How to test if computer software is slowing down your Business Internet connection

• Your staff may have programs running in the background that use a lot of data and that may slow down the network for everyone. Keep employees mindful of streaming music services or other non-essential uses of the network, especially during busy periods, when staff start complaining about slow speeds.
• Background business services like data backup software, video surveillance cameras, streaming radio stations, and others can make a network feel slow. Temporarily turn them off and test your Internet speeds to see if they improve.
• Some essential services like security cameras really can’t be avoided. Security camera settings can be tweaked to reduce frame rate, degrade picture quality, or switch to grayscale instead of colour feeds, but these will reduce the usability of the feed.
• Temporarily turn them off and test your Internet speeds to see if they improve. If the speeds match your plan without these services running but things feel too slow when they are in use, you might need to look at higher speed options.
• For certain applications like offsite or cloud data backup, there may be options to schedule them to run overnight or at other times when a slower network would have less of an impact.
• Access your My Shaw to find out how much bandwidth (data) is being used and note the upload and download usage. A plan with more speed and bandwidth might be necessary for heavy users.

• Some routers, firewalls, security appliances, or even applications on computers scan all Internet traffic before making it accessible to users. If the settings are turned too high, the speed will seem slower because you would have to wait to receive data.
• Temporarily turn these services and security settings off and test the Rogers modem to see if speeds improve.
• If the speeds match your Business Internet plan without these services running but things feel too slow when they’re in use, you might need to look at a new plan with higher speed. Contact a Rogers Business representative for options. Many security appliances that offer real-time scanning include support documentation to confirm their guaranteed speeds. Check with your IT technician to investigate whether the equipment is working as it should be.

Occasionally, slow Internet speeds are caused by a computer that is affected by a faulty software program or malware (virus). Starting the computer in Safe Mode with Networking will help you troubleshoot the impact that malware may be having on the computer and network.

1. Restart the potentially infected computer in Safe Mode. Search online for information on how to do this or consult your IT individual.
2. Test your Internet speeds, as described above.
   • If speed results improve it is likely the computer itself is causing the decreased network Internet speeds because of a faulty program or malware infection.
3. Consult your IT team to remove the malware from and update the affected computer.

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