Transmit Oversize Files Via The Internet

Q. From time to time I have to send vary large files via the Internet. Unfortunately, my Internet service provider won’t let me send files larger than 2 megabytes, so I have to load the files in high-capacity Zip disks and send them by “snail mail,” which can be slow and cumbersome. Also, those disks are expensive. Is there some other way to handle this?

A. There are several solutions to the problem, and most of them involve intricate transmission techniques, which require some technical sophistication. The best way I’ve found is to use file-splitter software, which takes a large file—it could be anything from an application to a big database—and breaks it into conveniently sized chunks so they can be sent over the Internet.

However, many file-splitters require that both the sender and the recipient have the application so the received files can recombine the various chunks when they arrive at their destination. I use a freeware program called Dariolius ( www.kanastacorp.com/dariolius.html ), which sidesteps that problem by nesting a little unobtrusive program within the chunks that performs the recombining even if the recipient doesn’t have Dariolius. As you can see from the screenshot below, the Dariolius work screen is intuitive and very easy to set up.

There are many other file-splitter programs available. To find one you like, search the Internet for file splitter and a dozen or so will be listed. Most cost less than $20.

If the file you want to send is just a bit over the size limit and you don’t send large files very often, there are other, easier ways to handle the transmission. The simplest is to compress the file either with a built-in Windows application or download WinZip ( www.winzip.com ), a commercial compression program. To access the Windows compression utility, go to Explorer and right-click on the file you want to zip and click on Properties and then Advanced . Finally, place a check in the box next to Compress contents to save disk space and click on OK .

If the file you want to send is a graphics file and contains large BMP images, convert them to the leaner JPG format first. There are freeware programs, such as Irfanview ( www.irfanview.com/main_download_engl.htm ), which can make that conversion.

Be courteous: Don’t send large files to people without first asking their permission. Unless they have a fast broadband connection, a huge attachment could tie up the recipient’s modem for extended periods. They may ask you to send the files at a time when their computers are not otherwise in use.