What is Bandwidth Sharing?
Bandwidth sharing is one of three workloads you can run on Salad. Bandwidth workloads process video content from premium streaming platforms. We roll out bandwidth jobs depending on demand in your region. That means whether or not you receive bandwidth jobs depends on your internet speeds and your location.
Breaking it Down
The term "bandwidth" refers to the rate at which data is transmitted to your PC from the Internet and vice versa. If you initiate one of the various speed tests you can find on the web, you'll notice that bandwidth is usually measured in Gbps (gigabits per second) or Mbps (megabits per second). For example, the difference between downloading a massive game update versus a simple PDF file is enormous. Either way, the bandwidth you aren't using could be put to use for your benefit.
With Salad, you'll have the choice to share your unused bandwidth to process video content on top of blockchain and container workloads. The result? Increased earnings for you.
What Can My Bandwidth Do?
The video content from premium streaming platforms is run on anonymous, private networks as a means to maintain personal privacy. Chefs won't see what streamers are watching and the streamers won't even know their video time is being supported by Chefs. Our top priority is maintaining everyone's online privacy in this process.
What Are The Risks?
Here are two rare situations that could occur when sharing your bandwidth on Salad:
1. Internet Service Provider (ISP) Data Cap Sharing your bandwidth on Salad is likely to increase your overall usage per cycle. Be sure to watch your overall usage carefully so you avoid throttled Internet or extra charges on your next bill if you have a capped, or semi-capped, internet plan. Note that being on a capped internet plan is increasingly rare globally.
2. Streaming Service Block Most streaming services have regional libraries, meaning that certain content is only available in certain parts of the world due to contracts with local businesses.
It is possible that sharing your bandwidth on Salad could result in a rare, temporary (typically 1-2 days) content restriction on those streaming platforms. This moderation may limit your IP address to the global library of that specific streaming platform (meaning some shows may not be available to you for a short time).
However, blocks are temporary, as residential IPs are rotated frequently, and therefore cannot be blocked by streaming services for long. Otherwise, everyone's IP(s) would be impacted by whatever the previous IP "holder" had done.
How to Quickly Fix a Streaming Service Block
If you believe a given streaming service has blocked your IP, there are a few quick solutions to getting your regular programming back online:
- Disconnect then reconnect your router
- Request a new IP address from your ISP
- Some ISPs provide a dashboard which may have an option to change your IP
- Be sure to check with your ISP directly about options
Streaming service "blocks" may differ between services, but generally they impose a limitation on the content library you can access, e.g. only seeing the global content library for one to two days.
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