Cachelink(R) Version 3.6 - Release Notes file
May 11, 2001
(C) Copyright 2001
Mangosoft(TM) Incorporated - All rights reserved
These release notes can provide information and assistance
should you encounter any issues while using Cachelink. There
are several other informational resources that can provide
additional assistance listed below.
- Detailed troubleshooting information for problems you may
encounter after installation is available in Cachelink's
online help.
- Information on installation-related requirements and issues
can be found in the Cachelink README file.
- If you are seeking information on network installation of
Cachelink, see the Cachelink User's Guide (Download PDF Viewer).
This document includes a description of how to set up a
network install for Cachelink.
- Review the license agreement (policy.txt) for restrictions
of use and warranty information.
Cachelink makes use of algorithms derived from the RSA Data
Security, Inc. MD5 Message-Digest Algorithm.
Known Issues With Hardware
==========================
This section describes known issues with hardware that
may be installed on or connected to systems running
Cachelink.
Error Message May Appear When Ejecting a Docked Laptop
------------------------------------------------------
If you are using a laptop computer with the Network Interface
Card (NIC) in the dock, and operate the system after ejecting
it from the dock, you will see a Cachelink error message
indicating that Cachelink cannot operate properly without
access to a Network Interface Card. Once disconnected, you may
not be able to browse the Internet, as you are no longer
connected to the network.
Note that Mangosoft recommends that you shut down your laptop
computer prior to ejecting it from a dock. This ensures the
system is turned off prior to losing its network connection.
- If you shut down your laptop prior to ejecting it, and turn
it on again only after docking, Cachelink will function
properly once your system is reconnected to the network for
Internet browsing.
- If you operate your system at any time that it is disconnected
from the dock, you will receive the Cachelink error messages
described above. If you do not want to browse the Internet,
you can disregard the messages. You should shut down your
laptop prior to redocking your system, and then turn on the
system once it is docked. This will ensure proper Cachelink
operation.
- If you leave your system on throughout the undocking and
re-docking process, causing the system to lose and regain
its network connection without rebooting, you can either
restart your system, or restart Cachelink manually. To start
Cachelink manually, choose Start > Programs > Cachelink >
Configuration, and click Start Cachelink on the General tab.
- If you are not going to reconnect to the network, but want to
browse the Internet by dialing out through a modem, you will
need to reconfigure your browser to access the Internet
through a modem. Your browser's online help can assist you
with this task. Later, when you re-dock your system and
reconnect to the network, a message will display asking
whether you want your browser settings modified to use
Cachelink again.
Error Message May Appear When Hardware Configuration Changes
------------------------------------------------------------
If you modify the hardware configuration for your system such
that it no longer has or uses a Network Interface Card, you will
not be able to access the network, and you will see messages
indicating that Cachelink has detected a change in your hardware,
and was unable to automatically restart itself. As a result,
you may not be able to browse the Internet, as you are no longer
connected to the network. If you modify your hardware
configuration again at a later time to enable reconnection to
the network, Cachelink will again provide caching services.
Known Issues With Browsers
==========================
This section describes known issues with browsers that
may be installed on a computer running Cachelink.
Cachelink Autodetects Browser Configuration Changes at Logon
------------------------------------------------------------
Cachelink automatically detects whether the status or
configuration of browsers on your system has changed at logon.
If you have added or removed browsers, or you have modified the
browser configuration on your system, you should log off your
system and log on again. This will trigger Cachelink's
configuration program, which can detect any browser changes.
If Cachelink detects browser modifications, a pop-up screen
displays indicating that changes have been detected. You
can then proceed to select which browsers you want configured
to use Cachelink on your system.
Cachelink May Not Be Able To Automatically Configure
Netscape on Windows NT or Windows 2000 Systems Where Browser
Configuration Is Locked
------------------------------------------------------------
If you see messages indicating that Cachelink requires browser
configuration for Netscape when you restart your computer, check
to make sure you have the proper administrative privileges to
modify the Netscape settings on your computer. If you cannot
modify these settings from your account, Cachelink cannot
either when you install it, and will not be able to configure
Netscape for use.
Cachelink Operates Best With Internet Explorer Versions 4.x
and 5.x
----------------------------------------------------------
If you are using Internet Explorer 3, Mangosoft strongly
recommends you upgrade to IE4 or IE5 for best results
with Cachelink. IE3 does not contain the Java functionality
Cachelink requires, and this can affect use of the
Cachelink Performance Analyzer. IE3 may also use older versions
of TCP/IP which can cause browser hangs. Also, IE4 and IE5
contain many fixes and enhancements to the previous release.
In addition, when you use IE4 or IE5, Cachelink can
autoconfigure these browsers for use with Cachelink,
thus saving you the task of manual configuration.
If Using IE Through a Proxy Server, HTTP 1.1 Speeds Web Access
--------------------------------------------------------------
All web browsers use the HTTP protocol to browse the Internet.
