Webmail / Email is Slow
Fix a slow webmail by checking your browser, extensions, network, computer memory and bandwidth. Most slow webmail comes from your own computer or network.
Slow webmail is almost always caused by something on your side, such as your browser, computer or office network. Work through the list below. It covers about 99% of the causes.
Why it is probably not our servers
EnGuard runs its servers in one of the best points of presence (POPs) in Southern California. It sits directly on the largest Sonet ring in Orange County, and the facility has direct access to over 14 network providers. The Sonet ring is nine independent OC-192 fiber loops. That is the equivalent of 90,000 Mbps, or about 60,000 T1s.
We use and monitor our email servers 24/7. If there were a speed or network problem, we would be the first to know. We still want to help you find and fix the cause on your end.
Things to try, in order
1. Use a supported web browser
See our guide about compatible web browsers.
2. Watch out for emails with external images
If an email loads images from another website, that website can be slow. This can make the email load slowly or even freeze your browser or email program. This is common, and there is nothing we can do about it.
3. Keep only one webmail tab open
Do not open webmail in more than one tab in the same browser. You can open it in different browsers at the same time.
4. Turn off web scanning in your anti-virus
Anti-virus programs and extensions sometimes add web scanning plug-ins that slow your browser down a lot. Turn web scanning off. You can also try turning off your anti-virus completely to see if things speed up. In Internet Explorer, protected mode and compatibility view mode can also slow some sites down, so turn those off.
5. Remove browser extensions
Google, Yahoo, AOL and others often install extensions in your browser. These can slow webmail down, so try uninstalling them. Malicious software can also hijack your browser. If you think that has happened, you will need professional help to find and remove it.
6. Check your Wi-Fi
If your computer connects to your router by Wi-Fi, make sure you are using Wireless-N and the signal is strong. Wireless-G routers are pretty much obsolete.
7. Check your office bandwidth
Make sure your office has enough bandwidth (speed) for the number of people and devices on your network. Web browsing, email, streaming video, VOIP phones and file uploads and downloads all share it.
We recommend at least 5MB down and 1MB up per user or connection. For example, an office with 5 people on 5 computers needs at least 25MB down and 5MB up. If those people also use personal phones, tablets or other devices on the network, you will likely need more. Contact your internet provider to upgrade.
You can check your speed at www.speedtest.net. Test at least three times over five minutes to see if your connection is steady.
8. Check your computer's memory
You need at least 2GB of RAM. If you usually have several programs open, we recommend at least 4GB. Less than 2GB makes your browser and email software run slowly.
9. Restart your equipment
As a last resort, restart your modem, router and computer, in that order.
10. Contact us
If you still have trouble after trying everything above, email our support team. Describe the speed problem in detail and tell us the results of the testing you did. We can look at your address and server, check for outages in your region, and help find a problem on your end.
Remote desktop support
If you completed every step and it is still slow, we offer paid support to connect to your computer and find the cause. If the cause turns out to be our service (extremely rare), we will waive the charge.
To request it, send an email to our support team. Include:
- A description of the speed problem
- Your network's bandwidth (upload and download speed)
- Your internet service provider
- The number of users sharing your network
We will first ask you to help troubleshoot by email so we understand the problem. You must be an authorized contact on the EnGuard account to request paid services, including remote desktop support. The session must be scheduled, and you must be available for at least one hour because it takes some preparation on both ends.