How to resume downloads if they cancel partway through

[gabriella]

Hi there! For customers with slower internet, downloads often stop part way through and the whole download process must be started again from the beginning.

Is there a way for a customer to resume a download from the place the download stopped rather than having to begin anew?

Thanks!!!

[admin]

Hi Gabriella,

This does seem to work for most servers: firstly, make sure your download file is on the same domain name as DLGuard.

Then go to the "Options" menu > Config.

On the Config page, tick the box "Use Large File Download Support"

Then save it.

The large file support contains code to help with resuming partially downloaded files.

Let me know how you go!

cheers
Sam
_________________
Sam Stephens
DLGuard: www.dlguard.com
GuardHQ: www.guardhq.com
-------
Keep up to date with DLGuard and other GuardHQ products: www.guardhq.com/newsletter.php
www.twitter.com/DLGuard

[gabriella]

As always, thanks Sam! Btw, my husband is in your area right now (just arrived a couple days ago to Sydney) and will be teaching a workshop all of next week. Wish I was there with him! I hear you guys have had a mess of rain and weather and I hope it dries out soon

[gabriella]

My download files are on Amazon S3. Do you know how an S3 download can be restarted?

[admin]

Hi Gabriella,

Yeah, tonnes of rain followed by sunshine and then more rain (my lawn is almost up to my knees)! Not the best time for your husband to visit, but I hope he enjoys his time here anyway

I'm not sure if Amazon downloads can be restarted - DLGuard doesn't control this download - it simply sets up a secure link with Amazon and then passes the customer over to download directly from the Amazon servers.

Do you have this problem often? I haven't heard of anyone having dropouts with Amazon, unless it's their own internet connection that is dropping out?

cheers
Sam
_________________
Sam Stephens
DLGuard: www.dlguard.com
GuardHQ: www.guardhq.com
-------
Keep up to date with DLGuard and other GuardHQ products: www.guardhq.com/newsletter.php
www.twitter.com/DLGuard

[gabriella]

Surprisingly we do get this issue a fair bit. It's not an S3 issue I don't think. It's just for people that have marginal internet connection. I don't know if it's their servers dropping the connection or what. Sounds like it's not a DLGuard issue. Do you have any ideas how I can troubleshoot it from a server perspective? Clearly this is above and beyond what you need to do in terms of my issue so feel free to just ignore the question. You've already been so helpful!

[admin]

Hi Gabriella,

That's okay, I'm happy to help!

Issues like this often depend on how "technical" your customers are - this really depends on the type of product you're selling.

Some products naturally attract an audience that isn't terribly tech savvy, and so you may find a higher rate of dial-up or low-cost-and-unstable internet services.

There's nothing wrong with that, of course, it's just something that sellers need to keep in mind: know your customer base, know their limitiations, and solve them.

How big are the files you're offering?

Amazon S3 is very solid, and so as long as you're using the S3 integration in DLGuard (where you add your secret keys and bucket name into the "Advanced Options" link on your Edit Product page in DLGuard), then it's safe the say the drop out issue is on your customer's end.

Can I just confirm you are using the S3 integration, not just a direct link to S3 from your Product URL box?

(Ie. have you filled out the Secret keys and bucket name on the Advanced Options link just below your Product URL box?)

cheers
Sam
_________________
Sam Stephens
DLGuard: www.dlguard.com
GuardHQ: www.guardhq.com
-------
Keep up to date with DLGuard and other GuardHQ products: www.guardhq.com/newsletter.php
www.twitter.com/DLGuard

[gabriella]

HI there Sam! Yes, using S3 integration. It doesn't surprise me to hear that it's an issue on the customer's end. We sell products to do it yourself people wanting to build their own energy efficient, and often off grid homes. These are not tech savvy folks at all...wonderful people but not tech savvy!

[admin]

Oh that's interesting - I thought you'd have to be at least a little bit tech savvy to build an off the grid home?

Power, water, etc. Sounds like a facinating topic!

cheers
Sam
_________________
Sam Stephens
DLGuard: www.dlguard.com
GuardHQ: www.guardhq.com
-------
Keep up to date with DLGuard and other GuardHQ products: www.guardhq.com/newsletter.php
www.twitter.com/DLGuard