Do file-sharing platforms have you confused?
It can be tricky trying to keep up with all of the latest digital trends. However, if you’re a fan of sending files or photos online, you owe it to yourself to learn what file-sharing services are all about.
To help you out, this article will break down the jargon and basic operations. We’ll give you a thorough understanding of how file-sharing systems work so that you can participate safely without falling prey to hackers.
It’s time to get digital. Read on to learn the top file sharing tips!
What Are File Sharing Services?
Let’s start by clearing up exactly what a file-sharing platform is and how it works! For those who don’t know, file-sharing platforms are online services that allow their users to upload and download files from each other.
They’re also known as P2P (peer-to-peer) networks. A file-sharing platform is different from the cloud service providers because they only allow uploading and downloading files.
How They Work
File-sharing platforms don’t hold the user’s data. Instead, they act as a gateway that allows users to access each other’s data instead of their cloud storage.
For example, using a file-sharing platform, you can send coworkers files stored on your computer or smartphone. These files are situated somewhere within the network. When you upload a file to this network, it gets broken down into small chunks.
The new information then becomes available to everyone who uses this platform. Afterward, other users can download these chunks from any other user in the network and put them together like pieces of the puzzle to form the original file. This is how data shares happen!
Why Use File Sharing Platforms?
Next, why should you bother learning how to use file-sharing platforms? Why not just stick with email? The top reason people opt to use virtual private networks (VPNs) or file-sharing platforms is that they want to keep their data safe. Even if you know how to make the best password possible, hackers can still strike.
When people use email, they don’t always know who their private data is going to or how the receiver will use it. However, when you upload files on a file-sharing platform, you can choose exactly who has access to your documents and what they’re allowed to do with them.
Boost Internet Speeds
Another reason why people turn towards using such platforms is that their internet speed increases! This happens because the new data entering the network immediately gets distributed among all users in the network. That way, you don’t have to wait for one user’s slow internet speed or a considerable amount of information at once.
Nowadays, many users share large files over cloud services like Dropbox and Google Drive (both paid). When it comes to choosing between Dropbox vs. Google Drive, consider each platform’s unique features.
If you’re already using Google for everything, it can be helpful to keep things in Google Drive. However, Dropbox is beneficial when you’re not locked into a Google environment online.
Is your Dropbox not running as quickly as it used to? It could be because things are cluttering up the platform. Thankfully, taking the time to clean up your dropbox can help things run smoothly once again.
How to Use the Most Popular File-Sharing Platforms
Now that we know what file-sharing platforms are and why they can be helpful let’s get into how you use them! Are these platforms for corporations, small businesses, or individuals? The answer is all of the above.
You can use file-sharing platforms to help your company run more smoothly. However, they can also help manage personal data, including things like vacation photos and more.
Files you want to share can be uploaded on your computer or smartphone, and then they’ll appear in the platform’s directory. When someone opens this directory, they’ll see all of the files that others have shared there. The user will only be able to download these files if they’re allowed by their owner; otherwise, they won’t be able to access them at all.
Tips for Staying Safe
Now let’s look at how to share files using the most popular file-sharing platforms. When it comes to general information about sharing and uploading files, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.
Don’t upload any personal data that you didn’t want to share with others. Be aware of what kind of platform you’re using and who’s on it.
Moving on, don’t download anything if you don’t trust the source 100% and then some. Opening files from unsafe sources opens you up to all sorts of problems. For example, opening a corrupted file can cause your system to crash completely.
Working With Big Files
Did you know you can always download files even if they’re too big for your computer? You have to split them into smaller chunks and then upload those parts one by one. To avoid any potential problems during this process, we recommend using an online file-splitting platform instead of doing it on your own.
A file splitter can also come in handy if you need to upload files using different file-sharing platforms. Again, the step-by-step process of uploading individual parts of a single file will cause fewer problems than trying to do it all at once with one platform.
Put These File Sharing Tips to Use
We hope this article helped you understand how to use file-sharing platforms and what kind of benefits they can bring! If there’s anything to take away from this article, it’s that file-sharing services are efficient and safe.
Whether you want to share files between coworkers, friends, or anyone else in your network, secured file-sharing services are the way to go. Look at the different online platforms available, and decide which service has the features you need. Then you can start sharing small and big files, with peace of mind! For more advice, read another one of our articles.
