Attaching files to an email used to be the standard way to share photos, videos, and documents with friends, family, and colleagues. But as file sizes continue to grow, email is becoming less and less a viable option.
Most email clients don’t allow you to attach files larger than 25 MB. And as it turns out, even photos can now be as large as 200 MB.
So, what happens when you have to send those wedding photos to family, a video demo to a client, or large gaming files to a friend?
Thankfully, there are now different file sharing methods and services that allow you to send and receive large files.
This article covers the different ways to transfer big files and how to speed up your transfers.
Using Cloud Storage Services
Cloud storage is the popular way to share large files today. Services like Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox use numerous data servers to host files over the Internet, allowing users to store unlimited files.
You can upload large files and share them via links. Cloud storage providers also allow you and your colleagues to work on documents and spreadsheets in real-time.
You can attach the link to an email instead of the file. Some email clients take a step further to make things easier.
For example, the Google Drive option is integrated into Gmail, and Yahoo Mail allows you to share a Dropbox link.
If the option isn’t integrated, you can copy the link and paste it into the email body.
While cloud storage makes file transfer easy, it comes with downsides. First, you must commit to a subscription to share large files, as the free tiers come with limits.
For example, OneDrive allows you to store only 5 GB for free, and Google Drive offers 15 GB of free storage. Dropbox provides free 2 GB, and you get only 5 GB on iCloud after signing up. There are also other limits regarding file sizes you can upload at once and daily.
FileWhopper is another cloud-based file-sharing service that allows you to send files without subscription-based payments. Instead, it allows you to send files of any size to a remote recipient and pay a one-time fee depending on the file size.
FileWhopper serves as an option for those who want to transfer large files without limits and restrictions. For example, Google Drive allows you to upload only 750 GB of files each day, and you can only upload files of 50 GB through Dropbox’s website.
With FileWhopper, you can transfer 1 TB or even 10 TB, and you’re only required to pay for what you send. However, the first 5 GB you transfer is free of charge.
File Compression
File compression involves reducing the original size of files to save physical storage space and facilitate the online file transfer. The process shrinks data by utilizing density algorithms, and lossless compression means your files remain intact.
You can consider compressing the files you want to transfer to meet your email attachment limit and save time.
There are different programs that you can use to compress your files. For example, 7zip is a free tool that you can use on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems to compress your files. Since most operating systems can extract compressed files without special programs, you can send them to anyone.
It also helps to compress multiple files into one archive folder before transferring. This way, you don’t have to attach file after file to the same email address.
You can also protect your file by securing it with a password during the compression process.
The downside of compressing files is that it doesn’t always help you achieve the 25 MB limit. In such cases, you may have to split the files, making the process more complex, especially for novices.
What’s more, people tend to avoid files with the EXE extension. They may reject files in this format over email for security reasons.
Sharing Large Files Fast
Speed is one of the primary challenges of transferring large files over the internet. Cloud storage services are generally fast, and you can upload gigabytes of data in minutes, depending on factors such as:
- Your Internet signal
- Computer speed
- File source
- Malware
You can deal with these factors to significantly speed up your upload.
Your Internet Connection
Your Internet connection is one of the primary factors determining your upload speed. It could have something to do with your current internet connection plan, Wi-Fi connection, or internet device.
Change Your Internet Connection Plan
When it comes to your internet connection plan, you have to think about the upload bandwidth offered by your Internet Service Provider. Most ISPs sell their packages using download bandwidths without specifically mentioning upload bandwidth.
So, check out the fine details and determine if your upload bandwidth is causing the slow speed. If it is, consider changing your plan or ISP.
How to boost your Wi-Fi Connection
How you connect to the internet is another factor. If you’re always hooked up to Wi-Fi, this could be the problem. Wi-Fi connections can be affected by different things, including your Wi-Fi device, obstructions like walls, distance, and your frequency band.
Things you should do to boost your Wi-Fi connection include:
- Going close to your router or modem
- Changing the router’s position
- Switching from 2.5 GHz to 5 GHz and vice versa
- Restarting your router
- Disconnecting some devices from the network
Use a Wired Connection
If you can, use an ethernet connection instead. Hooking up your computer directly to your internet device helps you avoid most of the shortcomings of a wireless connection. For example, you don’t have to worry about bands, frequencies, and other obstructions, like distance.
Your Device’s Speed
The performance of the device you use to upload the file affects upload speed. Things like CPU speed, RAM size, and disk space determine how fast a computer or smart device can process data.
Using a device with low hardware specifications may mean that you’ll suffer slow uploads.
You can go for a faster computer or kill other processes to speed things up.
If your computer has a firewall connection that may be blocking the upload process, consider turning it off.
The File Source
File transfers would be faster if you used an SSD instead of an HDD.
SSDs are significantly faster than HDDs because the former uses electrical circuitry, and the latter reads data off of a physical disk. So, if you want speedier future upload speeds, consider using an SSD.
Get Rid of Malware
Whether you’re using a computer, tablet, or smartphone, malware can cause chaos that will result in different issues, including slow uploads.
So, ensure your system is malware-free by running a thorough malware scan. There are numerous effective antivirus programs than can find and remove these malicious programs.
Summing up
Speed and security remain the pressing challenges in transferring large files. Thankfully, cloud storage and services like FileWhopper reduce these concerns. However, ensure you take all the steps to keep your files secured and protected against relentless cybercriminals.
