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Remote Download Service

Because I want to disconnect my laptop and go home...
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Sometimes I kick of a large download from my laptop at work - and then have to wait for it to finish , past going home time....wouldn't it better if you could install a lightweight service on another machine, which would do the download for you.

So you would have to sync up eventually, but that should be generally quicker across the LAN than over the internet.

Hell, if you got really clever , then you could start the download on one machine and have it continue on another (assuming the back-end HTTP server supported that continue-download option).

I actually hope this is baked in a way.....

monojohnny, Sep 30 2009

[link]






       //I actually hope this is baked in a way.....//
well your hopes are answered: look up "remote desktop".
FlyingToaster, Sep 30 2009
  

       Remote Desktop ?....mmmh...not quite what I had in mind... I don't want to have to launch a full blown session to another machine - just have my browser make a more light-weight request to a server, which would download the target on my behalf.
monojohnny, Sep 30 2009
  

       set up your home computer so that you can remote-in from your laptop. That way, you can instruct it to download whatever file(s) you want, and when you get home, transfer it to your laptop via crossover cable/USB drive/file sharing.   

       Baked.
CaptainClapper, Sep 30 2009
  

       CaptainClapper: yup , what I'm after I guess is a seamless way of doing this. So maybe it could work this way:   

       1. You carry as on normal downloading stuff. 2. You realise (after the fact) that you need to unplug from the n/w, but then you lose your download. 3. The remote-controlled downloader keeps going and keeps the file for you.   

       [ to clarify: the browser would need an enhanced download manager (a client) and the remote server would be the server to that client]   

       Its not perfect, you would still have to transfer between the two devices, but I would say (generally) this going to be quicker than having to start over again. [or even continue from where you left off].   

       The download manager could still track the download (when connected to the remote downloader), but of course wouldn't be able to access the file until you sync back up.   

       Maybe the way to make this really special and useful:   

       1. Have a device plugged straight into the laptop : which is combination of a 3G card and a storage device 2. When you unplug your laptop from the main n/w and (almost) power-down the laptop the 3G card continues the download (draining the laptop battery of course: so it would have to be capped and would have to auto-power off [either an abort or after a sucessful download] ).   

       3. When you reboot back up, since the device is connected up as local drive, the download would be there ready for you.
monojohnny, Sep 30 2009
  

       Get a live-cd linux distro - doesn't matter much which one. Then use "wget". You can start the download, stop it, start where you left off, start somewhere else, download half on one machine and half on another and patch the pieces together, download to one machine and save the file on another, just about anything you can dream up.
lurch, Sep 30 2009
  

       Software downloading clients are capable of doing this, but not while the computer is unplugged from the network... some have a 'pause' button. However, I've had many of them corrupt the download if disconnected from the network while the download is paused.   

       <edit> Eh, [lurch] I didn't read your post! Arr, linux be for hackers and pirates! Don't let [lurch] get ahold of your ip address...
CaptainClapper, Sep 30 2009
  

       //Arr, linux be for hackers and pirates!//... and people who don't want to get or spread viruses.   

       //Don't let [lurch] get ahold of your ip address...// If you don't want me to get your IP address, then don't spend hours attempting to log into my server as 'root'. :)
lurch, Oct 01 2009
  

       [lurch] is right. wget is available for windows as well (free).
wget -c http://example.com/ big-totally-legal-software.iso
-c being 'continue'
  

       I am slightly confused.. what are these concepts "going home time" and "at work"?
vincevincevince, Oct 02 2009
  
      
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