File Sharing

File sharing is a great way to share information with your friends and other Internet users and Shaw High-Speed Internet is a great platform to exchange information quickly and easily. However, if you decide to participate in the file-sharing community, you should take steps to protect yourself, your personal information and your computer from some security risks that may occur while file sharing.

• Computer Security: File-sharing software allows you to connect to other Internet users’ computer hard drives. The files you download should be scanned thoroughly by an up-to-date Anti-Virus program. Your computer should also be protected by a good firewall system to safeguard your personal information from being viewed by other Internet users. A good all-in-one security package, such as Shaw Secure, can greatly reduce the risk that your computer or information will be compromised if you choose to join the file-sharing community online.
• Speed/Performance: If you join the file-sharing community, literally hundreds of different users may connect to your computer and download files in a single day. All these people downloading files from your computer can cause your Internet connection to perform slowly, and can cause your computer to operate slowly. It is always a good idea to go through the setup portion of your file-sharing software to ensure that your high-speed Internet connection and your computer's performance are protected from these slowdowns.
  
  To view configuration instructions for your file-sharing software, select the type of software you are using:
  • Peer to Peer
  • Bit Torrent
• Bandwidth Usage: Shaw High Speed Internet has guidelines for bandwidth usage, explained in Shaw's Acceptable Use Policy.
  
  Below is a comparison of bandwidth guidelines for the various Shaw High-Speed Internet subscription types, as noted in Shaw's Acceptable Use Policy.