Sign Up

Sign Up to our social questions and Answers Engine to ask questions, answer people’s questions, and connect with other people.

Have an account? Sign In

Have an account? Sign In Now

Sign In

Login to our social questions & Answers Engine to ask questions answer people’s questions & connect with other people.

Sign Up Here

Forgot Password?

Don't have account, Sign Up Here

Forgot Password

Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive a link and will create a new password via email.

Have an account? Sign In Now

You must login to ask a question.

Forgot Password?

Need An Account, Sign Up Here

Please briefly explain why you feel this question should be reported.

Please briefly explain why you feel this answer should be reported.

Please briefly explain why you feel this user should be reported.

Sign InSign Up

The Archive Base

The Archive Base Logo The Archive Base Logo

The Archive Base Navigation

  • SEARCH
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
Search
Ask A Question

Mobile menu

Close
Ask a Question
  • Home
  • Add group
  • Groups page
  • Feed
  • User Profile
  • Communities
  • Questions
    • New Questions
    • Trending Questions
    • Must read Questions
    • Hot Questions
  • Polls
  • Tags
  • Badges
  • Buy Points
  • Users
  • Help
  • Buy Theme
  • SEARCH
Home/ Questions/Q 6352835
In Process

The Archive Base Latest Questions

Editorial Team
  • 0
Editorial Team
Asked: May 24, 20262026-05-24T22:18:01+00:00 2026-05-24T22:18:01+00:00

I need to send a few large files to a computer over the internet.

  • 0

I need to send a few large files to a computer over the internet. As a result I opened the ports that I plan to use on the router and forward the correspoinding ip addresses. anyways let me show you the classes that I have been working on in order to achieve this. This classes work great with small files but sometimes they fail with large files.

here is the code for the server: (it is a console application)

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Net;
using System.Net.Sockets;

namespace ConsoleApplication20
{

    //server
    class Program
    {
        static Server s;
        public static void mm()
        {
            s = new Server("192.168.0.196");
            s.startServer();
            Console.Read();
        }

        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
           // Thread t = new Thread(new ThreadStart(mm));
           // t.Start();
            mm();
            Console.Read();
            s.disconnect();
        }


    }



    class MyTCP
    {
        protected const int MaxChunkSize = 4096;

        protected Int32 port { get; set; }
        protected string serverIP { get; set; }
        protected TcpClient client { get; set; }
        protected static NetworkStream stream { get; set; }

        protected void sendData(NetworkStream stream, Byte[] data)
        {
            // Send the message to the connected TcpServer. 
            stream.Write(data, 0, data.Length);
        }

        protected String receiveData(NetworkStream stream)
        {
            // Buffer to store the response bytes.
            Byte[] data = new Byte[MaxChunkSize];

            // String to store the response ASCII representation.
            String responseData = String.Empty;

            // Read the first batch of the TcpServer response bytes.
            Int32 bytes = stream.Read(data, 0, data.Length);
            responseData = System.Text.Encoding.ASCII.GetString(data, 0, bytes);
            Console.WriteLine("Received: {0}", responseData);

            return responseData;
        }

        protected static Byte[] textToBytes(string text)
        {
            return System.Text.Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes(text);
        }

        public virtual void disconnect() { }

        public bool isServerConected { get { return client.Connected; } }
    }

    [Serializable]
    public class FileProperties 
    {
        public string FileName { get; set; }
        public string DestPath { get; set; }
        public double FileSize { get; set; }

        public FileAttributes fileAttributes { get; set; }
        public System.Security.AccessControl.FileSecurity FileSecurity { get; set; }
        public DateTime creationTime { get; set; }
        public DateTime lastAccessTime { get; set; }
        public DateTime lastWriteTime { get; set; }   
    }

    class Server: MyTCP
    {
        private System.IO.FileStream _FileStream;
        private static TcpListener server;
        private static bool disconect;

        /// <summary>
        /// Constructor
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="localAddr">The ip address of the server</param>
        /// <param name="port">on what port the server going to be listening to?</param>
        /// <param name="autoStartServer">start listening for connections now? you may call the startserver() method latter...</param>
        public Server(string localAddr, Int32 port = 13000, bool autoStartServer = false)
        {
            this.port = port;
            this.serverIP = localAddr;

            if (autoStartServer)
                start();
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Start listening for connections
        /// </summary>
        public void startServer()
        {
            start();
        }

        public override void disconnect()
        {
            // Close everything.
            stream.Close();
            client.Close();
            server.Stop();
            disconect = true;
        }


        void start()
        {
            server = null;

            try
            {
                // TcpListener server = new TcpListener(port);
                server = new TcpListener(IPAddress.Parse(serverIP), port);

                // Start listening for client requests.
                server.Start();

                // Buffer for reading data
                Byte[] bytes = new Byte[MaxChunkSize];
                String data = null;

