.
The Akamai NetSession Interface DOES:
provide client networking technology to enable applications to enhance their video and file download capabilities.
enable secure, closed peer-to-peer networking so that websites can deliver files to their users economically and with faster downloads.
provide in-depth information about what the Akamai NetSession Interface does and how it works.
provide simple ways for the user to turn the netsession interface off
provide a simple uninstall process
provide an AdminTool for the user to see utilization system resources and client activity
It DOES NOT:
monitor your browsing or other Internet activity
pop-up ads
interrupt your web viewing experience with prompts or other annoying software tactics
interfere with other applications on your machine
hide itself on your system
take over your computer, nor monopolize your computer's resources
Is there any way to see the Akamai NetSession Interface's networking activity and other settings?
The Akamai NetSession Interface has an advanced settings interface. Most users can access the administrative tool in C:\Program Files\Common Files\Akamai\AdminTool.exe
Launch AdminTool from the command line
AdminTool supports information about cached files, network activity, and other applications utilizing the client library
AdminTool also provides ability to uninstall and turn the client off
Does the networking service work when I have a NAT or firewall set up? Do I have to do anything special for the Akamai NetSession Interface to function properly?
Akamai's desktop networking technology is built to automatically detect the network environment (including NATs) and perform the most effective networking techniques to send or receive the data prescribed for delivery. Akamai has designed the client to work without any configuration on your part. That means you don't have to set up port-forwarding, turn your Firewall or NAT off, or do anything different than before. As there are always unique system configurations or new network setups that come up, the networking library provides information to the applications that depend on it about any networking request that could not be fulfilled. For more information, or to provide feedback or input on an unsupported configuration please send us your feedback so that we can continue to improve our software.
Thanks!
What is this TCP connection that I see when I do a netstat on my machine?
Like most network communications software, the Akamai NetSession Interface communicates with a centralized directory, what we call the Akamai Control Plane, so the network knows your system's network status and availability. If downloads are slow, or sources are unavailable, the client can ask for more client sources, or alternatively switch to pulling from other servers.
Will the Akamai NetSession Interface ever deliver content to my system that I have not asked for?
Absolutely not. Only content or downloads that you have asked for will be downloaded by the Akamai NetSession Interface. In addition, some content providers may allow you to sign-up for background-delivered content channels. For example, a sports site might offer a highlights reel that you can sign up for and have background delivered. If you signed up for that channel, it will be pre-delivered to your system as the highlights are made available.
Will uploading or sending data overwhelm or saturate my connection?
Only certain websites and applications utilize client-to-client delivery capabilities. For those applications that use this library capability, upstream bandwidth utilization will only happen when the network is underutilized and is intended to be unnoticeable.
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