How does IDM speed up downloads?

Replies

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  Ankita Katdare

  They are many tutorials around regarding integration of IDMs with our browsers (Firefox, Chrome or IE).
  
  Since we have add-ons available to do this, our task is accomplished.
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  jigneshdgreat

  AbraKaDabra

  They are many tutorials around regarding integration of IDMs with our browsers (Firefox, Chrome or IE).
  
  Since we have add-ons available to do this, our task is accomplished.

  but how does idm actually speed up downloads
• 

  Ankita Katdare

  jigneshdgreat

  but how does idm actually speed up downloads

  Oh. What IDM does is, it divides downloads into multiple streams, uses auto/manual update of download address and does things like listing recent downloads and supports multiple queues for easy access to files.
  It can search for mirrors (On the Internet, a mirror site is an exact copy of another Internet site.)
  So, IDM speeds up the downloads.
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  Atul Thapliyal

  distribution into no of connections doesn't matter much, as supported by mediafire and other sites, as I have experienced the same download speeds even with single connection like on megaupload.
• 

  coolboy.napster

  Internet download manager IDM is software which tracks the download address and then breaks it into small chuncks of address which can be downloaded individually.
  In layman's language instead of one download it makes into many parts. .Thus making parallel or simultaneous download. .The upload for the each chunck simultaneously makes the server to act fast and concentrate on idm download other than any thing else. . .
  You could see the result as it makes the sever very busy. .during the download time you face minimum browsing speed! !
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  Kaustubh Katdare

  Isn't it true that the IDMs search for the other versions of the file on the Internet and then download chunks. I'm not sure how'd dividing the same file would help in creased download speed.
  
  PS: Or is it just an illusion that IDMs speed up the download? Ultimately; the download speed is going to be determined by the client's Internet connection speed.
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  Atul Thapliyal

  exactly my point.. divide the file into parts and bandwidth will divide as well... and will sum up to give the same dedicated bandwidth..
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  greatcoder

  #-Link-Snipped-#
  #-Link-Snipped-#
  Before understanding IDM, we should try to understand some very basic things:
  1) When we discuss about downloading through web, Application layer protocol is HTTP and transport layer protocol is TCP.
  2) TCP follows a complex set of many algorithms and provide different service to the application layer:
  in order delivery of packets, Flow Control, Congestion Control etc.
  3) Now a TCP connection limits its sending rate to support Congestion Control and Flow control Mechanisms.
  4) What IDM does : It divides the file to be downloaded into multiple segments and downloads each segment thru a separate TCP connection instead of going for a single TCP stream.
  5) Now each TCP connection has its own individual buffers and works independently of other simultaneous connections.
  6) each individual TCP connection now tries to utilize the unused Bandwidth to the maximum and thus overall speed of download increases multifolds.
  
  Hope this helps
  Regards
  GC
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  Atul Thapliyal

  so if i start two separate downloads even on mozilla then combined speed should give me equal to what IDM will give from a single site? and how can a site allow more than one connection from a single client?
• 

  greatcoder

  Atul Thapliyal

  so if i start two separate downloads even on mozilla then combined speed should give me equal to what IDM will give from a single site? and how can a site allow more than one connection from a single client?

  A site can allow more than one connection from a single client because at the TCP layer four parameters can differentiate a user: Src IP, Dest IP, SRC port , Dest PORT. IDM uses different port numbers for each TCP connections.
• 

  avii

  I get same speeds, with IDM or in browser.
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  Atul Thapliyal

  only source port will differentiate between two connections from the same user. what i think is that TCP can never be a bottleneck for increased transfer rate. even at restricted rates, the transfer rate between adjacent layers would be much faster as compared to n/w bandwidth. also one application layer handling these many connections would become difficult
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  avii

  Guys, speed depends on your ISP & not by IDM. My max speed is 120 KB/s but sometimes IDM shows 125 - 130 KB/s LOL 😁
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  Atul Thapliyal

  maximum would be 128 so IDM will show that much...
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  greatcoder

  avii

  Guys, speed depends on your ISP & not by IDM. My max speed is 120 KB/s but sometimes IDM shows 125 - 130 KB/s LOL 😁

  That is perfectly all right... Of course our download speed will definitley be limited by the bandwidth of the link.
  But everytime browser doesnt utilize the maximum bandwidth available for download. IDM speeds up the download by using every possible badnwidth available to it by increasing the number of simultaneous TCP connections.👍