GetRight 5.2d Online Manual

Accelerated/Segmented Downloading

GetRight can break up a file and download different pieces from different servers (or a single server) at the same time.

If there are several servers where a file can be downloaded, this can work especially well since it can download from several or all of them at the same time.  For some Internet connections, this can dramatically improve the speed of the file download.  For example: if your connection can transfer at 600.0k per second, and there are 6 servers for downloading the file, but they each will only send data at 100.0k per second, GetRight can download from all 6 at the same time.  So, instead of getting just 100.0k per second, it could get the full 600.0k per second--six times the speed without Accelerated downloading.  Accelerated downloading is most useful if there is one file you really want to get as fast as possible.

To help spread around the server usage, and keep from "annoying" some server administrators, GetRight will not use the same server for downloading more than three segments of the same file.  If you do not have alternates for a file, you may do three segments to the same server.  If you have alternate addresses (mirrors) for a file for GetRight will allow up to ten segments total (so at least 3 mirrors to do all ten).  The file must also be at least 100k in size for Segmented downloading to be available.

On the download windows, GetRight will display an additional progress bar when doing Segmented downloading so you can see how each piece of the file is progressing.

You can easily see how the 3 segments are going...and how they will switch around to help each other as they finish different parts of the file.  Controls for each segment may be found under the Options button menu on the download window. 

You probably don't need to (and should not) use this for every download you do.  It is most useful if there is a file you really want to get as fast as possible.  Most of the time just a regular file download will use all of your connection's capacity.

NOTE:  This is not guaranteed to help improve the speed for all downloads.  Your experience will vary depending on many factors, including your connection/modem, your Internet Service Provider, the servers you are downloading from, and Internet traffic in general.  But if your download is reaching only a fraction of the speed at which your are connected, this can really help.

When doing accelerated downloading the usual "Resumed ## times" message won't be shown on the download window.  Since each segment is resuming at some point in the file, this number grows very quickly and the actual number or times GetRight connected to various servers to get the file isn't as valuable.  When the file is using Accelerated downloading, Yes:* will be shown on the Download Status in the Resume column.

Hopefully there are no odd situations, GetRight has done this for many years, but it is possible some files may not download properly when using Accelerated Downloading.

For more updated information and tips (and problems or warnings) about Accelerated Downloading, see  www.getright.com/segmented.html

To Start Accelerated Downloading:

Simply start a download as usual.  On the download window, click the Options button, then pick "Accelerated Downloading" from the menu that appears.  You may use 2 to 8 segments.  (The usual method of downloading, is really just 1 segment from the beginning to the end.)  The Options button menu will then show each segment so you may control them separately.  The more servers available the better, GetRight will try to use as many different servers as possible.

You may also setup on the Accelerate configuration tab, so that GetRight will automatically do Accelerated downloading.

How It Works With Your Limits:

You can setup limits for GetRight's Automatic downloading on the Automatic Mode configuration tab.  Accelerated downloading tries to obey these same limits.  Each segment counts as a download toward these limits.  (As usual, limits only do apply when doing Automatic downloading.)

Note:  If the accelerated files share many of the same mirrors, GetRight may not hit the Total limit if the Per Server limit gets reached first.  (This applies in general to GetRight...if every file is on the same server, GetRight will often reach the Per Server limit before the Total limit.)

Stopping Accelerated Downloading:

You can use the "Delete This Segment" in the menu for each segment, when you are down to one, that is close to a regular download.  The difference is that you very likely have downloaded pieces spread around in the file.  In order to not redownload, even the single segment may jump around a bit to skip past completed parts.  The only way to completely stop a file in progress from being downloaded using Accelerated downloading, is using the Download Status, Edit->Restart Download(s) From The Beginning menu item.  Or deleting the download from your list and re-adding it will work to (but say to Overwrite the existing file!)

More Info:  www.getright.com/segmented.html