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FAQ
User experience
Will search results differ if a file is accessible via cache?
No. Search results will always be the same since caching handles the files transfer. All searchable content is obtained from the Peer-to-Peer network independently of any cache operations.
Who will be seen as the file provider in case I download it via cache?
Provided the file was transmitted from the cache of one of the currently active users, both uploader and downloader will see the usernames properly.
Otherwise, in case if a file is provided directly by the cache, the uploader’s name will be shown as being empty.
Can I instant message the user if a file came from cache?
It is impossible to contact the uploader or use such features like ‘Find more files from this user’ if the file was obtained not from the user but from cache.
The same applies to some other KaZaA-type downloads like the downloads of Altnet files.
Does the cache impact participation levels (PLs)?
No, the cache itself does not influence PL calculation.
If a file is downloaded directly from the cache, only the PL of the downloader will be affected.
If the file comes from another user but via cache, both downloader’s PL will decrease while uploader’s will increase normally, as without cache.
Does cache keep full files or just their parts?
Cache keeps just fragments of the files. It is not capable to recognize what particular files its content belongs to. All stored fragments are considered independent.
Can downloads make use of cache and other sources simultaneously?
Yes, multi-source downloads are fully supported by the cache technology. Thus, a download will obtain segments from both cache and several other users simultaneously.
Does cache improve download speeds?
In the vast majority of cases, downloads through the cache are faster compared to usual peer downloads. Cached content is usually closer geographically to the downloader and more upload power is available for it.
Can downloads be slower when using the cache?
Yes, but rarely. One of the possible cases is if an ISP will deliberately limit access bandwidth to the cache in order to cut the cost of operation.
Though it cannot be detected and blocked effectively by PeerCache, an end user may switch off cache usage in supported P2P clients. It will significantly slow down downloading speed, though.
Does my KaZaA xyz client communicate with PeerCache?
Technically, PeerCache doesn’t provide any support for illegal fasttrack-based applications. But in reality almost all current KaZaA xyz clients built upon Fasttrack 2.0 and higher communicate with PeerCache automatically.
Since PeerCache tends to improve transfer performance, there is no practical reason for alternative clients not to use this feature.
What should I do if I want to speed up my downloads and save money for my ISP?
You may request your ISP to provide PeerCache service or choose a new ISP which uses this service already.
