Download Accelerator

[Jumbo chilli]

Hi,

I've been using DAP(free version)for months and believed it actually accelerates download speed, but I've started wondering.

Since I know there are lots of experts out there on this forum, I would like to ask if I was right, if not,can any of you guys tell me one better

than the one I've been using?

cheers.

J/C

[Guest Reimar]

I use the FreeDownloadManager which is Freeware and can be downloaded from HERE

Cheers.

[Jumbo chilli]

Thanks Reimar, but what I mean is do these accelerators actually increase download speed?

What is your experience with this FDA?

thanks

J/C

[A_Traveller]

The principal is the software allows for more simultaneous connexions for downloading, however the source site must permit this.

Regards

[Plus]

Downloading files you find while browsing should be handled by a browser, not a separate program. For now only Opera has a comparable download feature, maybe next Firefox would have it, too.

Download managers can do a lot of other features, like scheduling and batch downloads, but very few people actually need them.

[Guest Reimar]

Thanks Reimar, but what I mean is do these accelerators actually increase download speed?

What is your experience with this FDA?

thanks

J/C

A_Traveller

explained exactly the work of an Download accelerator but an Download Manager even do more.

The FreeDownloadManager even allows you to start several downloads at same time, download of Torrent Files and more, even uploading of files. It also try's to maximize your connection.

If you use Firefox, I suggest to install FlashGot as well because there you'll have the possibility to choose the different ways of downloading. FlashGot is an AdOn/Extension for Firefox and can be found HERE (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/browse/type:1). Just search for FlashGot and run the install online.

Cheers.

[Crossy]

Thanks Reimar, but what I mean is do these accelerators actually increase download speed?

What is your experience with this FDA?

J/C

A_Traveller

explained exactly the work of an Download accelerator but an Download Manager even do more.

The FreeDownloadManager even allows you to start several downloads at same time, download of Torrent Files and more, even uploading of files. It also try's to maximize your connection.

I also use FDM although I don't use it for Torrents (Azureus is better for that IMHO). try it, it's FREE

Because it opens multiple download streams for each file (limited by the downloading server) you get an effective increase in speed, limited by your download bandwidth obviously.

[nikster]

Flashget - best I know. Use it with the FlashGot Firefox plug-in to automate the process.

The way it works is that most ftp servers have a "resume download" feature. So the download manager goes and downloads 6 or 10 different pieces of a file at the same time. It makes the download much faster because it gets around the ISPs download limiting software. So you might have a 2Mbit connection, but when you download a file, you don't get more than 30KB/s. That's because the ISP limits each connection to a certain maximum speed. If you download 6 pieces of the file simultaneously, each stream will be limited to 30KB/s but in total you are running 6x30KB/s = 180KB/s.

It's the only thing that makes downloads in Thailand bearable.

Why the ISPs insist on limiting stream bandwidth, I really don't know.

Flashget also does torrents but I use uTorrent or Azureus for that.

[monty]

I'm using Orbit.

Freeware, and it a nifty"grab" future.

With this you can download pretty much any streaming media, such as youtube video's.

It also has a speed limiter, very handy if you want to do some other internet stuff while downloading! Handy since these download accelerators tend to hog your internet connection almost completely with their simultaneous streams!

[Guest Reimar]

Flashget - best I know. Use it with the FlashGot Firefox plug-in to automate the process.

The way it works is that most ftp servers have a "resume download" feature. So the download manager goes and downloads 6 or 10 different pieces of a file at the same time. It makes the download much faster because it gets around the ISPs download limiting software. So you might have a 2Mbit connection, but when you download a file, you don't get more than 30KB/s. That's because the ISP limits each connection to a certain maximum speed. If you download 6 pieces of the file simultaneously, each stream will be limited to 30KB/s but in total you are running 6x30KB/s = 180KB/s.

It's the only thing that makes downloads in Thailand bearable.

Why the ISPs insist on limiting stream bandwidth, I really don't know.

Flashget also does torrents but I use uTorrent or Azureus for that.

From my experience Flashget isn't that good as FreeDownloadManager! And not that much options too!

But anyway, it's up to the OP what he want to use!

Cheers.

[Jumbo chilli]

Now I have FDM. Well, I'll try downloading some video clips this evening and see how it performs.

What about "google web accelerator" is it any good?

Thanks to all

J.C

[prallo]

I use Firefox with DownThemAll Add On.

[torrenova]

I was using bitorrent but the new version is not as fast.

Are you saying that this Free Download Manager is a replacement for Bitorrent or what >?

[nikster]

From my experience Flashget isn't that good as FreeDownloadManager! And not that much options too!

I admit I am pretty lazy - if a program does what I think it should do, I don't go looking for alternatives Flashget accelerates downloads, it has a bandwidth limiter, and it works with Firefox and without fuss or muss and as far as I am concerned, that's all a download manager needs to do. Am I missing out on some really cool features in FDM?

[nikster]

I was using bitorrent but the new version is not as fast.

Are you saying that this Free Download Manager is a replacement for Bitorrent or what >?

I'd recommend uTorrent or Azureus for Bittorrents. FDM or Flasget can "do" the Bittorrent protocol as well, but they are just not very good at it. They are for accelerating downloads, as in FTP or HTTP downloads from a server. Bittorrent is peer-to-peer.

[CosmicSurfer]

Downloading files you find while browsing should be handled by a browser, not a separate program. For now only Opera has a comparable download feature, maybe next Firefox would have it, too.

Download managers can do a lot of other features, like scheduling and batch downloads, but very few people actually need them.

Maxthon Browser has a built-in downloader too...

But I prefer either Orbit Downloader, or Gigaget... I'm leaning to Orbit, as it also has a built in Flash and FLV downloader.

Both are recommended by Wanda at Bangkok Post DataBase.

CS

Edited February 14, 2008 by CosmicSurfer

[nikster]

Orbit accelerates Flash downloads? That's awesome!