Comments on: how do I send files >1GB? OSX

Question: how do I send files >1GB? OSX

lukeomalley — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 12:53:37 -0800

I am a mac OSX user and I want to send Huge (>1GB) files via the internet. Does anyone have a solution other than Yousendit, dropshare or AIM?

By: zabuni

zabuni — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 12:56:59 -0800

Setup up a webserver on the mac, and have people download it that way?

Use Rapidshare, and break the file into chunks using something like RAR?

By: zabuni

zabuni — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 12:58:49 -0800

Also, wikipedia has a page for one click hosting solutions.

By: zzztimbo

zzztimbo — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 12:59:35 -0800

I like Pando. Both ends has to install a client. They have both a Mac and PC installable. It uses bit-torrent-like technology. The receiving end can begin their download before you're done uploading.

By: gergtreble

gergtreble — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 13:00:31 -0800

Gigasize I think their size limit is 1.5Gb.

I use them quite a lot on my blog. Good service so far.

By: plaidrabbit

plaidrabbit — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 13:03:33 -0800

Maybe a home FTP server, perhaps? If you need to get it to more than one person, perhaps BitTorrent, with a tracker on a webserver you control?

By: unSane

unSane — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 13:10:59 -0800

Mac OS X comes with FTP as standard.

Go to the 'Accounts' preference pane and create a new user (eg 'FTP User') with a new password.

Log on as 'FTP User' or whatever you called it and in the 'Sharing' preference pane turn on 'FTP Access'. Turn off all the other sharing options.

Make sure port 21 is not blocked by your router.

Put a copy of the file in Users>FTP User>Documents

Log out of 'FTP User' and log back in to your own account as usual.

Now, so long as you leave the computer turned on, anyone can ftp to your computer using its IP address and log in as 'FTP User' with the correct password, and download the file.

If you don't have a static IP, you can use no-ip.com to give yourself a domain name such as 'myftpserver.no-ip.info' or whatever.

By: Good Brain

Good Brain — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 14:02:43 -0800

Foldershare is easy to use, supports multiple users, works in the background, runs on both Mac and PC, and doesn't require messing with your firewall, and doesn't require you to have an intermediate server. It works with files up to 2GB in size and it is free of charge.

By: eatcake

eatcake — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 14:49:36 -0800

Consider this--if you decide to host the file somewher for the other party to download, you need to factor in uploading time which if you're at home will probably be slow as hell (for GBs worth of data anyway).

I would either set something up so that they can grab the files directly from your computer or if time is not critical, just fedex it to them.

I had a project where i needed to work on multiple 255mb files (say 8 of them) the client's connection only let me download from them at 50kbs and i could onlny upload to them on my connection at 50kps. So if i got a call in the morning to have the files finished by the end of the day it would've actually been faster for me to go down to the client pick up the files on disc, work on them and drive another disc back to them.

Even if it's a one way transfer (you => them) it will still be faster to either let them download from you or ship them a disc.

By: filmgeek

filmgeek — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 15:16:32 -0800

Seconding Pando.

By: mdpc98

mdpc98 — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 15:33:24 -0800

i've used pando successfully for files ~1/2 that size. seems to work fine

By: matholio

matholio — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 19:48:15 -0800

A good solution will depend on how often you want to send them, and how many sites need to get the files.
Also, a 1GB files can compress well, it depends on the content.

If you have to deposit (push) the file in a specific location (such as uploading a large image to a printer) then your options are rather constrained by the services offered by the recipient.
Probably they will have ftp and won't want it in seperate files.
Speak to them see if they have a solution, if it's a business, your probably not the first to need this.

If the recipients don't mind downloading the file, then consider hosting it at your end and they can retrieve it using downloading software. You need either an ftp server or a webserver and some skills.

If multiple people want the file, then peer-to-peer software can be useful.
The easiest might be to install emule or edonkey and publish your file, then send the recipients the link.

Bittorrent is also an option, but you'll will need to figure out how and that's not always simple.

With all this, for you to transfer that file anywhere, your speed will bem limited by your connection upload speed, sometimes snailmail is still faster.

By: kenchie

kenchie — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 21:56:43 -0800

Box.net

By: koolkat

koolkat — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 08:29:59 -0800

Hamachi to set up a VPN and then anyone can download it when they wish.