Freeware to transfer files between computers on the internet

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ray Wesley Kinserlow Jr.
  • Start date Start date
Ray said:
I have a relative that wants to transfer a large number of files from
my computer to his over the Internet. The files are too large to send
by email. Is there freeware that will let us do this?

Ray Wesley Kinserlow Jr.
Lubbock, Texas
kinserlow at hotmail dot com
homepage: www.members.cox.net/rkinserlow
webmaster: www.d16acbl.org/U197/index.html
Click to expand...

Are the files really private/contain sensitive data? If not, I would
give AnalogX SimpleServer
http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/network/sswww.htm a try. I
haven't actually tried it, but I have tried various other AnalogX
utilities and I haven't been let down. Once set up on the sending
machine, the receiving machine can download them with any browser.
However, for the time you had the server running, the files would be
accessible to anyone on the internet.
 
Ray said:
I have a relative that wants to transfer a large number of files from
my computer to his over the Internet. The files are too large to send
by email. Is there freeware that will let us do this?
Click to expand...
http://www.realvnc.com/ that will do it one computer needs the server
program and the other needs the one that is just a connecting program.
Click to expand...

I don't believe vnc does file transfer, it's a remote control
application. The FAQ for the version I have addresses this, and says:

"Since there are a very large number of perfectly good systems out
there for transferring files over IP, we aren't planning to
incorporate it in VNC. It would probably more than double the size of
the code, and would introduce all sorts of issues that we, quite
frankly, aren't interested in! So use the standard file transfer built
into Windows, or use FTP, or netcat, or the web, or rcp, or ssh,
or..."

Also, it's useful if you quote a small relevant portion of the
original post in your reply -- people reading your message may not
have seen the original post.

To the original poster - my suggestion for transferring files between
machines across the internet would be to find a web site that you can
both access. Does one of you have a web site bundled with your ISP
service that has enough space to allow the transfer? If so, use that,
just ftp the files up and down. FTP is built into windows, or you can
use various more-GUI FTP clients that are available. That's probably
the easiest thing to do if it's available, and it runs the least
security risk.

Another option is to break the files up into smaller chunks and email
them, then put them back together again. There are various file
splitting utilities available.

See the pricelesware list (http://www.pricelessware.org) for suggested
programs.

Terry
 
Are the files really private/contain sensitive data? If not, I would
give AnalogX SimpleServer
http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/network/sswww.htm a try. I
haven't actually tried it, but I have tried various other AnalogX
utilities and I haven't been let down. Once set up on the sending
machine, the receiving machine can download them with any browser.
However, for the time you had the server running, the files would be
accessible to anyone on the internet.
Click to expand...

If one of them is running Windows XP Pro, they can use Remote Desktop
which uses Encryption. UltraVNC with RC4 plugin also will do
encrypted file transfer.
 
Kevin Davis³ said:
UltraVNC also has an RC4 encryption plugin to secure the data across
an untrusted network.
Click to expand...

It's simply overkill for this. The OP just needs to transfer files, he doesn't need a
full-blown remote control application that happens to be able to transfer files...

To the OP: temporarily install a simple FTP server on one of the computers, connect to it
with the other computer and voila, you're ready to transfer whatever you need.

So, a freeware FTP server? Some hints:
- FileZilla FTP Server:
http://filezilla.sf.net
- WarFTP Daemon:
http://www.jgaa.com/index.php?cmd=show_article&article_id=113&menu=154

There are numerous other ones, these are the ones I'm familiar with.

Regards,
Wald
 
Robert Bindler said:
Are the files really private/contain sensitive data? If not, I would
give AnalogX SimpleServer
http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/network/sswww.htm a try. I
haven't actually tried it, but I have tried various other AnalogX
utilities and I haven't been let down.
Click to expand...

I've become a bit suspicious of AnalogX stuff, since his AnalogX Proxy
product has had some serious issues in the past (may be fixed by now,
though).

Also, the default security settings of AnalogX (most users don't
care/know how to change them) turn your PC into an open email gateway,
ready for use by spammers:

http://spews.org/html/S2681.html
http://groups.google.be/groups?hl=nl&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8
&threadm=v6eud2jrgcd34f%40news.supernews.com

(mind the line-wrapping)

Well, just thought some people might want to know...

Regards,
Wald
 
Ray said:
I have a relative that wants to transfer a large number of files from
my computer to his over the Internet. The files are too large to send
by email. Is there freeware that will let us do this?
Click to expand...

winmx and a opennap not overcrowded server.
just set up connection and transfer.
then disconnect from the server and let the transfer go :)
 
It's simply overkill for this. The OP just needs to transfer files, he doesn't need a
full-blown remote control application that happens to be able to transfer files...

To the OP: temporarily install a simple FTP server on one of the computers, connect to it
with the other computer and voila, you're ready to transfer whatever you need.
Click to expand...

