ShoWorks Help Articles

Tips on speed issues when using a network

Helpful Tips

The speed of ShoWorks when using across a network among more than one user, is affected by both the state of ShoWorks at startup and network hardware.

Startup of ShoWorks

Most speed concerns are at the startup of ShoWorks.  When starting ShoWorks, make sure all other users exit to the main menu of ShoWorks (the main menu is where the arrows and icons appear in the middle of the screen). Otherwise, if another user has a data menu open, new users starting ShoWorks will experience an extended delay until ShoWorks completely loads. This is only relevant when starting ShoWorks.

1. Compact your Data File :
   • Speed improvements can be made by simply compacting your data file on a regular basis.  Go to File (Office Button), then Utilities, then Compact Data File.  Note: you should make a backup of your data before compacting.
2. Router or switch:
   • Your network must be using a router or switch and not a hub.  Using a hub will slows your speed down as more users are added and as your data file grows with data entry.
   • You must be on a local area network (LAN) and not a wide area network (WAN).  Some county offices map a drive to a remote location that is off-site.  This will not work, as the connection is too slow and to many switch points exist in the network structure.  Make sure that the location of your shared data file is within a thousand feet of your client machines.
3. Wired network versus Wireless:
   • If using a wireless network you must be using 802.11g or 802.11n (802.11b is too slow).  Though wireless can be used, the speed of wireless can be influenced by type and interference/distance.  Wireless therefore not recommended except for very small fairs.
   • If using a wired network you must be using 100Mbps or faster (10Mpbs is too slow). This must be true for all components of your network.  For example, if your computer network card is only 10Mbps then your speed will be too slow, even if the router or switch is may be 100Mbps.  All computer network cards and router/switch should be 100Mbps or faster (or 1Gbps - see below).
   • Though a 100Mbps network is acceptable, we have seen a significant performance increase among fairs who upgraded to a 1Gbps (gigabit, or 1000Mbps) network, now the more common speed among newer computers. This results in speeds that are almost 10 times faster and almost all speed issues are resolved, regardless of the size of your data file. Usually, this is only needed for large fairs, however the cost in upgrading your network to 1Gbps is very inexpensive (about $25 for a new 1Gbps network card for each computer and $100 for a basic 1Gbps switch). CAT 5e or CAT6 Ethernet cables are required.
4. Data file Location:
   • Your shared data file should reside on a relatively fast computer. Though this typically is not a concern and even older computers can be used to host your shared data file, many may not have a fast enough hard drive. Using a laptop as the primary hosting computer that holds your data file is not recommended due to slower hard drives found in laptops.
5. Server Configuration:
   • If your data is hosted (shared) on a Windows Server machine, check the security settings on the server to ensure that Windows Server is running at optimal settings based on the type of clients and their operating systems.