Download Manager
If you are using a dialup phone modem, use a download manager
If you are downloading large files such as TNTmips or sample datasets over a dialup phone modem, a download manager is a necessity.
A download manager can continue a download after it fails, from the same place where it stopped. If the site that offers the source file fails, or if the network connections along the way fail, or if the connection or computer at your location fails, you will be happy if you have a download manager that lets you start again at the place where the download was interrupted instead of starting all over from the beginning of the file. Some download managers even make multiple connections to the source server, which can speed things up, particularly if your total connection latency (delay between your site and the source site) is high.
Resuming interrupted downloads of large files
From our experience at MicroImages, we can recommend Go!Zilla. When you download
Go!Zilla from gozilla.com, you
can click on the free 30 day trial to use it to see if it meets your needs.
Go!Zilla can be a little tricky to figure out, but works great once you know how
to use it. (This is not an official endorsement for Go!Zilla, it has just proved
to be a good tool for the job in our experience).
Of course there are many other download managers on the market. Click here to see links to the download managers located by Google.
"Best" Download times. Under optimal conditions, if you have a clean connection and no slow internet nodes between you and MicroImages:
| 56Kbs modem | 300 Megabytes = 12.5 hours |
| 256 Kbs DSL | 300 Megabytes = 2.5 hours |
| 700 Kbs Cable Modem | 300 Megabytes = 1 hour |