What is the best way to send large files over the internet?

You have a number of options when transporting data to another firm or whoever:
1) Easiest way is via disk; CD-R, DVD-R/RW, DVD-RAM, Zip disk, Jazz disk or a portable hard disk.
2) Via a FTP site, made specifically for downloading/uploading of files.
3) Your web site - upload it to the site, and email the link to the client or friend.
4) Email it. Suggest you find out what computer they use, and then use either MacBinary for Macs (smaller filesize) or Binhex for PCs (almost doubles the file’s size).

How to setup my Mac for the internet, using cabled DSL/ADSL?

Before I go into any detail at this point, I have to be clear on what it is we’re setting up. This section is about getting an DSL/Broadband modem connected to a cabled Ethernet network, to be shared by more than one computer, Mac or PC, it doesn’t matter. To do this you need to have purchased a modem with an Ethernet port at the back, and preferably with network routing capability, so it can share the internet with many computers.

Important Information You Need to Obtain From Your ISP
All of the following information is vital if you want internet access...
For the Modem
• Your DSL modem’s manual - you need to know where to enter the information.
• The Login Name - this is not the exactly same as your Username, which you use to enter your Account details into your email program etc. Instead it is typed into the modem to tell the ISP you are a DSL/Broadband user, and you wish to connect via fast internet. With my ISP, the Login Name comes in this format “graphixmad@plusdsl.net”, and it is entered into the modems own settings.
• Your Password, is the same password you’ll use for the modem, email setup and FTPing to your web site, if you have one. Note, most passwords are often upper-case and lower-case sensitive, plus you can include numbers. Other special characters often cannot be used, but that depends on your ISP.
• Encapsulation* - refers to the type of connection protocol your ISP uses, it’ll be PPPoE for USA users, or PPPoA VC-Mux for UK Plusnet users, this will vary from country to country. Other protocols that I know of: PPPoA LLC, PPPoE VC-Mux, PPPoE LLC, PPPoE None, 1483 Bridged IP LLC, 1483 Bridged IP VC-Mux, 1483 Routed IP LLC, 1483 Routed IP VC-Mux and Classical IP over ATM.
• VPI and VCI settings - these are just two numbers, one number per field*.
• Bridge & IGMP - both of them are set either on or off*.
• Primary and Secondary DNS Servers - often 2 sets of IP address numbers, eg. “212.159.11.50” and “212.159.13.50”. When you type these in, they must be separated with a return, so that both sets of numbers occupy two lines.
*Some of the terminology or even suggested info that ISPs will hand out may not be the same as listed here for UK users, so take this as a rough guide.

For Email & FTP Access
• Your Password, see above. However some ISPs may ask if you want a different password for your email, if they don’t ask, then the main password will be used.
• Your Username, often has to be a unique name within the ISPs own Username database, and sometimes you may have to come up with two or three different names before one is accepted. If you have a web and email package with the ISP, your website address will have the Username incorporated into the address, along with the ISPs standard naming convention, eg. www.madhatter.plus.com, in this instance “madhatter” is the Username. It is often goes hand in hand with your password in most setup fields.
• The POP3 Incoming Mail Server address - for Plusnet users it’s “mail.plus.net”, for other ISPs it will be different, and varying in length. You use this info in your email program.
• The SMTP Outgoing Mail Server address - again, it’s a similar format to the incoming server address, and you will also need it to setup your email program.

Setting up the DSL Modem/Router
Most of today’s modern modems are self configuring, so most of the information can be downloaded from the ISP’s site (I’m presuming) and from other sources. Therefore setup time can be quite short, however if you have to setup your modem manually I will cover this as well. Time to look at your modem’s manual, and call up it’s setup screen...
1) Assuming your modem has the ability to self configure itself, there are two items of info that you have to type in yourself, the Login Name and Password, make sure you spell them exactly as shown, otherwise it won’t work.
2) Another area that may require you to complete manually is the DNS Server addresses, check this to make sure the numbers are correct.
3) Then all you have to do next is to tell it to use DHCP or input a Static IP address in it’s network settings. Now everything is complete, and you’re ready for the internet.
4) If you cannot auto-configure the modem, then you need to type in or setup the rest of the information into modem’s memory, usually these are what’s left: Encapsulation protocol, VPI, VCI, Bridge, IGMP. These settings may be different for other countries - the ones I’ve mentioned are for the UK.

If the Modem Refuses to Respond=
The usual way to get a modem to reconnect to the internet is to switch it off for 10-15 seconds and switch it back on again, and wait for it to connect again. Some modems allow you to reboot the device via a web browser or via it’s own control program, depending on the make and model.

Setting up the Mac
This is mainly done in the Network section, found in the System Preferences window. What you are going to do here is set up your Ethernet settings to take DHCP info from the modem router. However this depends entirely on your ISP, if they only allow for a Static IP address - you must follow their advice and setup information, which overrules my guidelines. See Networking pictures for a visual guide.
1) First click on the Show pop-up menu, and select Port Configuration.
2) Order the list so that ethernet is at the very top, the rest can follow however you like.
3) You now have to setup the Network’s Built-in Ethernet configuration, which is also selected in the Show pop-up menu, these are TCP/IP, PPPoE, AppleTalk, Proxies, and Ethernet. Click on the TCP/IP button. If it is all ghosted out, then you will need to unlock the padlock icon at the bottom left of the window, this requires an Admin account and password.

The TCP/IP Section
4) First, click on Configure IPv4 menu and select Using DHCP, this will tell the Mac to get all relevant information from the modem, with regard to all IP addresses.
5) Now enter your ISP’s DNS Server address(s) in the DNS Server field. A DNS server is essentially the ISP’s web site cross-reference database, which means when you type in any kind of web address in your web browser, the ISP’s DNS servers pick this up, it is matched with the correct technical internet address and the web site’s pages are streamed to your browser. In a nutshell.
6) The Search Domains field can be left blank, and Configure IPv6 information should be set to Automatically.
The PPPoE Section
7) Unless you are a USA resident, this can be left unticked and blank.
8) However if you do live in the US, then PPPoE is the preferred protocol. Just enter your Account Name, Password and tick the Save Password box. Also, if you choose, you can have PPPoE’s status in the menu, just tick the box for that feature.
The AppleTalk Section
9) Unless you have a device on your network or attached to your Mac, eg. a printer, then you can deactivate this feature.
The Proxies Section
10) Again, this is another unnecessary feature for many home users, you can left this lot blank and unticked. That is unless you are part of a business network, and web content is governed by a proxy server, in which case see your network administrator for setup info.
The Ethernet Section
11) Usually the Configure menu is set to Automatically, for most home users. However if you have specific needs, you can set it up using the Manually (Advanced) menu option instead.