Browser upload and download limits

chrstrbrts

Senior member
Aug 12, 2014
522
3
81
Hi,

Some time ago, I attempted to upload a large, 3GB I think, file to a file storage site.

I waited quite a while as the file uploaded; America really doesn't have high speed internet as you all know.

But, right around the 2GB mark I got an error message about exceeding my browser's limit and the uploading stopped altogether with whatever was uploaded lost.

Why did this happen?

I've gotten this error when downloading large files as well.

Am I to assume that internet browsers use RAM as some kind of buffer when uploading and downloading and that if files are too big RAM gets exceeded?
 

deustroop

Golden Member
Dec 12, 2010
1,915
354
136
Tell us more information-what browser, what OS, which storage site, the source of the message and its exact wording.
 

Elixer

Lifer
May 7, 2002
10,371
762
126
There is no browser that I am aware of that would download everything to RAM first.
Usually, you see that message if you have a filesystem that doesn't support >X GB files.

Or in other words, don't try to get a file that is bigger than what the filesystem can support, or it won't be able to write it. (Very common if you use a FAT/32 USB stick to download stuff to).
 

chrstrbrts

Senior member
Aug 12, 2014
522
3
81
There is no browser that I am aware of that would download everything to RAM first.
Usually, you see that message if you have a filesystem that doesn't support >X GB files.

Or in other words, don't try to get a file that is bigger than what the filesystem can support, or it won't be able to write it. (Very common if you use a FAT/32 USB stick to download stuff to).

I was uploading data.
 

Elixer

Lifer
May 7, 2002
10,371
762
126
Still... there is no browser that would buffer the whole file to RAM.

Something else is going on.
 

mxnerd

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2007
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I tested uploading a file to Mega.nz and used packet analyzer, each data frame is only about 3000 bytes.

Like what Elixer said, it's something else. Have you retried since then?
 

chrstrbrts

Senior member
Aug 12, 2014
522
3
81
I tested uploading a file to Mega.nz and used packet analyzer, each data frame is only about 3000 bytes.

Like what Elixer said, it's something else. Have you retried since then?

It was months ago. I managed a way around it, but can't remember what I did.
 

mxnerd

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2007
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Well, just ignore it then. Since 2GB limit only happens on old FAT16 file system, and all new system file size limit is way beyond that.

Unless file storage sites set a hard limit, but checked mega.nz and it seems does not have file size limit.
 

mxnerd

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2007
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When you send a file or data across ethernet cable or wifi connection, the file or data must be broken down to TCP data packets and transmitted from source to destination and recombined. They are usually among 1300 or 1500 bytes to 9000 bytes (jumbo frame).

It does not have to do with file size directly, of course. But since you are wondering whether the 2GB limit has anything to do with buffering, I'm just trying to explain that the file uploading / downloading big files doesn't mean browser will load the whole file in the memory before doing the transmission.
 
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chrstrbrts

Senior member
Aug 12, 2014
522
3
81
When you send a file or data across ethernet cable or wifi connection, the file or data must be broken down to TCP data packets and transmitted from from source to destination and recombined. They are usually among 1300 or 1500 bytes to 9000 bytes (jumbo frame).

But how does the size of the frame pertain to file size limitations?

The number of frames seems pertinent here, not the size of the frames themselves.
 

MushyNAT

Junior Member
Jun 14, 2017
17
5
36
Mega caches everything to temporary internet files as it uses some proprietary upload/download nonsense to do it's thing. I get the same thing when I try to do anything with mega if an individual filesize is larger than about 1.5 gigs, firefox will try it's best until the cache gets too big and it crashes.

Long story short, it's not the browser that's the "problem" really, Mega is just trying to do things in a way that is unreasonable for a browser to do. You can use their Megasync app if you really want to get around it, but since they put download caps on free users and started pushing this crapware I've just stopped using them entirely. The only good thing about them *was* the lack of an hourly download cap in the first place.
 

mxnerd

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2007
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