Browsers that use HTTP 1.1 instead of its predecessor, HTTP 1.0,
can browse web sites faster. In order to ensure optimal browser
operation, Mangosoft recommends the use of HTTP 1.1 whenever
possible.
When Cachelink is installed on a system that does not use a proxy
server, it automatically sets Internet Explorer to use HTTP 1.1.
However, since some older proxy servers depend on HTTP 1.0,
Cachelink does not automatically change this setting on systems
with a proxy server already in use.
If you were already using a proxy server before Cachelink was
installed, you should check to see which HTTP setting your
Internet Explorer browser is using. To do so, from Internet
Explorer, go to your Internet Options settings (accessible
through either the View or Tools menu, depending on the IE
version you are using). Click the Advanced tab. Scroll down to
the section labeled "HTTP 1.1 Settings". If your system shows
that the "Use HTTP 1.1 Through Proxy Connections" setting is not
checked, contact your system administrator to see whether your
proxy server requires HTTP 1.0, or whether it can also handle
HTTP 1.1. If your system administrator indicates you can use
HTTP 1.1, you should check the box labeled "Use HTTP 1.1
Through Proxy Connections" to ensure optimal browser operation.
Note that setting HTTP 1.1 on Windows 95 systems may cause the
proxy agent to crash inside wininet.dll.
Known Issues With Operating Systems
===================================
This section describes issues Cachelink may have with some
operating systems, or their features.
Certain Power Management Settings Can Impair Cachelink
Performance
------------------------------------------------------
Your computers may have power management enabled in such a way
that hard disks are turned off when they become idle.
Cachelink may be slow to retrieve web content from those
computers if it has to wait for their hard disks to turn
back on. You can turn off power management settings by choosing
Start > Settings > Control Panel, and double-clicking
"Power Management" on the Control Panel. Then modify the
settings so that power is never suspended to the system or
its hard drives.
Cachelink Interactions With Windows Roaming Profiles
----------------------------------------------------
If you store a roaming profile on a Windows server so that
profile is available to you on multiple systems, and you created
that profile on a Windows system where you were running
Cachelink, you may receive error messages when you log into
systems where Cachelink is not installed. Because some Cachelink
information is stored in your profile, accessing that roaming
profile from a non-Cachelink system may cause Internet Explorer
to attempt to set up Cachelink on that system. This can result
in error messages indicating that the system could not connect
to a specific page or server it required. To solve this problem,
ensure you create your roaming profile on a non-Cachelink system.
Security Settings On NT and Windows 2000 May Cause Problems
With Accessing Cachelink Files
-----------------------------------------------------------
Cachelink requires all users to have security access to the
directory where Cachelink is installed. When Cachelink is
installed on an NTFS drive, the Cachelink directory structure
inherits the security of the folder under which it was
installed. If this folder's security does not permit users to
access certain files, this will prevent them from being able to
use Cachelink.
If messages appear indicating there is a security problem
accessing the Cachelink web cache directory, trace file
directory, or the statistics file, you will need to modify
security settings on the Cachelink installation directory.
To do this, someone with administrator privileges (you or a
system administrator) must do the following:
1) Open the file Explorer on the system, and navigate to the
Cachelink installation directory.
2) Right-click on the Cachelink directory, and choose Properties
from the pop-up menu.
3) Click the Security tab.
4) Modify the security settings on this directory to provide
Full Access rights on all of the subdirectories and files
contained under it. If your company is not overly security
conscious, set the permissions to allow Full Access to
Everyone. If your company is highly security conscious, set
the permissions to allow Full Access only to the specific
users who will use Cachelink on this system.
By default, the Cachelink cache files are stored in the
WebCache subdirectory under the Cachelink installation
directory. If this is not the case on your system, the security
settings on the cache directory must also be changed as above.
Launch the Cachelink Configuration utility by choosing
Start > Programs > Cachelink > Configuration, and click on the
Cache tab to determine the location of the Cachelink cache files.
Access problems may also occur on FAT or NTFS drives if any of
the Cachelink data files are set to Read-only. If this occurs,
do the following:
1) Open the file Explorer on the system, and navigate to the
Cachelink data file(s) mentioned in the security error message.
2) Right-click on the file, and choose Properties from the
pop-up menu.
3) Click the General tab.
4) Make sure that the Read-only attribute checkbox is unchecked.
Known Issues With Displaying Cachelink's Performance Analyzer
Web Page
=============================================================
The following sections describe problems that may affect the
display of Cachelink's Performance Analyzer web page.
Performance Analyzer Web Page Will Not Display If The Default
Browser Is Not Using Cachelink
---------------------------------------------------------
If you have more than one browser installed on your computer,
and the default browser is not configured to use Cachelink,
then the Cachelink Performance Analyzer will not work. The
default browser must be configured to use Cachelink so it can
gather performance data for display on the Performance Analyzer
web page.
