What are Metalinks?
Metalinks allow you to download a file from multiple sources ("mirrors"), instead of forcing to choose & depend on a single source. You need a Metalink-enabled downloader to use metalinks. Metalinks can contain many ways of downloading the file: HTTP, FTP,
BitTorrent, eD2k hashlinks & Magnet URIs. Note that not all downloaders support all those ways of getting the file. But all support the basics: HTTP & FTP.
How to use Metalinks?
Click on a Metalink on a web page (e.g. the
DownloadLatest page) and choose "
open with" and your metalink-enabled downloader.
Or save a Metalink file (e.g.
puppy-1.2.3.iso.metalink) onto your computer and open it with your downloader. (If your browser changes the file extension to
puppy-1.2.3.iso.xml, just change the name back to
.metalink.)
(Note: many download managers make multiple simultaneous connections to each mirror. Please disable this feature, or reduce connections to 1, in the downloader's preferences. Most mirrors will ban anyone making multiple simultaneous connections.)
Once your downloader has received the metalink, it will probably ask you where you want to save the file. Once you have chosen, the file will begin to download.
How to make Metalinks
There are several offline & online tools to make metalinks:
Why use Metalinks?
1. Avoid having to choose which of many HTTP/FTP download mirrors to use.
2. Avoid interruptions to your download by getting the file from several download mirrors at once, instead of depending on just one.
3. Accelerate your download by getting the file from several download mirrors at once, instead of depending on just one.
4. Help out those offering files for download by spreading the load across several mirrors, instead of making just one mirror provide you with the entire file. Serving the whole file can be expensive for some mirrors.
Metalink homepage
Metalinker.org∞
Metalink-enabled downloaders
Metalinker.org's list of metalink-enabled downloaders∞
wxDownloadFast∞ - graphical downloader for Linux, Windows etc.
Aria2∞ - command-line downloader for Linux, Windows etc.
FlashGot∞ - Firefox extension (for Linux, Windows etc.) that integrates downloaders like wxDownloadFast into the Firefox web browser.
Article explaining more about metalinks
Free Software Magazine - Using Metalinks∞
CategoryHowto
