Qwest → Does Qwest Limit File Download Size to 2GB?

I've tried downloading large (over 2GB) files, operating system images for Windows and Linux. Every time I try to download one of these files over FTP, the transfer stops at 2GB.

I've tried using my old Dell computer running Windows XP and my new HP laptop running Windows 7.

I've tried downloadng to a FAT32 hard drive partition and an NTSF SSD drive.

I've tried using Firefox and the DownloadThemAll download manager, as well as Google Chrome using FreeDownloadManager.

I've tried downloading different Windows .box files and Linux .iso files from totally different web sites.

I get the same result each time; the transfer stops at 2GB. The only other variable here is my Internet connection (Qwest 7Mb/s DSL).

Could Qwest be doing something that limits the maximum file size that can be downloaded over HTTP to 2GB?

Doubtful—I’ve NEVER had this issue with Qwest and download huge files all the time.

what sites are you going by? go to microsoft.com and dl a large file on there. if it does it then still it seems like something is wrong on your pc.

what does it exactly do? just stop? and then does what?

As others have already said, Qwest does not limit download file sizes. This sounds like an application setting issue. What FTP client are you using?

Are you using a 2 wire modem? If so, there's a known issue with them blocking files over 2 gig, but as far as I know it supposedly only happens on devices like an xbox or wii and not on a PC. Don't know much in the way of details though.

I've tried downloading from a couple of different sites: I was trying to get this Windows file: »msft-dnl.digitalrivercon ··· tup1.box
and I also tried a couple of different sites for Linux distributions. I got the same result on each site: the download stopped after 2GB. With DownLoadThemAll it stopped with a timeout error. I tried restarting from where,it left off and couldn't get any more bytes downloaded.

Yes, I'm using a 2Wire modem. I suppose the next step is to try another internet connection and see if that works.

Interesting—never knew this. Only goes to show you how much of a PoS the 2Wire is…

Yes, it does indeed seem like the modem is the culprit. I'm using the 2Wire 2701HG-D with the QT04-6.1.5.48 firmware update that was forcibly downloaded by Qwest a while back. I discovered that other people had had similar problems downloading large files with this modem after the firmware update.

I was able to get the download to work by setting the modem to operate in transparent bridging mode and connecting it up to an old Linksys router I had lying around operating in PPPoE mode. The file downloaded perfectly once I did that. It seems like the PPPoE capabilities of the 2701HG-D are flawed.

We had a similar problem with our Cisco 678 years ago before we switched to transparent bridging. I wonder if it is a particular combination of CO equipment and modem setting that causes the problem.

Hello, Steph from Qwest here,

I'm not sure if the issue is the 2Wire but I would be happy to have a technical support specialist get in touch with you to help. Please email me at talktous@qwest.com with your bill phone number, bill address and best contact number.

thank you

Steph Lake
Manager, Talk To Qwest Team

"At Qwest your account information is confidential and protected by law, so I need your permission to access the account.

I have the same exact Qwest modem and firmware version as that mentioned above, and I also seem to have a problem with files at or above 2GB. My symptoms are slightly different. In Firefox and Internet Explorer on a 64-bit Windows 7 machine (connected wirelessly to a router which is hard-wired to the modem), downloads above 2GB seem to start fine, but no Bytes ever download. The progress bar never shows any progress, and I can leave it for hours. The downloaded file never increases above zero bytes.

I've also used Firefox on a 64-bit Ubuntu 10.04 Linux laptop (connected wirelessly) and an 64-bit Ubuntu Server 10.4 file server (hard-wired to the router), and get the same results. I have downloaded larger files, but with Bittorrant, which I believe acts like many small downloads.

ALL my machines are AMD.

I called Qwest tech support and was not satisfied with the response. I think I was talking with a semi-trained go-between who wrote down what I was saying, then put me on hold for a few minutes while she talked with someone (the real technician?). When she came back she said she was told that it was not the modem, but either the file I was trying to download, or the size of the file and the fact that I am on the 1.5 DSL service (slow). I am a retired computer professional of 40 years, so I know what it is like to be in tech support. However, some accommodation should be made for customer/users who actually know what they are talking about (an increasing number, I am sure).

