# How can you securely share large files over the internet with someone **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 15, 2024, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664 "2024-12-15T05:57:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664/21 "2024-12-15T16:48:26Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > That’s just not true. Huh? When I go to the “Download” page, the Windows app shows “Request.” Are you seeing something different? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664/22 "2024-12-15T16:51:01Z")
Do you mean only if you use Blip? Cuz they are not the only game in town. And Blip seems ok with any size file. How are they at sending 1,000 files? ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664/23 "2024-12-15T16:52:48Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > I do this kind of thing often enough that I now pay about $20/month for a service. I began by trying the free versions of wetransfer and transfernow, which worked quite well and were adequate for infrequent use. But I found that Dropbox and wetransfer were nagging beasts and had a difficult interface, while transfernow seemed much easier and intuitive, so I subscribed to their first-tier level of service. > > At 40Mb/s upload speed from my USP, and TBs of transfer capability per month, this works well for my numerous audio, art, and video files. Very good to know. Thanks for this. $20/mo is nothing and I might sign up too. ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664/24 "2024-12-15T16:58:00Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > How are they at sending 1,000 files? Don’t know yet. If I could use the app, I would zip all of them together into a single zip file and try that. ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664/25 "2024-12-15T17:35:12Z")
FYI - I sent a message to Blip to ask them when a Windows version of this app will be published. I got this answer: "Thanks for requesting Blip on Windows! We’re still finishing on the app. If you need it right now, you can download the beta via [our Discord community](https://campaigns.blip.net/l/A8TANHzLxw8kdXa1Z2tgKA/GtCBZJSbIsebe5nlua9h1g/CNM892dcTgKMrBC2ZUg4YzlA). Otherwise, stay tuned and we’ll let you know when it’s live on our website. Cheers, Rob & Tomaž" Also, there are no size restrictions and files need not be zipped/compressed. Seems ideal and I’m not seeing any “gotchas” yet, except that the beta version won’t run on my Windows 11 box. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664/26 "2024-12-15T17:38:36Z")
Sending your huge file by FTP or whatever is not going to be “secure” unless you encrypt it… I like Magic Wormhole for certain file transfer use cases (a single, rather than multiple, files) To transfer an (unsecure) huge file or 10000, you may as well use regular Bittorrent. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664/27 "2024-12-15T17:45:13Z")
Correction: Transfernow charges me $12/month (not 20, my poor memory) for the level of service which I receive. I have used them for about a year, with minimal problems. I like their options and lack of constant nagging for upgrades. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664/28 "2024-12-15T17:48:49Z")
If you just want to dump enormous files (possibly many) online there is Amazon S3… but we were talking about free services. Note that you can host your own Nextcloud and what not for free. ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664/29 "2024-12-15T17:52:28Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Sending your huge file by FTP or whatever is not going to be “secure” unless you encrypt it… From Blip’s website: "Blip is designed with security in mind. It doesn’t use insecure web links. The things you share are sent directly to the person you choose, without being uploaded to a website somewhere. **Files you send are encrypted in transit, to protect from nosy neighbours."** ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664/30 "2024-12-15T17:57:22Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > > [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > > > If that were the only issue, couldn’t you just combine the files into a single ZIP file? > > I tried that and it didn’t work for some reason. Are you my ex-wife? 😆 She often calls me for computer help, and the conversation sometimes goes like this: She: I tried to do “x” and it didn’t work. Me: What do you mean “didn’t work”? What happened? Was there an error message? She: Yes, there was some kind of message. Me: What was the error message? She: [Starting to get irritated] I don’t remember. Look, I’m not a computer person. I don’t think like you do. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664/31 "2024-12-15T18:11:50Z")
Amazon Photos has unlimited photo storage, so if both sides have Prime you can share the photos that way. Video is not unlimited and you have to pay for that. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664/32 "2024-12-15T22:21:15Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Amazon Photos has unlimited photo storage So all you have to do is set up a [steganography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steganography) system to encode and decode the data and you’re set. Oh, the data are images? Well if you want to take the easy way … ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2024, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664/33 "2024-12-16T01:43:17Z")
There’s an **[xkcd for that](https://what-if.xkcd.com/31/)**. More seriously, I wonder what the OP meant by “securely”? Secure from what? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2024, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664/34 "2024-12-16T03:09:53Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Are you my ex-wife? 😆 She and I should form a computer techno-peasant support group. I read the error message and go “Hmm. An error message. I wonder what it means?” ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2024, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664/35 "2024-12-16T03:23:03Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I read the error message and go “Hmm. An error message. I wonder what it means?” This kind of error message? [![](https://www.generationamiga.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/One-of-the-weirdest-names-for-an-error-message-but-what-is-a-Guru-Meditation-amiga-news-amiga-mini-A500-mini-blue-screen-off-death.jpg) ](https://www.generationamiga.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/One-of-the-weirdest-names-for-an-error-message-but-what-is-a-Guru-Meditation-amiga-news-amiga-mini-A500-mini-blue-screen-off-death.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2024, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664/36 "2024-12-16T03:37:26Z")
I don’t recall ever seeing that error message before. I wonder what it means? and which button do I press? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2024, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664/37 "2024-12-16T03:48:44Z")
Years ago, when it was dialup, my friend and I transferred a large number of files to burn onto a CD. We used Internet Relay Chat and transferred the files directly between our computers, no intervening server.        You might investigate setting up a sftp server on your own computer. As long as it is turned on and not sleeping, the other person would be able to log into your server (your computer) and just upload the files directly to it. Of course, you would have to have a really good password, to keep out possible intruders. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2024, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664/38 "2024-12-16T04:18:22Z")
> **[Guru Meditation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Meditation)** > > Guru Meditation is an error notice originally displayed by the Amiga computer when it crashes. It is now also used by Varnish, a software component used by many content-heavy websites. This has led to many internet users seeing a "Guru Meditation" message (or the variant "Guru Mediation") when these websites suffer crashes or other issues. It is analogous to the "Blue Screen of Death" in Microsoft Windows operating systems, or a kernel panic in Unix. > It has also been used as a message for unre... If you see that on your computer, (A) it’s 1990-something, (B) you’re using a Commodore Amiga, and (C) you just lost everything you were working on and now the computer will reboot. > [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > and which button do I press? The left mouse button, like it says. At which point the aforementioned rebooting commences. But you can stare at the helpful hexadecimal error code for as long as you like before that. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2024, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664/39 "2024-12-16T04:20:49Z")
My Mac had one button. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2024, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664/40 "2024-12-16T07:00:12Z")
Well clearly that’s it. It’s the one they _left_ on the mouse. Of course if they wanted you to press the right one, that would be it to. It’s the only one so it has to be right. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-securely-share-large-files-over-the-internet-with-someone/1011664.md?page=3)