Score:0

IIS serving files - strange behavior

cn flag

I will try to explain the problem as best I can.I have an IIS server that is accessible from outside and users use it to download files (.zip, .iso, etc.).

With smaller files, this is not noticeable, but with larger ones, I recently noticed that when the link is clicked, the download does not start immediately (it does but I don't see that in browser) but the page is loading (and downloads in the background) until download is finished and then browser says download completed 100%.

If file size is 10GB page is loading for some time (30 mins) and when file is downloaded then browser tell me it that download has finished.

Note: When I access file from local network download confirmation/progress is shown instantly

Is this related to IIS or network configuration?

Thank you. Carlo

Lex Li avatar
vn flag
Why cannot it be the browser that delays the download? Learn to use browser's developer tools to see more or use a tool like Wireshark. You need more evidence to guide you further.
Carlo avatar
cn flag
@LexLi I thought about that too, but it's the same on various devices and networks
Score:0
ch flag

One potential solution is to enable byte-range requests in IIS which allows downloading large files in smaller chunks. This can be done by enabling the "Static Content" role service in IIS, and then setting the "MaxChunkSize" property to a value that is appropriate for your network.

Another potential solution is to enable "Content-Disposition" header on your IIS server. This allows the browser to show the download progress bar while the file is downloading.

It's possible that the network configuration is causing this issue, such as a low bandwidth connection or a firewall that is blocking certain types of traffic. If you're unable to resolve the issue by adjusting your IIS configuration, it'd be wise to investigate your network settings too.

Supporting Resources

Carlo avatar
cn flag
Thanks, I have static content installed, and I'm just enabled directory listing
Carlo avatar
cn flag
Another thing I noticed, and it has nothing to do with the original question, but probably has to do with the configuration of the IIS server, is that the speed is much faster on the basic linux/nginx configuration out of the box. A much smaller virtual server set up just for the testing, serves files much faster than the IIS server. As if IIS is limited to 100-200 mbps upload, but it is not. The default value of 4294967295 Bytes/second is set for that site. With nginx I get full network speeds.
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