Symantec 14541094 User Guide - Page 26

26 Introducing Symantec pcAnywhere How Symantec pcAnywhere works Symantec pcAnywhere Gateway lets you set up a single connection point to facilitate the process of finding and connecting to host computers that are behind a Network Address Translation (NAT) device. See "About Symantec pcAnywhere Gateway" on page 295. Issues that affect performance Even with the advances in remote control technology, controlling another computer over a communication device poses many performance challenges. During a remote control session, you control the host computer as though you are sitting in front of it. Everything from the desktop wallpaper on the host computer to the movement of your cursor must be transmitted back and forth. The two biggest factors in performance are the speed of the connection and graphics overhead. The more data that needs to be transferred between the computers-especially graphics data-the slower the performance. Some security settings, such as data encryption, can also affect performance. When configuring a connection, you must balance the need for high performance with the need to protect your data. See "Understanding the performance trade-offs" on page 206. Ways to improve performance Although pcAnywhere is designed to optimize performance, there are a number of factors that you can control to boost performance. Table 1-2 includes information about how you can improve performance. Table 1-2 Ways to improve performance Objective Solution Improve connection speed Ensure that you are using the fastest type of connection possible. If you are using a modem, you should use the fastest connection that your modem and phone line can support. Symantec pcAnywhere can detect the speed of your connection (bandwidth) and automatically adjust video settings to optimize performance.