PC Downloading

Mirror Sites
Occasionally, users are offered a choice of locations from which to download files. The choices usually include a main FTP server host site, as well as locations called "mirror" sites. Mirror sites, situated in different areas of the world, are computers with exactly the same information as the main FTP server. The main reason for mirror sites boils down to distance: the fewer miles that information must travel from computer to computer, the faster the download. You are therefore better off trying to download from whichever site is closest to you. Mirror sites also help prevent the bottlenecks that occur when too many users try to log on to the same server simultaneously.

Download During Off-Peak Hours
Although the Internet is a vast, international network of computers that never sleeps, it is prone to rush-hour traffic jams, especially at its local "hubs" (local modem dial-up numbers), when too many users are logged on at once. Peak usage hours are usually between 4 and 9pm in each time zone. If you anticipate a need to download a large file from the Internet, it may be a good idea to set aside a time during off-peak hours to do it so you can get a faster transfer rate. You may also choose to download from a mirror site in a time zone that is in off-peak hours.

Use an FTP Client for Big Files
Sometimes, files are simply too big and unwieldy to be downloaded without jamming your system, or causing your computer to go offline because the connection "times out." In cases like these, you should use a type of software called an FTP client, which ensures a more reliable file transfer. Two of the most popular FTP clients are Fetch (for Macs) and WS-FTP (for PCs).

Compressed for Time
The files you download will usually arrive in a compressed (also known as "zipped" or "stuffed") format. Why is this? Compressed files take less time to travel over the network because they are a fraction of their original size. These types of files are recognizable by their suffixes, such as .zip, .sit, and .hqx, and need to be expanded (or "extracted") with a corresponding utility, such as WinZip for PCs or StuffIt Expander for Macintoshes, before they can be used.

First things First
Before you download anything, you should decide where you want the new file to be saved. Create a folder for new downloads and titled it Internet Downloads or something like that. To create a new folder, click on the My Computer icon and open your hard drive C:. From the File pull-down menu, scroll to New and then click on Folder. Type in the name of the folder (e.g., Internet Downloads) and hit Enter.

The next time you download a file, you will need to tell your computer to save the file in this special folder. Let's say you're browsing through Download.com and find a program you want. You click on the link to commence downloading, and are then asked whether you want to save the file to your hard drive, or open it immediately after downloading. You should choose to save the file.

Then hit Enter. A pop-up box will ask you where you want to save the file. This is where your Internet Downloads folder comes in handy. In the upper-left window of the box, where it says Save in:, there will be an arrow button. Click once on this button and select C: from the mini pop-up menu. This will open your hard drive. In the larger window, locate and double-click the Internet Downloads folder you've created. This will tell the computer to place the downloaded file there.

At the bottom of the box, there will be another window that says File name:, followed by some highlighted text. This is the name of the file you are downloading. It is important to WRITE DOWN this file name. Don't assume that the name of the file will be self-explanatory when you go searching for it later.   To complete the download, click Save. Unless you tell your computer to do otherwise, all subsequent downloads will be allocated to this folder.

Many files are "compressed" to cut down on download time. Compressed files carry a .zip suffix; these files need to be expanded (or "extracted") so that you can use them. This is done with a utility such as WinZip or PKUNZIP.

Finally, you need to install the program. Remember that file name you wrote down? Locate it in your Internet Downloads folder. (This is located on your hard drive -- the one called C:, remember?) (sometimes it's a good idea to just save to your Desktop) The file name will end with .exe, meaning it's an "executable" file. (In other words, it will open and activate the application.) This is the installer you will need to set up the new program on your computer. Once you locate the file, double-click on it. Your computer should guide you through the rest.