How to send a large file

Have you ever had trouble sending a particular file attachment through e-mail, and wondered why? The file is probably too large. Most mail servers restrict attachment sizes to a maximum of 10MB, and sometimes even less than that. If you're trying to send someone a video file, a large batch of photos, or anything else that exceeds the limit, the e-mail won't go through. (Think of it as trying to stuff an oversize package into a small mailbox.) Fortunately, there are ways around these restrictions.

Email: For Large Files Under 10-25 MB

Email is one of the most common ways to make file transfers, especially among users who do not transfer files often. Email is also safe and secure, so you do not have to worry about other individuals accessing the files. You can also compress large files with compression software. The user on the other end does not need the compression software to decompress the attachment.

Online File Delivery Services: For Larger File Sizes

A variety of online services exist that let users send, receive and track files. YouSendIt is a simple to use program that offers different options, features and costs. The service is provided at no cost for file sizes up to 50MB. The sender just needs to create an account, enter the recipients email address, attach the file and send it. The recipient receives an email notification with a URL that lets them download the file.

Another option is Dropbox. Dropbox also offers free and paid services with varying options, but works differently than YouSendIt. It integrates with your desktop, laptop or any other devices that you have so that all of your files are available on the web and all these files automatically sync between all of your devices. Shared files and folders can be setup for different users to share and access. You can read more about Dropbox on our blog http://northerncomputer.blogspot.ca/2012/03/what-is-dropbox.html.

FTP: For Heavy File Transfer Loads

FTP, or File Transfer Protocol, is designed to transfer many large files at once. If you have the need to make large file transfers often, then you can look into this option. Unfortunately, setting up FTP accounts and servers can be a tedious task.  A secure FTP site may be required if you are transferring sensitive documents. Northern Computer technicians can help to setup an FTP site if you are often required to transfer large files.

Northern Computer - Your Trusted Partner
#1 - 495 Banks Road Kelowna, BC V1X 6A2
Phone: 250.762.7753 Fax: 250.861.1861 Toll-Free: 1.877.257.2896
Email: sales@northerncomputer.ca or service@northerncomputer.ca
Web: http://www.northerncomputer.ca

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Do I need an SSD? Is it worth the price?

A solid state drive (SSD) is a hard drive for your computer without the moving parts. A normal hard disk drive has spinning disks from which data is written and read.

What are the advantages of an SSD?

Because SSDs have no moving parts, they tend to be much more durable and reliable. A Hard Disk Drive (HDD) is prone to mechanical failure from vibrations or drops – an SSD is not. This decreases the risk of data loss due to shock and vibration, and this means time between failure (MTBF) greatly exceeds that of traditional hard disk drives, giving users peace of mind that it will retain their files for the long term.

An SSD is up to 10 times faster than a 7,200 RPM HDD. Users can quickly boot and shut down their systems, launch applications faster and reduce wait times. SSDs are the types of drives found in tablets.

They are more durable and power efficient. They consume 30 percent less power than a HDD while generating less heat and noise, making it an ideal solution for notebook users who want to maximize their battery life while computing on the go.

So, is it worth it?

For the price of my 128 GB SSD one could buy a 1 TB HDD. SSDs are still expensive and it can be hard to trade-off storage space for performance. If you have a PC with expansion space it’s no problem, just put your operating system on the SSD and pictures, videos, and music on your HDD. If you’re looking to upgrade a laptop it can be harder to decide. There may be other, cheaper ways to increase performance, such as a RAM upgrade.

However, if you need more space you might need to go for a traditional HDD, but make sure that it is at least a 7200 RPM drive.

As technology makes advancements and memory capacity can be added to smaller spaces, the price of SSDs will reduce.  For now, you just need to decide on what is more important - space or performance.

- Janet F, IT Consultant

Northern Computer - Your Trusted Partner
#1 - 495 Banks Road Kelowna, BC V1X 6A2
Phone: 250.762.7753 Fax: 250.861.1861 Toll-Free: 1.877.257.2896
Email: sales@northerncomputer.ca or service@northerncomputer.ca
Web: http://www.northerncomputer.ca

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Bandwidth Explained

The term Bandwidth refers to how much data is sent (uploaded) and retrieved (downloaded) from one source to another through the internet. Bandwidth is a term commonly used by both Internet Service Providers (ISP), and Website Hosting Providers to track and limit the data that is transferred using their services.


Data transfer over your Internet connection is measured at bits per second. One kilobit per second, or kbps, is a unit of data transfer rate equal to 1000 bits per second, or 125 bytes per second. One megabit per second, or Mbps, is equal to one million bits per second, or 125000 bytes per second. The higher the number of your download and upload speeds, the faster your data will transfer across the network.

The uploading of files is typically slower than downloading files. This is because most Internet connections are designed to provide much better speed for downloading than uploading. Most users spend more time downloading (which includes viewing web pages or multimedia files) than they do uploading and ISPs have designed their systems to give priority to downloading.

Your upload and download speeds will not match the maximum advertised speed of your connection. It's normal to only get 80-90% of the advertised maximum, and in the small print of your service provider's terms you'll find that they only promise "up to" the advertised speed, not that you will always get that speed. This happens for several reasons. First, your connection may be shared with other people in your building or neighborhood, so if a lot of other people are using the Internet you may experience a slowdown. Second, servers may be busy uploading and downloading files for many different users, so they are unable to provide the maximum possible speed for your files. Finally, other network activity on your computer may slow down your transfer, since it must all share the same connection.

When evaluating options for ISPs, choose one that offers the appropriate amount of bandwidth for your needs, along with good service and support for a reasonable cost. Plans can be compared by the monthly bandwidth included and the download and upload speeds.
Bandwidth prices have been gradually dropping over the last few years and capacity is constantly increasing as consumers demand more bandwidth. As cloud services/data centres become more common place, the need for more bandwidth will also continue to grow.

 

- Janet F, IT Consultant

Northern Computer - Your Trusted Partner
#1 - 495 Banks Road Kelowna, BC V1X 6A2
Phone: 250.762.7753 Fax: 250.861.1861 Toll-Free: 1.877.257.2896
Email: sales@northerncomputer.ca or service@northerncomputer.ca
Web: http://www.northerncomputer.ca

Read More