# How many users can download a single audio file at the same time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 14, 2004, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-users-can-download-a-single-audio-file-at-the-same-time/245041 "2004-05-14T00:46:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ready29003](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@ready29003](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ready29003)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-users-can-download-a-single-audio-file-at-the-same-time/245041/1 "2004-05-14T00:46:03Z")
If 20 people are all trying to download a single audio file on my server, do they have to download it one at a time, or can they all start copying it simultaneously? Does it matter if the file is a real audio .rm? In order to have multiple people download the file, do I need special server software? Thanks! Matt ---
**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:** [May 14, 2004, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-users-can-download-a-single-audio-file-at-the-same-time/245041/2 "2004-05-14T00:58:15Z")
There’s a 1001 types of servers out there. Mail, http, ftp, etc. Have you even heard of fsp? _So what type of server are you talking about?_ For each type of server, there can be several to 100s of different products that implement that type of service. There are 1000s of http servers available! _So what server software are you using?_ Any attempt to answer your question without this info is utterly pointless. PS: Don’t use RealMedia ever. A _lot_ of people refuse to have that spyware on their computers. ---
**Author:** ![ready29003](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@ready29003](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ready29003)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-users-can-download-a-single-audio-file-at-the-same-time/245041/3 "2004-05-14T02:38:18Z")
Currently running apache web server software. I am just asking theoretically right now: without additional special server software installed, is it possible for 20 people to download (stream) the same audio file simultaneously? I have my website on a web server. I also have an ftp server running. Can either of these stream a single file to 20 people simultaneously without special software on the server? Sorry for not being more precise. ---
**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:** [May 14, 2004, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-users-can-download-a-single-audio-file-at-the-same-time/245041/4 "2004-05-14T02:58:23Z")
There are _several_ settings that determine how many requests can be served at once, depending on the method of threading and so on that has been set up. (MPM modules and all that.) One thing to check on is the [MaxClients](http://httpd.apache.org/docs-2.0/mod/mpm_common.html#maxclients) value. If you set things up right, you can serve a lot of copies of the same file at the same time. (The default is 256 in some configs.) Keep in mind that everything is multiplexed so each process/thread gets to take a turn. In short, the more downloads going on, the slower each download takes. And all that process switching can really slow down the server on its own. Sort of like the SDMB… ---
**Author:** ![ready29003](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@ready29003](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ready29003)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-users-can-download-a-single-audio-file-at-the-same-time/245041/5 "2004-05-14T16:34:43Z")
[QUOTE=ftg] One thing to check on is the [MaxClients](http://httpd.apache.org/docs-2.0/mod/mpm_common.html#maxclients) value. If you set things up right, you can serve a lot of copies of the same file at the same time. (The default is 256 in some configs.) [QUOTE] Is there any way to check the maxclients value myself? Can i like telnet into my webserver and check it or do I have to ask my host? I would prefer to learn how to check it myself. Thanks again! Matt ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-users-can-download-a-single-audio-file-at-the-same-time/245041/6 "2004-05-14T16:51:44Z")
Just out of curiosity, I was thinking about doing the same thing, but I have my site hosted by someone else. Naturally I’ll be checking with them, but can anyone tell me any possible pitfalls or questions I should put forth?