Why are my download files suddenly failing?
July 30, 2018 1:52 PM Subscribe
I am throwing it out there in case anyone has an idea of why this might be happening, google has not provided any solutions and I am getting desperate.
I download a lot of files (.psd and .pdfs) from the web for work, and all of sudden I can't seem to download anything larger than about 60mbs. The download speed is zipping along at a good clip, and then suddenly slows and stops somewhere around 60-70 mbs and I get a "failed - network error" message. I have tried restarting my wifi (a Sprint unlimited hotspot through Calyx), tried Chrome, Safari and Firefox (and restarting them and my laptop) and emptying the browser cache.
I have also tested downloading a 100mb zip test file from Thinkbroadband and it downloaded just fine in seconds.
Any thoughts on why this might be happening?
I download a lot of files (.psd and .pdfs) from the web for work, and all of sudden I can't seem to download anything larger than about 60mbs. The download speed is zipping along at a good clip, and then suddenly slows and stops somewhere around 60-70 mbs and I get a "failed - network error" message. I have tried restarting my wifi (a Sprint unlimited hotspot through Calyx), tried Chrome, Safari and Firefox (and restarting them and my laptop) and emptying the browser cache.
I have also tested downloading a 100mb zip test file from Thinkbroadband and it downloaded just fine in seconds.
Any thoughts on why this might be happening?
- How long has it been happening? If you haven't tried this already, leave that website alone for around 15 minutes and see if it's better when you get back. (The internet just barely works. Tons of things can go wrong with a particular node, and if you're unlucky enough to be stuck with it, waiting to be directed to a different node might be all you need to do.)
- Is it happening to other people? If you and your coworkers all download things from Business Website, maybe IM someone to see if they're also having trouble. If this isn't that kind of job, Google for the site's status page or for "down for everyone or just me?" sites. If it's their end, it'll affect many visitors to that site, and hopefully they'll sort it out soonish.
- Are you wirelessly connected to the hotspot? Could anything be interfering with the signal - either to the hotspot or from it to Sprint? Culprits can include big metal things like safes, microwave ovens, and some kinds of specialized audiovisual and scientific equipment.
posted by bagel at 2:52 PM on July 30, 2018
- Is it happening to other people? If you and your coworkers all download things from Business Website, maybe IM someone to see if they're also having trouble. If this isn't that kind of job, Google for the site's status page or for "down for everyone or just me?" sites. If it's their end, it'll affect many visitors to that site, and hopefully they'll sort it out soonish.
- Are you wirelessly connected to the hotspot? Could anything be interfering with the signal - either to the hotspot or from it to Sprint? Culprits can include big metal things like safes, microwave ovens, and some kinds of specialized audiovisual and scientific equipment.
posted by bagel at 2:52 PM on July 30, 2018
I sometimes experience this where files are zippilly downloading but near the end of the file it hangs and may or may not prompt an error message.
Selecting a different folder/ drive to download to usually fixes this - suggesting a permissions hiccough somewhere between the browser and the OS.
Sometimes restarting the browser (and manually killing all associated processes) fixes it, otherwise a hard reboot.
Any virus scanners active? Try temporarily disabling it Sometimes the update to Avast or AVG lags behind some new thing in the browser that starts giving the scanner fits and it won't let the file be completely written to your drive.
posted by porpoise at 3:32 PM on July 30, 2018
Selecting a different folder/ drive to download to usually fixes this - suggesting a permissions hiccough somewhere between the browser and the OS.
Sometimes restarting the browser (and manually killing all associated processes) fixes it, otherwise a hard reboot.
Any virus scanners active? Try temporarily disabling it Sometimes the update to Avast or AVG lags behind some new thing in the browser that starts giving the scanner fits and it won't let the file be completely written to your drive.
posted by porpoise at 3:32 PM on July 30, 2018
As a workaround, a download manager can often resume interrupted downloads or stay under a speed threshold (in case traffic shaping is killing the download). JDownloader is a well known one.
posted by Anonymous Function at 3:58 PM on July 30, 2018
posted by Anonymous Function at 3:58 PM on July 30, 2018
Response by poster: The files are from the same website, but I seem to be able to download large files from other sites. I am the only person who downloads from this particular area, and IT (I am working remotely), was able to download the files just fine.
I went over to a neighbor who has Comcast, and same thing, the files hung midway through, always around 70mb or close to it. I tried another computer in the house, same thing. And all the other suggestions folks have made here, with the exception of a download manager, it doesn't seem to load the url I give it, maybe because the site has a login.
posted by nanook at 5:52 PM on July 30, 2018
I went over to a neighbor who has Comcast, and same thing, the files hung midway through, always around 70mb or close to it. I tried another computer in the house, same thing. And all the other suggestions folks have made here, with the exception of a download manager, it doesn't seem to load the url I give it, maybe because the site has a login.
posted by nanook at 5:52 PM on July 30, 2018
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posted by TWinbrook8 at 1:54 PM on July 30, 2018