                // Enter the listening loop.
                while (disconect==false)
                {
                    Console.Write("Waiting for a connection... ");

                    // Perform a blocking call to accept requests.
                    // You could also user server.AcceptSocket() here.
                    client = server.AcceptTcpClient();
                    Console.WriteLine("Connected!");




                    // Get a stream object for reading and writing
                    stream = client.GetStream();



                    int i;
                    try
                    {
                        // Loop to receive all the data sent by the client.
                        while ((i = stream.Read(bytes, 0, bytes.Length)) != 0)
                        {


                            // Translate data bytes to a ASCII string.
                            data = System.Text.Encoding.ASCII.GetString(bytes, 0, i);
                            Console.WriteLine("Received: {0}", data);

                            if (data.ToUpper().Contains("<sendFile>".ToUpper()))
                            {
                                receiveFile(bytes);
                            }



                            continue;


                        }
                    }
                    catch { }

                    // Shutdown and end connection
                    client.Close();
                }
            }
            catch (SocketException e)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("SocketException: {0}", e);
            }
            finally
            {
                // Stop listening for new clients.
                server.Stop();
            }


            Console.WriteLine("\nHit enter to continue...");
            Console.Read();
        }


        void receiveFile(Byte[] bytes)
        {
            // send 1
            sendData(stream, textToBytes("<1>"));

            // receive 2
            int length = stream.Read(bytes, 0, bytes.Length);
            byte[] tempA = new byte[length];
            for (int k = 0; k < length; k++)
                tempA[k] = bytes[k];

            Stream ms = new MemoryStream(tempA);
            FileProperties p = new FileProperties();
            System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer x = new System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer(p.GetType());

            try
            {
                p = (FileProperties)x.Deserialize(ms);

                if (Directory.Exists(p.DestPath))
                {
                    //send 3
                    sendData(stream, textToBytes("<3>"));
                }
                else
                {
                    //send 3
                    sendData(stream, textToBytes("<no>"));
                    return;
                }
            }
            catch
            {
                //send 3
                sendData(stream, textToBytes("<no>"));
                return;
            }



            int i;

            string temp = Path.Combine(new string[]{ p.DestPath, p.FileName + ".temp"});

            _FileStream = new System.IO.FileStream(temp, System.IO.FileMode.Create, System.IO.FileAccess.Write);

                while ((i = stream.Read(bytes, 0, bytes.Length)) != 0)
                {
                    if (i == 11 & System.Text.Encoding.ASCII.GetString(bytes, 0, i).ToUpper().Equals("</sendFile>".ToUpper()))
                    {
                        _FileStream.Close();

                        Console.WriteLine("D!");

                        File.SetAttributes(temp, p.fileAttributes);
                        File.SetAccessControl(temp, p.FileSecurity);
                        File.SetCreationTime(temp, p.creationTime);
                        File.SetLastAccessTime(temp, p.lastAccessTime);
                        File.SetLastWriteTime(temp, p.lastWriteTime);

                        if(File.Exists(temp.Substring(0, temp.Length - 4)))
                            File.Delete(temp.Substring(0, temp.Length - 4));

                        File.Move(temp, temp.Substring(0, temp.Length - 4));


                        //sendData(stream, textToBytes("<done>"));

                        Console.WriteLine("Done!");

                        return;
                    }
                    _FileStream.Write(bytes, 0, i);

                }



            return;

        }
    }
}

and the code for my client is:

using System;
using System.Net.Sockets;
using System.Windows;
using System.IO;


namespace WpfApplication23sdfd
{

    [Serializable]
    public class FileProperties 
    {
        public string FileName { get; set; }
        public string DestPath { get; set; }
        public double FileSize { get; set; }

        public FileAttributes fileAttributes { get; set; }
        public System.Security.AccessControl.FileSecurity FileSecurity { get; set; }
        public DateTime creationTime { get; set; }
        public DateTime lastAccessTime { get; set; }
        public DateTime lastWriteTime { get; set; }
    }

    abstract class MyTCP
    {
        protected const int MaxChunkSize = 4096;

        protected Int32 port { get; set; }
        protected string serverIP { get; set; }
        protected TcpClient client { get; set; }
        protected static NetworkStream stream { get; set; }

        protected void sendData(NetworkStream stream, Byte[] data)
        {

            // Send the message to the connected TcpServer. 
            stream.Write(data, 0, data.Length);

            // Receive the TcpServer.response.
        }

        protected String receiveData(NetworkStream stream)
        {
            // Buffer to store the response bytes.
            Byte[] data = new Byte[MaxChunkSize];

            // String to store the response ASCII representation.
            String responseData = String.Empty;

