How to fix slow NCBI downloads?

Optimize Network Connection

• Ensure you are using a stable and fast internet connection. Check your network speed with online tools like Speedtest to ensure the bandwidth is sufficient for large file downloads.

 

• Connect your device to the internet using an Ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi, which can provide a more consistent and faster connection.

 

Configure Data Compression

• Use the NCBI Entrez Direct tools, which support gzip compression, to download data. This can reduce the download time by transmitting smaller compressed files.

 

• Incorporate data stream compression into your APIs or download scripts when fetching data programmatically from NCBI.

 

Use Command-Line Download Tools

• Utilize tools like `wget` or `curl` to resume large downloads if interrupted. Use the `-c` option (for `wget`) or `-C -` option (for `curl`) to continue downloads.

 

• Explore downloading data using Aspera Connect, which is often faster than traditional FTP because it uses the FASP protocol to maximize bandwidth.

 

Schedule Off-Peak Downloads

• Try downloading during non-peak internet usage times (e.g., early morning or late evening) to benefit from less network congestion.

 

• Consider using a download manager that schedules tasks for times when your network is usually less busy.

 

Verify File Integrity

• Use checksum files provided by NCBI to ensure files downloaded completely and correctly. Run checksum utilities like `sha256sum` or `md5sum` to verify file integrity.

 

• Redownload any files that fail checksum validation to prevent data corruption issues.

 

Optimize Software Configuration

• Increase the maximum number of simultaneous connections in download managers to speed up large multi-file downloads.

 

• Adjust timeout settings in network configurations or download utilities to prevent premature termination of active downloads.