To configure a browser to use Cachelink:
1) Launch the Cachelink Configuration Utility by choosing
Start > Programs > Cachelink > Configuration.
2) Click the Web Browsers tab.
3) Place a check mark next to the browser which you would like
to configure.
4) Click OK.
Cachelink's Performance Analyzer Web Page Requires Java
Virtual Machine
-------------------------------------------------------
When using Internet Explorer 5 and Cachelink on systems
running Windows 95 Retail, Windows 95 OSR1, or Windows
NT 4 SP 6A, a window may appear indicating you must
install Java Virtual Machine. If this occurs, select
the automatic download and installation of the Java
Virtual Machine. The Performance Analyzer web page will
display correctly afterwards.
Cachelink's Performance Analyzer Web Page Can Be Slow When
Java's Just-In-Time (JIT) Compiler Is Disabled
----------------------------------------------------------
The Mangosoft Cachelink Performance Analyzer web page is
implemented as a Java applet. This applet, like any other
Java applet, will run slowly in IE if the Java JIT (Just In
Time) compiler option is not enabled. This option is not
enabled by default in some versions of IE.
If the Mangosoft Cachelink Performance Analyzer display is slow,
enable JIT as follows:
1) Launch Internet Explorer.
2) Choose View > Internet Options... from the menu bar.
3) Click the Advanced tab.
4) Check the "JIT compiler for virtual machine" option. This
option can be found in the "Java VM" group.
Known Issues With Other Applications
====================================
Extensive testing has shown that there are some applications
that either must be manually configured to work with
Cachelink, or may not work with Cachelink on your system.
One issue that users may encounter is described below.
See the Mangosoft support web site (www.mangosoft.com/support)
for the latest details on any issues of this nature.
Use Caution When Installing Proxy-Reliant Programs
--------------------------------------------------
In general, use caution any time you install Cachelink,
or any other third-party program which could change your
proxy settings, or insert itself into your computer's
proxy chain. The interdependence of proxy settings on the
applications and browsers on your system is delicate.
If you find after installing Cachelink or a similar
proxy-dependent program that you have disrupted the
operation of any other program, check the proxy
settings on the newly installed and the disrupted
program to see if they are compatible, and modify
them as needed for proper operation. If you are unsure
about your proxy settings, or how these settings work
on the applications your computer uses, contact your
Network Administrator for assistance.
Cachelink and Windows 98 SE Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)
-------------------------------------------------------------
If you are running Windows 98 SE, and using the shared Internet
access capability it provides called Internet Connection
Sharing (ICS) for accessing the Internet on your networked
computers, you must perform an additional step for Cachelink
to work properly. On the Internet Connection Sharing computer
(the computer housing the modem through which all other systems
will access the Internet), do the following:
1) Install Cachelink on the ICS (modem) computer.
2) Choose Start > Settings > Control Panel, and double-click
Internet.
3) Click the Connections tab, and click the Settings button.
4) In the Proxy Server area, click the Use a Proxy Server check
box so a check appears, then click Advanced to its right.
5) In the HTTP: row, enter 127.0.0.1 under Proxy Address, and
enter 8080 under Port. Then click OK.
6) Click OK to dismiss the rest of the dialog boxes you used
in this procedure.
Known Issues Which May Occur After Uninstalling Cachelink
=========================================================
Because Cachelink uses proxy settings, you may need to modify
proxy settings for one or more applications on your system
should you at some point uninstall Cachelink.
Issues With Streaming Media Players Or Proxy-Reliant Programs
-------------------------------------------------------------
Many streaming media players, including RealAudio, QuickTime,
LiquidAudio, RealPlayer, and Sun's Java plugin for playing
audio and video, use HTTP, and therefore support an HTTP
Proxy. If these applications are installed after Cachelink is
already installed on a computer, they will automatically
detect and use Cachelink for HTTP Proxy, and function properly.
However, if you then uninstall Cachelink, these media players
which are depending on Cachelink's HTTP Proxy may no longer
function. If you uninstall Cachelink, you may need to manually
reconfigure the HTTP Proxy settings for these media players
before they will function correctly again. You may be able to
avoid this problem by ensuring whenever you install a
streaming media player that you choose the player's
"Use Your Browser's Proxy Settings" option during installation.
This proxy dependence and potential disruption on Cachelink
uninstall can occur with other programs that are not media
players. Other programs which may have this disruption
include InterQuick and WebWasher.
Issues With Applications Using Proxies May Occur On IE5 Systems
---------------------------------------------------------------
If you use Cachelink on a system, and configure it for use with
Internet Explorer 5, you may have proxy problems with programs
on your system should you for some reason uninstall Cachelink.
If you do detect a problem with proxies after uninstalling
Cachelink, you may need to look at the proxy server settings
for your system, and modify them to match the ones required
by the program experiencing proxy problems. If you do not know
how to locate proxy server settings, contact your network
administrator.
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