What is cache?

It is a place on your computer that stores information temporarily. When you access a website, it is saved to your computer's cache so that when you visit that page again in the future, the page appears on your screen faster because it is pulling saved content from your computer instead of a server out in cyberspace. So, if your cache is set to refresh every 7 days, and you visit the same web page before your next refresh, any changes made to that web page may not be visible as you have an older version of the page cached on your system. Often, just clicking the refresh button at the top of your browser, or by pressing the F5 key on your keyboard will do the trick.

What is buffering?

Buffering means simply to cushion against fluctuations in bandwidth due to net congestion. When the digital information being transferred to your computer for viewing during a webcast hits a traffic jam on the Internet, your media player begins to stockpile enough data to continue playing the program without disrupting your show. Buffering periods of 15-30 seconds are typical.

What is Net Congestion?

 Net congestion is simply, a traffic jam on the Internet. When too much information is trying to travel along the same part of the Internet, traffic jams occur. Net congestion is very common and often goes unnoticed in much of our daily computing activity, such as retrieving email. Net congestion can occasionally have a noticeable impact while trying to view a Webcast. If you are viewing a webcast from the office during the normal workday, your IT department may set bandwidth limits on your company and that may account for some perceived network congestion and buffering at your desktop. If you are viewing a webcast from the office, and there are many other individuals within your organization also viewing the same webcast, you are likely to experience a degradation in performance as many streams are attempting to cross your network at the same time.

What is a firewall?

 It is a system designed to prevent unauthorized access to or from a private network. All messages or requests entering or leaving a specific network pass through the firewall, which examines each message or request and blocks those that do not meet the specified security criteria. Its primary function is to protect internal corporate data from external users. Firewall settings generally allow for successful viewing of a webcast. If you are behind a firewall that limits your webcast access, talk to your system administrator as the settings can often be easily adjusted to accommodate a successful viewing experience.

What is a proxy?

 The proxy serves as the link between the workstation on a network and the Internet. It receives requests from the workstation to obtain information from the Internet and subsequently relays the workstation to the website. A secure connection is established, so the request must "pass the filtering requirements". The proxy also has a cache to obtain information quickly.