Transferring large files between two computers

[bamacre]

I've got a client that currently has a Dell Precision T3400 and he's getting a T3500. He needs to "regularly" transfer large files between the two computers.

The T3500 has an eSATA port, the T3400 does not. Is there a PCI Express x8 e-SATA card that isn't too pricey? Would a PCI e-SATA card be bottlenecked by the PCI bus? The T3400 does not have PCI Express x1 slots. Or is Gigabit ethernet the way to go (both systems have it). He's frugal.

 

[imagoon]

Use gig ethernet. By the time you copy to a disk and back on to the second machine, the "slower" 1gig connection would have already finished the copy. As a side note, Most hard drives in home pc's will have a hard time saturating a 1gig connection anyway.

The only exception to this would be if both machines had SSD disks. However "frugal" and "high performance SSD" don't go well together in the same sentence.

The PCI bus is pretty close to the same performance a gigabit ethernet connection PCI is theoretical about 130MB/s with Gig is 125MB/s

Also PCIe 1x card will work in an 4x 8x or 16x slot.

 

[corkyg]

eSATA is definitely the way to move large files. This one seems frugal:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16816132007

I use laptop cards regularly:

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/Corky-G/eSATAlap.jpg

A LAN is another very viable solution. Assume both Dells have Ethernet ports?

 

[Blain]

I move multi-GB files between my PCs...
Gigabit ethernet cards with a Gigabit router do a fine job.

 

[JackMDS]

There is about 10 different way to go about.

As long as terms like large files, frugal, and the time takes to transfer, are Not defined by number the discussion is more like an OT discussion. :hmm:

I use Giga network to transfer any thing that is/can connect to a Giga Network. Since my Network provides a functional transfer of 60 to 70 MB/sec. I do not care if another concoction can save a little. (Functionally this mean about 3.6GB in a minute. 36GB in 10 min.).

On the other hand transferring to/from Laptops that are Wireless, or have 100MB/sec. NIC can be a pain.

A 2.5" 320GB drive in a $25 enclosure that has both USB and eSATA ports solves the Laptops problem too.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...ECH-_-17707133

(Similar enclosure can be found for few $$ less by performing Frugal Search).

 

[MStele]

A good way to go is to use a decent free FTP client/server setup. Something like Gozilla can speed things up since they don't rely on Windows to do the throttling.

 

[bamacre]

Thanks a lot for the information guys, really appreciated.

 

[ecom]

I move multi-GB files between my PCs...
Gigabit ethernet cards with a Gigabit router do a fine job.

A GbE switch will work fine. There's no need for a router.

 

[JackMDS]

A GbE switch will work fine. There's no need for a router.

Not need for a Router per-se but there is a need for a Giga capable switch.

One of the best deals on it is, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833156250

.

 

[ussfletcher]

Not need for a Router per-se but there is a need for a Giga capable switch.

One of the best deals on it is, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833156250

.

What about a crossover cable?

 

[JackMDS]

What about a crossover cable?

I think that the day of crossover cable as a general solution is over.

It is one thing if you have an emergency, and One has No other solution, but as a permannet solution for Network transfer, Nah. ^_^

BTW. Giga Hardware (Switches. and Network cards) do not need a crossover cable. The hardware is MDX capable, as long as you using a good full* Network cable there is No need for crossover.

*Full means a regular cable with all the internal wires connected, as oppose to some cheapo solutions that cut on the number of internal wires.

 

[piasabird]

Routers and switches are fairly inexpensive, and gigabit ethernet is fairly inexpensive. It comes standard on many computers. Networking seems the most economical method.

I think for most people that 10/100 is fast enough. If I can watch a movie online with DSL, then 10/100 seems fast enough. It is not only the size of the files but the throughput. You might want to do a speed test at 10/100 and see if that is good enough.

It might be that some operating systems will slow your network connection more than the actual hardware. Especially if you are using vista and it is not updated.

 

[JimKiler]

Not need for a Router per-se but there is a need for a Giga capable switch.

One of the best deals on it is, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833156250

.

I concur, I own this router and it works good even with my Cat 5 cables I get gigabit connections.

 

[Blain]

A GbE switch will work fine. There's no need for a router.

I mention a router because most people feed broadband to several PC's.
Less complexity means less chance for problems and lower costs.

 

[ecom]

I concur, I own this router and it works good even with my Cat 5 cables I get gigabit connections.

I don't see why it would not since GbE requires only Cat5 but unlike 100BASE-TX you need all four pairs.

 

[Blain]

I don't see why it would not since GbE requires only Cat5 but unlike 100BASE-TX you need all four pairs.

Do you mean Cat5e?
Cat5 is rated up to 100MHz vs Cat5e at 350MHz

 

[ecom]

Do you mean Cat5e?
Cat5 is rated up to 100MHz vs Cat5e at 350MHz

You are incorrect. The minimum requirement for GbE is Cat 5.

 

[Fayd]

Do you mean Cat5e?
Cat5 is rated up to 100MHz vs Cat5e at 350MHz

nope, cat5 works for gigabit. cat5e allows you to do gigabit over longer runs with less signal degridation, i guess.

 

[garritynet]

nope, cat5 works for gigabit. cat5e allows you to do gigabit over longer runs with less signal degridation, i guess.

This is incorrect. They both have the same distance limitations. Back in my cable running days Cat5e just meant less interference. 10/100BASE-T ethernet used two twisted pairs. Gigabit ethernet uses four twisted pairs. Cat5 has 4 twisted pairs and works just fine over the short distances for gigabit we are discussing. I am unsure about performance at longer distances. Remember the difference between gigabit and gigabyte. 125mb/s is outside spec for cat5 but it should still be ok.


edit: Gigabit is 125mb/s and 10/100BASE-T is 100mb/s. Sorry

Back on topic:

I personally move large files via my online network in my home like Jack does. Its already set up so its simple to use. He should just incorporate his solution into whatever networking he decides to use. It may not be the absolute fastest way possible but its fast enough. All depends on what you mean by "big" and how long a "long time" is. I just drop whatever files I want to share in my share folder. I suppose you could just make a libraray called "Share" in W7, share it and then attach all the files you want to move to that library. He could grab them from the receiving computer without too much hassle or having to move/share every folder. Easier than dropping them on an external HDD and then pulling them back off. That does not sound so hard but if you have to do every day or even several times a day.......

OTOH it might be beneficial to have a method that does not rely on external networking/storage devices that may fail. He should at least be armed with a good network cable and the know how to employ it regardless of what you decide to do.

 

[JackMDS]

Let me put it in a different more functional way.

If one have CAT5 in the walls, try Giga traffic, if it works, God Bless you , and enjoy.

If you buy something new you will have to work very hard to find CAT5.

Given current price buy CAT 6.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10232&cs_id=1023215&p_id=2334&seq=1&format=2

If 100ft of CAT6 cost $12 what One thinks would be saved by buying something else?