Frequently Asked Questions

Need help with Shaw Speedtest? We're here to help.

To download is to receive a file from an Internet server to your computer.

To upload is to send a file from your computer to a server on the internet.

Mbps or "Megabits per second" is a measurement of speed on the internet. It's equal to one million bits of data transferred per second.

Ping measures the time it takes to get information from your computer to an Internet server.

We measure Ping as the shortest time it takes to start getting information about a file. We run this test 10 times and report the smallest value. Although this is a bit different than a standard ICMP Ping, measuring the quickest return value from a server gives an accurate estimation of server responsiveness. This method is commonly used to measure server responsiveness from a browser.

A BitTorrent is a commonly used file-sharing protocol on the internet and often runs unnoticed on your computer. Active file transfers use part of your total bandwidth.

If you are running internet applications, the transferring files will use part of your total bandwidth, taking that number from speedtest results.

Your computer must have the following minimum requirements:

5 Mbit
OS W2K, XP, Vista Mac OS X 10.1 +
Processor P2, (P4 1 GHz Vista) G3
RAM 512 MB (1GB Vista) 256 MB
Hard Drive 500 MB 500 MB
Nic 10 Base T 10 Base T
10 Mbit
OS W2K, XP, Vista Mac OS X 10.1 +
Processor P3, (P4 1 GHz Vista) G3
RAM 512 MB (1GB Vista) 256 MB
Hard Drive 500 MB 500 MB
Nic 100 Base T 100 Base T
15 Mbit
OS W2K, XP, Vista Mac OS X 10.2 +
Processor P4 G3
RAM 1GB 256 MB
Hard Drive 500 MB 500 MB
Nic 100 Base T 100 Base T
25 Mbit
OS XP, Vista Mac OS X 10.4 +
Processor P4 1.5 GHz G4 1 GHz
RAM 1 GB (2 GB Vista) 1 GB
Hard Drive 1 GB 3 GB
Nic 100 Base T 100 Base T
100 Mbit
OS XP, Vista Mac OS X 10.4 +
Processor P4 1.8 GHz G4 1 GHz
RAM 1 GB (2 GB Vista) 1 GB
Hard Drive 1 GB 3 GB
Nic 1000 Base T 1000 Base T
250 Mbit
OS Vista Mac OS X 10.6 +
Processor P4 2.4 GHz G4 1 GHz
RAM 4 GB 2 GB
Hard Drive 10 GB 10 GB
Nic 1000 Base T 1000 Base T

Yes. Wireless routers, depending on quality and type, can have low signal strength which means you'll experience lower speeds. If you're getting into a higher level of service like Shaw's Broadband 250 Internet, your computer should have a wireless N network card to support it.

If you're receiving lower speeds than expected and modem levels are good, connect your computer directly to the modem to get a better reading. This will bypass any routers or in between devices that may be holding you back from getting your top internet speeds.

Shaw Speedtest uses a Flash movie to test your speeds. If your browser crashes every time you try to run the test but are able to view some other websites with flash content, there could be an issue with your browser's Flash Plugin. Try re-installing your Flash Player.

We have graphed the results of the download test to help you better understand the overall result of the test.
We've plotted the graph to help indicate where your speeds fall in terms of our other internet offerings. Assuming you're a Shaw Internet subscriber, we attempt to highlight your existing package to help you determine if you are getting the proper speeds.

If you're not a customer, then you can compare your current speeds against our different internet packages.
Please note we use a logarithmic scale to display the results in order to allow our slowest package to be on the same graph as our fastest.
You can place your mouse on any of the points in the graph to get an indication of the speed during that moment of the test.

The Speedtest application uses three outbound ports: 80, 843 and 8080.
If the ping test won't run, this typically means port 843 or 8080 is being blocked.
By default, most routers and firewalls allow traffic on all three of these outbound ports but your setup may be different.
Refer to your router or firewall instructions for details on how to open outbound ports.

Certain real-time scanning settings of popular anti-virus programs can affect our ability to start or complete the download test properly. If the download test doesn't complete or doesn't begin right away, you should adjust the real-time scanning settings of your security program.
Other security applications such as firewalls or routers may also be the source of the issue. In general, the Speedtest application uses three outbound ports: 80, 843 and 8080. By default, most routers and firewalls allow traffic on all three of these ports but your setup may be different.
Refer to the instructions for your router or firewall for details on how to open outbound ports.
Please ensure any troubleshooting with your security software still keeps your computer protected from viruses.

Assuming your internet connection isn't to blame, this is usually the result of a security application interfering with the test.
If properly configured, your anti-virus and firewall applications will allow the upload test to complete.
Please ensure any troubleshooting with your security software still keeps your computer protected from viruses.

Run A Speedtest

The results of your Speedtest show the range of speeds your internet connection is receiving.



Contact Us

If you need assistance with your Shaw High-Speed Internet, contact Technical Support.