Extremely slow uploads using browser

[solisoli]

Hey there. I currently use Dropbox for sharing files and upload my files mostly using the desktop app, which uses my full internet connection of 1Gbps, usually easy and no errors.

My main issue: Some of my peers also use dropbox and will send me upload requests and vice/versa. These apparently can only be done through a browser, at least I haven't found a way to use the app yet, which takes absolutely ages. I've tried using different browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Opera) or different machines (Win11, Mac and a linux distro) and it will not change how fast it goes. Also this connection is frequently dropped and the uploader shows as if all the files are uploaded, but when checking we see that some files are missing, sometimes a lot, sometimes a few.

Is there a way to use the desktop app to share files with someone else's dropbox link? If not, is there are way to make the browser upload faster?

I use a few other services that require browser uploading (WeTransfer, Vimeo, Youtube, Pixieset, GoogleDrive) and Dropbox is the only one that is slow.

I just did a test of uploading 700 raw photos and it took the desktop app a little over 3 minutes while the browser still has over 45 minutes to go.

Thanks anyone for the help, I couldn't find anything anywhere about this, hopefully is fixable!

[Nancy]

Welcome aboard the forum, @solisoli!

If you’ve received a file request, then it’s only possible to upload files via your web browser, I’m afraid.

Are you having an issue if you break your uploads into smaller chunks? 

Also, have you tried uploading via an incognito window instead? Does that seem to help at all?

Finally, please keep in mind that depending on the sender’s plan, you’ll be able to upload a specific size of files each time via file request.

Keep me posted for more updates.

[solisoli]

Hey, I haven't tried doing smaller chunks, but the sizes vary in between. These are all photos, so they're around 18-25mb a piece. I also upload videos which are around 600mb to 4gb. All of these have the same speeds, very slow.

Yeah, one of the first things I tried was incognito. Didn't change.

The sender's plan is either business or professional, they receive from different people in the same manner.

[Hannah]

Hey @solisoli, sorry to jump in here.

Are all your devices connected to the same network?

Have you tried using a different one, to see if that has any effect on the upload speed?

[Timothy H.1]

I also now find web uploads extremely slow since the new interface. Uploading a 4GB now takes over 45 minutes when it used to only take around 10 minutes. It never used to be like this. It starts off fast but then slows to a crawl when it's reaches over 100MB uploaded. The CPU is also maxed out. This is using the browser with just the Dropbox website open with no other tabs or windows open.

[Nancy]

Hey @Timothy H.1, can you send me a screenshot of the CPU usage you’re seeing, when uploading files to the Dropbox website?

Also, to clarify, you don't have the desktop app installed on your computer, right?

[skovfx]

This has been an issue for me for several months. Sending files ranging from 15-40MB, in folders averaging 30GB in size, through a File Request link is painfully slow. Uploads that would take less than an hour any other cloud service, can easily take 4+ hours or more on Dropbox, still have failed uploads, and the ETA even increases over time.

Locking the computer to let the upload transfer overnight makes things worse. The transfer basically comes to an even slower crawl until you bring focus to the tab again. My most recent upload of ~130GB went from 4000+ minutes to over 7000 minutes when I came back to it in the morning and dropped back down to 2500 minutes. This is ridiculous. Unfortunately, it is something my client uses in their workflow.

CPU usage is in the single digits.

Example folder structure:

VFX_PACKAGE_01 (~25GB parent folder)

/ VFX_01 (~5GB child folder)

VFX_01.1001.exr (~20MB individual files)

VFX_01.1002.exr

VFX_01.1003.exr

etc.

/ VFX_02

VFX_02.1001.exr

VFX_02.1002.exr

VFX_02.1003.exr

etc.

[Jay]

Hi @skovfx, Do you have any proxy, VPN, firewall, security software, or even ISP/router settings that could be restricting traffic to the following Dropbox domains?

[skovfx]

No, none of the Dropbox domains are being restricted.

[Megan]

Hey from me too @skovfx!

Does this happen on a specific browser, or multiple ones? 

I can kinda justify the time if we're talking about a folder approximately 130GB, but when it comes to smaller files, that's a bit odd. 

Also, you mentioned that this happens when using a File Transfer. Do you notice the same behavior when uploading content to your account, using the web?