14 DAY TRIAL // How many times did you wish for a better alternative to file sharing? I've always dreamed of a software that allowed me to share my files only with whoever I wanted. Well, my dream came true when I came across WWW File Share Pro.
It is a LionMax Software product that makes possible downloading and uploading files from your computer. The best thing is that the software has to be installed only on one machine, and its users can upload or download the files they want. How can that be? Simple, the program is a small HTTP server that only needs a web browser to do its job.
So, the machine that has installed the software basically becomes the server. The administrator of the server has to create two folders on his/her computer (one for Download and one for Upload). Then you can browse for the Download folder from the main window of the application.
The path for the Upload is marked in the Advanced menu, in Settings. Then click Save Settings button and close the Settings window. The main window will reappear and all you have to do is press Start. Your default web browser will open the page and display the files you have in the Download folder. And that's it. Oh, one more thing: you have to give your friends the URL of the page they can download the files from. That will be displayed in the main window of WWW File Share Pro and it will be your IP address.
This is just the basics of the program. In the Settings menu you will also find security options and you can limit the rights for your friends (give them upload or download rights). The application allows assigning passwords to different users, so that someone else doesn't bust in accidentally and steal your personal files.
Among the many useful features of the program you can use there are: banning the IP address function, customizing the page and protecting the files. In the Ban IP panel from the Settings menu you can define the IP addresses you want to ban or you can add an IP range. This way you can block any of the the IPs you don't want to have access to your file sharing page.
If you are not satisfied with the default look of the page, the software has some options for modifying it. You can change the title of the page (by default it is the IP address) and put your name or alias in there, and personalize it. The color options are a little limited (11 colors).
If you know how to edit HTML tags you can customize the head and the foot section (displaying whatever message may cross your mind) and modifying the link on these sections and their color.
The files you submit for download can also be protected, so if you want to share a file with only some of your friends, you just have to go in User/Password, assign a username and password for them and then into File Protection and add the files to be protected plus the users that will be permitted access.
Another great feature of the software is that the uploaders can leave you a message concerning the files or anything they want to say to you. This is possible due to the installed plug-ins. If you do not want that to happen, you can protect the plug-in directory on the web page and only the users you grant access to will be able to browse it.
The software will give you all the power a network or website administrator has. You can let everybody view, download and upload on your personal page or you can make a selection and allow access to only some of the users for different files. The download/upload speed depends entirely on the Internet connection and the amount of data is limited only by your hard disk's size.
The Good
It is a great software that responds very well to the needs of many file sharing users. It has security options which allow only a group of users to download/upload the files. The interface is easy to use and the Help menu really covers everything, though I didn't quite use it except for seeing the menus and options. Trust me, it really is not necessary.
The Bad
The worst part of the software is the price, which I think is a little high ($39.95), but the utility of the program makes it almost acceptable. I also had some problems with connecting users with special rights for some of the files. The message at exiting the application and message monitor gets kind of annoying. It is, in my opinion, a click too many.
The Truth
I got along very well with the application except for the minor problems with logging in special users and with the exiting message, but besides that the software is great. If you want a HTTP server, this is the software to do it with. And I'm sure that after the trial version you will give a thought to buying it.
Here are some snapshots of the application in action:
