diff --git a/js/canvas.js b/js/canvas.js
index a54d297..c6fa9ec 100644
--- a/js/canvas.js
+++ b/js/canvas.js
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ canvas.height = window.innerHeight;
 var ctx = canvas.getContext('2d');
 
 var dddState; //global variable for DDD state
+var sliderVal; //global speed for packet(s)
 
 function drawEntities(allEntities) {
     // Given a list of entities in the system, draw them to the screen
@@ -44,7 +45,6 @@ function runSim(packetArray, allEntities) {
 }
 
 function animatePacket(packets, allEntities) {
-    let sliderVal = document.getElementById('myRange').value; 
     let map = new Map();
     map[1] = 20;
     map[2] = 30;
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ async function startSimulation() {
     dddState = document.getElementById('DDDstate').checked; //global variable for DDD state
     let nPorts = document.getElementById('nports').value;
 
+    sliderVal = document.getElementById('myRange').value; // global speed
 
     // Initialize the entity objects
     let garbage = new Garbage(700, 400);
@@ -181,7 +182,6 @@ async function startSimulation() {
             break;
         }
 
-
         // Metadata list that the animation uses to animate
         let packets = [];