FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

The FAQ answers frequently asked questions on sending, transferring, exchanging and sharing large files with filesio. You have a question that is not covered here? Feel free to contact us!

General questions

Upload & Download

Payment

General questions

Do I need a special application or any third-party software to use filesio?

No, you don't. One of the advantages of filesio is the fact that it can be handled completely by using a web browser. This way, you can access your files from anywhere at any time, from your office as well es from your laptop.

The same holds for the receivers of your files. In order to download the files you shared with them, they only need to open a link in their web browser.

We recommend using a modern and fast internet browser like Mozilla Firefox.

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Why is filesio a secure alternative to Dropbox for file transfer? What are the main differences?

Dropbox and other file exchange services such as Google Drive usually save your files unencrypted on servers all over the world. The terms and conditions of those enterprises and the American law allow passing on the files under certain circumstances.

Therefore, for security-conscious individuals and enterprises especially in the EU region, using services like Dropbox and Google Drive is not an option.

filesio is offering a secure alternative to Dropbox: your files are transferred and stored in an encrypted way using only servers in Germany. As a German enterprise we are liable to the German regulations regarding data protection.

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What are the advantages of exchanging files with filesio compared to an FTP server?

filesio is a mentionable alternative to a FTP server for several reasons:

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Are my files safe? How does the encryption work?

All file exchange activities use a secure, encrypted SSL / HTTPS connection from your browser to our servers.

Furthermore, filesio provides a fully encrypted online storage.

We use the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) with a key lenght of 256 bits (which is the highest key lenght available) to encrypt your files. This means no one can access or read the content of your files without having an explicit authorization, neither at the time the files are transferred nor at the time they are stored.

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Do the people I want to share files with also need an account at filesio?

No, this is not necessary. When creating a workspace you also create one or more users for that workspace (by specifying a username and a password). These workspace users do not get a full account at filesio but only access to your workspace page.

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I can embed filesio into my own website? How does it work?

One of the unique features of filesio is the ability to include it into your own web pages. Instead of directing your clients or business partners to a workspace page at filesio where they can upload and download files, you can share your files right on the website of your company. This does not only guarantee a professional appearance, but also leads to more visitors on your page and therefore to more interest in your products or services.

The keyword is "widget". A widget is a mini website that can be integrated into other web pages. As a Pro-User you can create as many widgets as you like, just using the wizard in the administration area. You can adjust the widget to your needs, both regarding the color scheme and the text displayed in it. No programming skills are needed. Our system generates a line of code that simply must be included into your web page.

You want to see a widget in action? Have a look at one of our clients. They use the widget to provide software updates to their users.

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Where can I find help concerning the functions and possibilities of filesio?

Both in the Basic- and in the Pro-Account you are assisted by a comprehensive system of help and documentation. Probably you already noticed: as soon as you set the marker on an input area in one of the filesio administration screens, a small window pops up, describing the content and the usage of the corresponding input. In some cases, it is possible to activate the popup by clicking the information icon on the right side of the input or selection control.

Furthermore, there is a "Help" icon on the upper right of each screen. Click on this icon and a window with further information and hints will open.

You need more help? No problem at all, just contact us!

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Do you show advertisements on the workspace and download pages?

No, we are completely free of advertisements. filesio is a professional service intened to be used on business (but of course you are welcome to share your files with friends and family as well!). Illegal files like cracks or viruses are disliked here and will be deleted at once!

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Upload & Download

The upload is quite slow. Why?

The upload is limited by the speed of your internet connection. Please consider: in most cases, the download speed (e.g. 6 Mbit/s at DSL 6000) is much higher than the upload speed (only 0,5 MBit/s at DSL 6000). Of course, this difference has significant effects on the time you need to upload a large file.

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Are there any speed limits when downloading a file?

The answer here is easy and clear: No, in contrast to many other services filesio does not limit download rates in any way.
Instead, we use Cloud Computing in order to provide fast downloads even in times when the workload is high.

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The file I just uploaded is not available for download yet. Why?

After uploading a file, we have to check its validity and to encrypt it. The file must be inserted into our well sorted storage area in order to be decrypted at once, when requested. This process takes some seconds to few minutes, depending on the size of the file.

In the meantime, an error message can occur when you try to download the file.

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Do I have to pay for aborted downloads, too?

The HTTP protocol that is used for data transmission in the internet is a stateless protocol based on the request-response principle. This means there is no way to check whether a download was aborted before being completed or not. For this reason, a download is fully billed as soon as the "download" button on the workspace page or the widget was clicked.

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Does it increase my download traffic when I download a file by myself?

No, when logged in at the administration area of filesio, you can use the online file manager to download as many files as often as you need. You can do this to access files that others sent to you or just to download one of your own files. In any case, it does not increase your download traffic. Furthermore, your own downloads are not included in the statistics, too.

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Am I billed for the traffic that is caused when I upload a file to my online storage space at filesio?

No, of course you can upload as many files as you want without being billed as long as you are logged in at the administration area of filesio. In any case, you only have to pay for the storage space you use and the traffic that is caused when other people download one of your files or send a file to you.

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Payment

How does the billing work?

The billing is handled easily and comfortable using an account in credit. This way, you can control your expenses and you are able to limit your costs in advance. There are no monthly fees, no registration fees or any other hidden costs. Furthermore, there are no contract obligations since there is no contract at all.

After you registered for a Pro-Account (this means, you upgraded your free Basic-Account), you can transfer an arbitrary amount of money to your account. From now on, the fees for storage space and traffic are subtracted from your credit account on an hourly basis.

Of course, it is possible to refill your account at any time. The current amount of money on your credit account can be checked when logged in at the filesio administration area.

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What are the methods of payment?

Our partner micropayment GmbH provides a system for online bank transfer that allows you to fill up your credit account with immediate effect. Their method is patented, awarded with three German TÜV certificates and absolutely secure since all data is transferred using an encrypted connection. Currently, this method of payment is available for customers in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands and Belgium.

Of course, we also accept payments via the common PayPal system.

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How can I cancel my Pro-Account?

Actually, it is not necessary to cancel an account, because as soon as you deleted all your files you do not use any storage space any more and you will not be billed further. As a conclusion, we recommend to delete all files but to keep your Pro-Account at filesio. Maybe you will need it again at some time.

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Is there a "Flatrate" for customers with extremely high traffic?

Yes, there is. Just contact us for further information.

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