The file sharing service Dropbox allows convenient sharing of files too large for email, but uploading and downloading such files requires a significant amount of bandwidth. You may find, after handing out a link to a group of people, that Dropbox has disabled your links due to excessive bandwidth usage.
Jumping on the Bandwidth Wagon
Dropbox offers three different account types: Free, Pro and Business. Along with varying levels of storage capacity, they also offer different levels of bandwidth -- the total amount of data that moves through your account due to uploading and downloading. Free accounts are limited to 20GB of bandwidth per day, while Pro and Business accounts are allowed up to 200GB per day.
Manage Your Upload Speed
When uploading to Dropbox, the application automatically limits itself to 75 percent of your maximum upload speed. This prevents any Web browsing or other Internet-related activities from slowing to a crawl while your upload is in progress.
If you prefer to restrict your upload speed further to improve browsing performance or remove the restriction entirely for maximum speed, you can do so in the Dropbox app. Right-click on the Dropbox icon in the system tray, click the gear icon and select “Preferences.” Click on the “Download rate” and “Upload rate” sections to remove limits or set a specific speed.
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Writer Bio
Andy Warycka has been writing professionally since 2009. His work has appeared on sites such as SheKnows.com, Match.com, FindersFree.com and other top online properties. He owns a photography business, and holds an Associate of Applied Science in photography from the Rochester Institute of Technology.