Yes, UltraVNC has more functionality than he asked for, but it is
simpler to set up and use than most any ftp server. And yes, I have
tried several and have found that it can be frustrating just to find
one that works right. UltraVNC can potentially be much more secure
over an untrusted network too, with the plugin.
 
EasyServ

http://www.gmgdesign.com/products/easyServ/index.php

OVERVIEW:
This software allows you to remotely access a (server) computer from
another computer (the client computer). From an easy to use graphical
console, you can start or stop a portable web server that allows you
to access the server computer using any web browser. You can password
protect the control server, and you can run the web server at any
arbitrary port, and use any available drive letter as the root
directory of the web server. Great for file sharing an entire drive
over an internet connection, and easy to use. As an added bonus, the
server software in this package runs in complete stealth for easy
surveillance of personal property or company equipment.

NOTE: EasyServ has a tendency to set off anti-virus/trojan alarms.
This is noted on the author's site.


FileGateway

http://www.steelbytes.com/

A Peer to Peer file transfer tool, that is friendly with HTTP
proxys/firewalls/routers/etc.

* Works across any proxy that supports HTTP
* Runs as a service on ALL versions of Windows
* Support for NT file security
* Can resume uploads and downloads

Date: 10 July 2003
Version: 1.3.1.106
File Size: 37 KB
Platform: 95 98 Me NT4 2000 XP 2003



tFTP32o

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/philippe.jounin/tftpd32.html

Tftpd32 is a bundle including a full featured
TFTP server, a TFTP client, a DHCP server, an
SNTP server and a syslog server.
Tftpd32 is designed for Windows 95, NT and XP.

The executable file takes less than 100kB and
requires no DLL. (except wsock32.dll).




-WufDog
 
OR . . .

Use the built in functionality of your OS.

Using TCP/IP and File and Print Sharing, set up a dedicated shared
file folder/directory [with STRONG PASSWORD] on each machine and map
it thru Windows Explorer.

"DO NOT SHARE THE WHOLE C:\ DRIVE - just the one created for file
transfer purposes."

Then drag and drop file from machine A share to machine B share


-WufDog
 
EasyServ [...]
NOTE: EasyServ has a tendency to set off anti-virus/trojan alarms.
Click to expand...

And for good reasons one might think!
- The server runs in stealth mode. One double click and it runs till
you remove it with system tools or one *client* connecting to your
open server decides to hit *its* uninstall option.
- All configuration is done on the *client* (even password protection!).
- The server maps all drives and dirs to the net and sends information
about the logged-in user.

Garrett M. Groff writes in his statement on virus alerts that EasyServ
isn't a virus because it doesn't self-replicate and you must have admin
rights to install on NT based systems. But this is *not* the point!
Sure it is no virus but a severe security risk and may be considered a
trojan. While offering a useful function (http file transfer) it opens
a backdoor for anyone. With his statement Garrett just tries to persuade
users to install the server.

The fact that you need admin rights to install on NT is not a hint to
trustfulness but caused by NT design. Most users on SOHO systems run
W2k or XP with admin rights, anyhow.

BeAr
 
It's simply overkill for this. The OP just needs to transfer files, he doesn't need a
full-blown remote control application that happens to be able to transfer files...

To the OP: temporarily install a simple FTP server on one of the computers, connect to it
with the other computer and voila, you're ready to transfer whatever you need.

So, a freeware FTP server? Some hints:
- FileZilla FTP Server:
http://filezilla.sf.net
- WarFTP Daemon:
http://www.jgaa.com/index.php?cmd=show_article&article_id=113&menu=154

There are numerous other ones, these are the ones I'm familiar with.

Regards,
Wald
Click to expand...

I did not meant to recommend UtraVNC as the best way to transfer
files, although it is not a bad choice, very easy to setup and use,
but I doubt it could match the speed of a dedicated file transfer
program. I mentioned UltraVNC because the previous poster mention
RealVNC and I don't think it handles file transfer yet.
 
OR . . .

Use the built in functionality of your OS.

Using TCP/IP and File and Print Sharing, set up a dedicated shared
file folder/directory [with STRONG PASSWORD] on each machine and map
it thru Windows Explorer.

"DO NOT SHARE THE WHOLE C:\ DRIVE - just the one created for file
transfer purposes."

Then drag and drop file from machine A share to machine B share


-WufDog
Click to expand...

I solved the problem by dumping the files to a bunch of zip disks and
giving them to him. I am not happy about what he is doing on this
computer(sharing music files) but it is my mother's computer and it is
up to her to put a stop to it. He's supposed to move on soon and I
will delete all this stuff he's put on her computer.

Ray Wesley Kinserlow Jr.
Lubbock, Texas
kinserlow at hotmail dot com
homepage: www.members.cox.net/rkinserlow
webmaster: www.d16acbl.org/U197/index.html
 
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