Enable BranchCache on client computers

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Applies To: Windows Server 2008 R2

You can use this procedure to manually configure each BranchCache client computer for distributed cache mode by using network shell (netsh) commands.

Important

You must perform this procedure on all three client computers to successfully deploy BranchCache in your test lab.

Membership in Administrators, or equivalent is the minimum required to perform this procedure.

To enable BranchCache distributed cache mode using network shell commands

  1. On the BranchCache client computer that you want to configure, click Start, click Search programs and files, and then type command. In search results, under Programs, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as Administrator. The command prompt opens with the elevated privileges that are required to run netsh commands.

  2. Run the following command: netsh branchcache set service mode=DISTRIBUTED

Note

Running the netsh branchcache set service command both configures the client computer for distributed cache mode and automatically configures the client computer firewall with the following inbound exceptions for distributed cache mode: TCP port 80 and UDP port 3702.

  1. To verify that BranchCache distributed cache mode is correctly configured on the client computer, run the following command: netsh branchcache show status. The BranchCache Service Status is displayed in the command prompt window with the following values: Service Mode: Distributed Caching; Serve peers on battery power: Disabled; and Current Status= Running.