The vendor from which I am downloading the file has checked his servers and the file(s) in question, and says that many customers are downloading these files with no problem. As a test, I also went to the Adobe site and tried to download a couple CS5 trial packages that were over 2GB. At adobe there is a graphical download button (not just a link) which I pressed, and in this case nothing happens at all (the download window in Firefox never appears. I believe it is a modem or Qwest problem.

So, then I tried to change the modem to transparent bridging mode as mentioned above, and of course, immediately lost Internet connection and access to the modem. After 3 hours of thrashing, I finally got into the modem again and set it back to the PPPoE mode. Gheeesh!

If the Qwest guy is still listening, please have a real technician call Dave at (360) 504-5106 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (360) 504-5106      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (360) 504-5106      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (360) 504-5106      end_of_the_skype_highlighting (this is a Vonage VOIP number, my Qwest number is not hooked up to a phone but is (360) 683-0919)

Dave

i had a POS 2Wire modem from AT&T and it did the same thing, as soon as i went to my SpeedStream modem, the issue went away.

if you can get another brand modem, or just use bridging mode as mentioned here.

its a modem not a router, if you want good `routage you need a good router

How do I set up transparent bridging mode? The only place I could find that in the modem setup screens was under WAN setup. When I changed that, the user name and password field went away, and when I saved settings, I lost access to the Internet AND to the modem. It took me 2-3 hours the get back to where I had been.

Shouldn't this change be bade on the LAN side? How is that done?

Thanks,

Dave

It should be on the WAN side because the authentication is with Qwest which is not on your LAN. You can set the modem up for transparent bridging and have no interenet connection because you still need to authenticate with Qwest, when not bridged you modem does this, but when bridged something on the LAN side of your modem has to (thus the username and password fields disappearing when you bridge).

To authenticate with Qwest while bridged you will need to have your computer (if you only have one computer hooked up) or router (if you have multiple computers or devices hooked up) authenticate via PPPoE.

This is more or less restated here: »US West/Qwest DSL »How Do I Connect My 701 In Bridged Mode?

As to setting your router up to do PPPoE you will need to find those settings in your router configuration pages, but they should ask for you login and password, you would supply your Qwest login and password.

As usual when you bridge your modem you normally lose access to the modem's web interface. You can try the following to access it (it might work): »US West/Qwest DSL »How Do I Connect To My GT701 Modem While Bridged?

I hope this is sort of making sense.

The easiest way I found to get the 2Wire back from transparent bridging mode was to perform a hard reset by holding the reset button in for about 30 seconds. The modem rebooted, connected to the Qwest network and was up and running within a few minutes. Of course, you'll have to redo any configuration settings (admin password, etc.) that you had changed.

When I was operating in transparent bridging mode, I connected up another router, a LinkSys I had lying around, using an ethernet cable from one of the 2Wire's ethernet ports to the LinkSys's internet port. I then connected my PC to the LinkSys router. The LinkSys has configuration options to set PPPoE mode and the username/password, etc.

In this setup the 2Wire only performs basic modem functions simply connecting to the DSL network without performing any authentication or routing, hence the need to hook it up to another router.

I was able to download very large files with this setup, which is why I believe there is some logic in the 2Wire's PPPPoE firmware that was preventing this. I've e-mailed Qwest tech support to see if they have any solutions.

Well, it was indeed the 2Wire 2701HG-D modem that was the problem.

I e-mailed Steph at Qwest support (see her post above). She responded that she'd have a tech get in touch with me. Before I even had a chance to speak with anyone in person, they determined that the modem was indeed flawed, and said that they'd send me a replacement. Two days later I received a brand new ZyXEL PK5000Z.

The PK5000Z so far is working much better than the 2Wire. I just downloaded a 3GB file without a hitch. The new modem even has a few features that the 2Wire didn't have.

Thanks for the help, Steph and Qwest.

I also have the 2Wire 2701HG-D, and a slightly different problem. I can't download large video files in itunes.

Files smaller than 2 GB download just fine, but when I try to download a 2GB+ movie, I get itunes error 3259, 'cannot establish server connection'. I have tried downloading large files on several different computers on my home network, and get the same error each time. Apple tried to fix this (via e-mail support), but couldn't figure it out.

After reading this thread (thanks everyone!), I assume the 2Wire is my problem. I have sent an email to Stephanie, and hope to hear back soon.

Cool... that ZyXEL will be better by far. I didn't know they even used those.

I have always liked their products in the past.