Any advice for fast/er file transfer.

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crxboy

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I receive data from camps around Africa on a daily basis - a data packet typically consists of a zip file in the region of 45MB to 100MB and I receive about 5 of these a day

I am currently using FTP for these transfers on a 4MB, uncapped, shaped line from MWEB. Unfortunately FTP-traffic is shaped by MWEB and the downloads become frustratingly slow during normal hours.

Does anyone know of a secure and fast way to transfer these files using a protocol that is not shaped and still within MWEB's AUP?

I want to try an avoid upgrading to an unshaped package as the escalation in the costs is not a financially viable option at this point.

Any suggestions and recommendations will be appreciated.
 
crxboy said:
I receive data from camps around Africa on a daily basis - a data packet typically consists of a zip file in the region of 45MB to 100MB and I receive about 5 of these a day

I am currently using FTP for these transfers on a 4MB, uncapped, shaped line from MWEB. Unfortunately FTP-traffic is shaped by MWEB and the downloads become frustratingly slow during normal hours.

Does anyone know of a secure and fast way to transfer these files using a protocol that is not shaped and still within MWEB's AUP?

I want to try an avoid upgrading to an unshaped package as the escalation in the costs is not a financially viable option at this point.

Any suggestions and recommendations will be appreciated.
Click to expand...

You won't have any luck with MWEB's new shaping rules. EVERYTHING is shaped. Move to Openweb GOLD. It's what I'm doing.
 
... new shaping rules
Click to expand...
Could you point me in a direction where I can read more about this I apologize for my ignorance in this regard.
 
You can try the following:

  • Install a web server and put the zip files on said web server and use http or https.
  • Implement .htaccess and password the zip files for security.
  • Use 7-zip as it makes the files a lot smaller - http://www.7-zip.org/
  • Slit the files (7-zip and zip allow this) into smaller chunks that can be resumed
  • Switch to business ADSL - which allows for this type of activity

Note that if the source server is connected via ADSL, you will be limited to the upstream rate of ADSL - about 512Kbps
You won't have any luck with MWEB's new shaping rules. EVERYTHING is shaped. Move to Openweb GOLD. It's what I'm doing.
Click to expand...

Switching may not help if the problem is with Telkom's exchange/DSLAM being overloaded.
 
Last edited:
Thanks system32,

I will look into this. Already using Zip7 with password protection for size/security. The majority of the uploads take place outside SA and at this point I am more concerned getting them down as quickly as possible on this side.

Thanks in advance, will look into your suggestions.
 
If you're prepared to move away from upcapped you can get 20Gb of axxess-lite for R380 with top-ups at R19/Gb which will solve your ftp speed problem.
 
I think the optimal solution would be rsync. Its what the local linux mirrors use to mirror the international repositories. It supports multiple protocols including SSH, which will bypass shaping.

mweb AUP works primarily by looking what % of your traffic is either encrypted or can't be identified. You're looking at 15gb a month, so if you aren't doing any other downloads that will count as encrypted then you could just jam the whole thing through an encrypted protocol & call it a day.

Alternatively you could just hire a ZA server & have the ppl up it to there.
 
crxboy said:
Could you point me in a direction where I can read more about this I apologize for my ignorance in this regard.
Click to expand...

Check the general mweb feedback thread. Problems started on the 1st of May.
 
You can also try CuteFTP, which can download a single file in multiple parts via FTP. It's a bit pricey though.
 
Get a seperate unshaped capped account just for the downloads perhaps?
 
If you're getting those files locally, then try something like the Axxess/OpenWeb IS 30GB Local Only accounts for ~R130.
 
Thanks a mil for everyone's input.

I think I migh get a seperate capped unshaped account for the downloads - I see there are some decent options out there.

I have been on leave and I have not noticed the issues mentioned in the "MWEB Uncapped Subscribers Feedback" yet. But believe me I will test my connection tonight - if my connection is affected by these issues, I am going to be ****ed off - believe me I will not hesitate to take my business elsewhere. For now I will give MWEB the benefit of the doubt.
 
I did a little test on my 4mbps Home uncapped quickly now. Put a 60meg file onto my overseas FTP,downloaded it using FTP and Multithreaded HTTP,Single thread downloaded at 12kB/s,Multithreaded ran at 60-100kB/s. Might be your host running slow?
 
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