Sending large files for free
April 12, 2015 11:32 AM Subscribe
Somebody is trying to send me a 500 mb file from across the pond. Looking for the fastest free service.
It's not a friend, it's a stranger, so they're (understandably) trying to help me without investing hours of their day. I don't want to push my luck by demanding too much effort. We tried 'We Transfer' and it indicated over an hour to upload for only three folders, so he gave up. The lack of registration for that service was a big draw, though.
I don't have much experience with this. Any better (or much faster) suggestions? If not I'll see if they'll send it over mail, but I suspect there is an easy way online.
It's not a friend, it's a stranger, so they're (understandably) trying to help me without investing hours of their day. I don't want to push my luck by demanding too much effort. We tried 'We Transfer' and it indicated over an hour to upload for only three folders, so he gave up. The lack of registration for that service was a big draw, though.
I don't have much experience with this. Any better (or much faster) suggestions? If not I'll see if they'll send it over mail, but I suspect there is an easy way online.
In my experience, WeTransfer is as fast as your upload internet connection will be; I've uploaded a gig of stuff in 10 minutes at a university internet connection before. So I don't think you'll get anything faster by using another service.
posted by suedehead at 11:42 AM on April 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by suedehead at 11:42 AM on April 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
Amazon S3? Not free but pretty damn cheap.
posted by deathpanels at 12:35 PM on April 12, 2015
posted by deathpanels at 12:35 PM on April 12, 2015
Is there a good reason not to use Google Drive? It's kinda made for this stuff.
posted by guster4lovers at 12:35 PM on April 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by guster4lovers at 12:35 PM on April 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
Looks to me like DBinbox might be the sort of a thing you're looking for, in that it doesn't require your acquaintance to actually sign up for anything. You'll need to make a Dropbox account though.
posted by howfar at 1:06 PM on April 12, 2015
posted by howfar at 1:06 PM on April 12, 2015
Seconding WeTransfer. You don't even really have to sign up for an account. Fast, easy, good.
posted by rachelpapers at 1:27 PM on April 12, 2015
posted by rachelpapers at 1:27 PM on April 12, 2015
The better question is what is the best way to transfer 500mb that is the least bother. Dropbox type transfers wins for that because it can do the transfer in increments whenever they are connected to the network - they don't need to sit there and wait and you don't need to coordinate online times because you can just download it from dropbox whenever they are done uploading it. It also won't completely flood the upstream or downstream so you can internet away while the transferring is happening.
posted by srboisvert at 2:30 PM on April 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by srboisvert at 2:30 PM on April 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
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It might be worth trying "brand name" companies like uploading then sharing via Google Docs or Dropbox. But in general an hour to upload 500mb doesn't sound all that unreasonable to me for an average home connection.
posted by drjimmy11 at 11:39 AM on April 12, 2015