Virgin Media unveils app that secretly slows down your WiFi

VIRGIN Media has urged customers to check their antivirus app as it could be slowing down their Wi-Fi behind the scenes.

In a recent blog post, the network provider said it wants “your broadband to work as hard as you do – on the clock And when you’re not on duty, because we know that relaxation mode is just as important as work mode.”

Antivirus applications are essential for every laptop and PC.

They prevent users from becoming victims of malware.

Any device connected to your broadband reduces available bandwidth, so turn off anything that isn’t in use so there is enough capacity for the video.

Virgin media

“Most people are concerned about their download speed, but slow upload speed can wreak havoc on your video calls, live streaming and gaming,” the company wrote.

“Using your antivirus program, check for malware or viruses that could affect your device’s performance or potentially slow down your broadband speed.”

If your antivirus app has caught malware in its net, tackling it will likely require more bandwidth than usual.

If your antivirus program performs regular background checks, you may want to schedule this for times when you won’t be using your Wi-Fi as often for other activities, such as at night.

Virgin Media explains: “Any device connected to your broadband reduces available bandwidth, so switch off anything not in use to ensure there is enough capacity for the video.

“Close or pause any apps or services running in the background. This is especially relevant if you’re streaming on a computer.”

Important note: Do not completely disable your antivirus program as this will keep your laptop or PC safe while browsing the Internet.

What you can do is temporarily disable it to see if it is the culprit behind your slow WiFi.

If this is the case, try a different antivirus provider.

There are plenty of antivirus providers, many of which offer free trials.