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Have you ever found yourself
wanting to share files across the Internet, with friends, family, or business
associates, but didn’t have the means to do it? Sure you can attach files to an e-mail and send it directly to
somebody, but what if the file or files are large in size? Most e-mail servers have a limit on the size
of an e-mail they will accept and/or send before they bounce it back. The e-mail process isn’t too automated or
flexible either. Basically, you are looking for a more robust way to share
files across the Internet.
Fortunately, you have
several choices. But first, are you concerned about security? You should be. When you think of file sharing, you should also be thinking of
security because the two are inseparable in today’s connected world. Different approaches to file sharing have
different security risks, and you are considering an option which, if not
implemented properly, has the potential of unintentionally opening up
some or all of your computer’s files to a hacker on the Internet. Ignoring the security risks could put any
personal or financial information on your PC in a position to be
compromised. The good news is you can
protect yourself and prevent that from happening if you are careful and choose
wisely.
In this article, I’ll discuss the pros and cons of several methods of
sharing files across the Internet. Hopefully, it will help you pick the method
that works best for your requirements. The methods discussed include:
FTP programs
Remote control applications
Online storage and collaboration web sites
Other options (peer-to-peer, instant messaging)
NOTE:
You
might have noticed that Windows’ built-in file sharing is not included in the
list above. Simply put, you should not
even consider using the built-in Windows file sharing to try to share files
over the Internet. Doing so is like
taking the doors off the entrance to a bank (your PC and its data in this
case). Anyone can walk right in over
the Internet, and they will. Windows'
built-in file sharing provides little security, especially with its default
settings when first enabled. Instead,
use one of the methods discussed here.
NOTE:
Some of the methods I discuss require running a server application. If
you are running a server so that users can come into your LAN via the Internet,
and your server is on a shared Internet connection, you will need to configure
your sharing application or hardware router to allow access through your
firewall. See the Special
Applications section for more info on how to do this.
NOTE:
You
might have noticed that Windows’ built-in file sharing is not included in the
list above. Simply put, you should not
even consider using the built-in Windows file sharing to try to share files
over the Internet. Doing so is like
taking the doors off the entrance to a bank (your PC and its data in this
case). Anyone can walk right in over
the Internet, and they will. Windows'
built-in file sharing provides little security, especially with its default
settings when first enabled. Instead,
use one of the methods discussed here.
