What exactly does akamai.net download?


  1. Posts : 10
    Windows 10
       #1

    What exactly does akamai.net download?


    Been keeping an eye on my bandwidth usage through my Asus RT-AC69P router after going over last month. Yesterday shows "akamai.net" downloaded 4.5GB of data on my Windows 10 PC but I have no clue what it downloaded.

    What exactly is akamai for on Windows? What could it possibly have downloaded? I don't have any alerts for WIndows Updates or anything.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 8,059
    windows 10
       #2

    It is considered malware it downloads content but also uses you as a supplier for othe rusers in effect its a P2P uninstall it How to Completely Remove Akamai Netsession Client on Windows 10
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 1,327
    Windows 10 Home x64
       #3

    Well it could be using your machine to upstream content to others. Lot of different "Akamai" related things come up when you search. He's a sample from Microsoft's site : "They say that NetSession will only use your computer when it is "idle or utilizing minimal network resources." *That means that NetSession is constantly monitoring your network use, and sending that information to Akamai." *

    I would definitely remove it as per Samuria's link.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 31,480
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #4

    vice86 said:
    What exactly is akamai for on Windows? What could it possibly have downloaded?
    This is Akamai's official FAQ. including uninstall instructions.

    What the NetSession Interface is:

    • Software that helps deliver faster, more reliable downloads on demand
    • An extension of Akamai's global server network that helps companies and their customers complete more downloads more easily
    • Extremely secure, supporting best-in-class HTTPS/SSL security

    What the NetSession Interface isn't:

    • It is not spyware, malware, or other intrusive software
    • It is not a security threat, and does not view or share any private data on your machine
    • It is not permanently installed on your machine; you have the option to remove it at any time
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 10
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Yeah, their FAQ doesn't help...still vague what's using it. Looking at the links to delete it's no where they're telling you to look. I used Everything Search and it looks like its all with Chrome. No idea how it got there. Shows up first in February.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 10
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Interesting, its not on my PC in my office. Wonder what i did that this installed on my main PC.

    EDIT: Interesting...read that latest Flash update installs it or any Adobe trial you install will install Akamai too....i believe i did both.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 3,257
    Windows 10 Pro
       #7

    Akamai provides a lot of services, but one of the big ones is what's known as a Content Distribution Network or CDN. CDN's are super fast, distributed networks that companies pay to provide access for files, information, data...

    Another thing they do is content caching. Many websites use Akamai (including Microsoft) to cache their static web pages.

    It works like this, Akamai has datacenters around the world, and they run a distributed DNS network that allows people to get content from servers that are very close to them. In that way, the websites response is very fast, when it might not otherwise be if it has to go across the globe to get the pages.

    Think of it like a distributor or dealer for some product. Say, cars. If you had to go buy the car directly from the manufacturer, flying to Michigan or Frankfurt, or Tokyo to get it, it would be quite slow. But, thankfully, they set up caches of vehicles around the globe that let you walk into a local dealer and get one much faster.

    So what i'm saying is that it's not uncommon to have a lot of data go through Akamai, even when visiting normal websites (CNN, Microsoft, or many others). In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if Windows 10 updates and upgrades come from Akamai. Other people seem to have assumed you mean the Akamai downloader, which wasn't entirely clear from your post.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 10
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Ah, didn't realize there was a downloader too. All i saw was "akamai.net" showing up in my Traffic Analyzer on my Router saying it used 4.5GB.

    Wondering why i can find traces of Akamai on my one PC but nothing on the other. I wish there was a way to find out for sure what's using it or how it got on there in the first place. I keep reading different things so hard to tell
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 51
    Windows 10 Pro 64bit
       #9

    Well I know Lord of the Rings Online uses it.. there should be an option in programs and features to remove Akamai..
      My Computer


 

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