What are some options for transferring large files without using the Internet? [closed]

Here's a crazy idea.

If you're within 100 km or so of a populated area, use an ISP in town, set up a wireless network, and make a point-to-point link using a pair of woks. More generally, see long range Wi-Fi; apparently some guys have set up a 300 km, 12-to-48 Mb/s link, using 2 satellite dishes with no special amplification.

You could check if more conventional wireless broadband or power-line internet is available in your area.

Edit: Your user profile says you're in California, so wi-fi will probably only work if you're in the plains, or if at least one site is at high altitude (so that you have line-of-sight between the endpoints).

I'm surprised nobody here mentioned of using rsync. Yes, it still requires Internet access, but considering that the files are weekly software build then there must be lots of unchanged files that do not need to be downloaded and in the files that do change there might be lots of structural similarity where rdiff can do its magic. Your software vendor might even have rsync download server option, or they might be willing to set up one for you; or if they don't then it is relatively easy to setup rsync server at home.

Depending on the changes, rsync can easily reduce a 1GB download to 50MB download.

• Get reimbursed for the gas, or report the mileage on your taxes.

OR

• Are any "consumer" level internet connections available? They tend to be highly asymmetric in terms of transfer rates, so it might be worthwhile to have an inexpensive line for downloads.

Given the relative flight velocity between the two birds I would recommend the obvious upgrade to swallows and coconuts rather than pigeons and MicroSD cards. (How had nobody made that joke yet? Honestly, you can't softball it in like that and not be expected to have someone crank the sucker).

But seriously, an unlimited bandwidth 4g solution is probably the most obvious and convenient method. Correct me if I’m wrong but the only problems with that are:

1) No carrier presently offers such a plan (unless you happened to have an unlimited plan prior to Verizon or AT&T's elimination of those offerings);

2) Your post seems to indicate that you want a sans-internet solution, in which case 4g is not for you.

soandos has some helpful ideas, especially with starting the download via remote access so it is finished and ready for transfer by the time you get home. However, all of this seems remarkably after the though and reactive as opposed to proactive.

If you are aware of such large downloads, why don’t you queue them up at night before nappy time and then just bring them into work with you in the morning? It seems pretty unreasonable to think your company would be so impatient to insist on random +500MB downloads but not be willing to cooperate with you working on the files the following day (i.e. have your manager tell you what you need to be working on for the week/day/month BEFORE you come into work any given day)

That solution may seem kind of old school and certainly not as cool as a 4g wireless tether; but hey, capitalists are known for making due with high efficiency and the resources available. Want a promotion? Save your company $3000 a month in upgraded internet costs (what manager wouldn’t love that) and also help your company get a better grip on its POM (process and operations management), and I can almost give you my Cajun guarantee you will receive high marks.

Looking at you question, it seems to me that the problem isn't you having to drive home, but the fact that your T1 bonding isn't working correctly (I'm going to skip over the fact that you being reamed on the pricing) or that you have a QoS policy in place that is limiting your HTTP download speed.

100 KBps is 800 kbps which as a max speed on a line shared with 150 uses is actually quite good, for a single T1 (~1.5 mbps). Most providers/equipment only allow you to bond 4 T1's at once giving you a theoretical maximum bandwidth of 6 mbps (1.5*4), although if they sold you a 9 mbps line then you probably are lucky enough to have a provider that allows up to 8 bonds with a theoretical max of 12 mbps (1.5*8).

My suggestion would be to figure out why your bonding isn't working and fix that. (If you need help feel free to ask over at Server Fault).