faster downloads... no, really

in a world where every ISP wants you to believe that they offer the fastest connections possible, and the net is pockmarked with ads for accelerator software, it's remarkable to find that there are actually methods of getting faster downloads.

Internet Download Manager is one such method. IDM will automagically detect when you are downloading a file and it will open multiple connections (typically seven). this speeds up the download considerably. also, the software can pick up where a failed connection left off. so, if you're finding that a download is timing out, this tool will preserve your sanity.


- Internet Download Manager progress window

the only issue that I've found with the software is that some sites do not allow multiple connections. this is rare and usually happens with sites that exist specifically for hosting files. so most casual net users would never encounter the issue. when this problem occurs, you need to temporarily disable IDM so that you can use the standard turtle-paced download option.

from their site:

"Internet Download Manager (IDM) is a tool to increase download speeds by up to 5 times, resume and schedule downloads. Comprehensive error recovery and resume capability will restart broken or interrupted downloads due to lost connections, network problems, computer shutdowns, or unexpected power outages. Simple graphic user interface makes IDM user friendly and easy to use."