            // Read the first batch of the TcpServer response bytes.
            Int32 bytes = stream.Read(data, 0, data.Length);
            responseData = System.Text.Encoding.ASCII.GetString(data, 0, bytes);
            Console.WriteLine("Received: {0}", responseData);

            return responseData;
        }

        protected static Byte[] textToBytes(string text)
        {
            return System.Text.Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes(text);
        }

        public virtual void disconnect() { }

        public bool isServerConected { get { return client.Connected; } }
    }

    //client
    class Client: MyTCP
    {



        /// <summary>
        /// Constructor
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="serverIP">the ip address of the server</param>
        /// <param name="port">through what port is the connection going to be established</param>
        public Client(string serverIP, Int32 port = 13000, bool autoConnect = false)
        {
            this.port = port;
            this.serverIP = serverIP;

            if (autoConnect)
                connect();
        }


        public bool connect()
        {
            Byte[] data = System.Text.Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes("connect");

            // Create a TcpClient.
            // Note, for this client to work you need to have a TcpServer 
            // connected to the same address as specified by the server, port
            // combination.
            try
            {
                client = new TcpClient(serverIP, port);

                // Get a client stream for reading and writing.
                //  Stream stream = client.GetStream();
                stream = client.GetStream();

                return true;


            }
            catch
            {
                return false;
            }

        }

        public override void disconnect()
        {
            // Close everything.
            stream.Close();
            client.Close();
        }

        static void ConnectOld(String server, Byte[] data)
        {
            try
            {
                // Create a TcpClient.
                // Note, for this client to work you need to have a TcpServer 
                // connected to the same address as specified by the server, port
                // combination.
                Int32 port = 13000;
                TcpClient client = new TcpClient(server, port);



                // Get a client stream for reading and writing.
                //  Stream stream = client.GetStream();

                NetworkStream stream = client.GetStream();

                // Send the message to the connected TcpServer. 
                stream.Write(data, 0, data.Length);



                // Receive the TcpServer.response.

                // Buffer to store the response bytes.
                data = new Byte[256];

                // String to store the response ASCII representation.
                String responseData = String.Empty;

                // Read the first batch of the TcpServer response bytes.
                Int32 bytes = stream.Read(data, 0, data.Length);
                responseData = System.Text.Encoding.ASCII.GetString(data, 0, bytes);
                Console.WriteLine("Received: {0}", responseData);

                // Close everything.
                stream.Close();
                client.Close();
            }
            catch (ArgumentNullException e)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("ArgumentNullException: {0}", e);
            }
            catch (SocketException e)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("SocketException: {0}", e);
            }

            Console.WriteLine("\n Press Enter to continue...");
            Console.Read();
        }

        public void sendFile(string file, string destPath = "c:\\")
        {

            //let server know what you are going to be doing...
            sendData(stream, textToBytes("<sendFile>"));

            FileProperties p = new FileProperties { 
                creationTime = File.GetCreationTime(file), 
                fileAttributes = File.GetAttributes(file), 
                FileSecurity = File.GetAccessControl(file), 
                lastAccessTime = File.GetLastAccessTime(file), 
                lastWriteTime = File.GetLastWriteTime(file),
                 DestPath = destPath,
                 FileName = Path.GetFileName(file)
            };


            // receive 1
            if (!receiveData(stream).ToUpper().Contains("<1>".ToUpper()))
            {
                MessageBox.Show("Error comunicating with server");
                return;
            }

            // send object p to server
            System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer x = new System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer(p.GetType());
            x.Serialize(stream, p); // send 2

            //recieve 3
            if (!receiveData(stream).ToUpper().Contains("<3>".ToUpper()))
            {
                MessageBox.Show("Error incorrect parameters sent to server");
                return;
            }


            System.IO.FileStream streamFile = new System.IO.FileStream(file, System.IO.FileMode.Open, System.IO.FileAccess.Read);



            while (true)
            {
                byte[] chunk = new byte[MaxChunkSize];

                int index = 0;
                // There are various different ways of structuring this bit of code.
                // Fundamentally we're trying to keep reading in to our chunk until
                // either we reach the end of the stream, or we've read everything we need.
                while (index < chunk.Length)
                {
                    int bytesRead = streamFile.Read(chunk, index, chunk.Length - index);


                    if (bytesRead == 0)
                    {
                        break;
                    }
                    if (bytesRead < MaxChunkSize)
                    {
                        byte[] temp = new byte[bytesRead];

                        for (var i = 0; i < bytesRead; i++)
                            temp[i] = chunk[i];

                        chunk = temp;
                    }


                    index += bytesRead;
                }
                if (index != 0) // Our previous chunk may have been the last one
                {
                    sendData(stream,chunk); // index is the number of bytes in the chunk
                }
                if (index != chunk.Length) // We didn't read a full chunk: we're done
                {

                    sendData(stream, textToBytes("</sendFile>".ToUpper()));

                    //receiveData(stream);//wait recall missing to check results

                    return;
                }
            }

        }

    }
}

the way I instantiate the client class is by providing the IP address of the server as:

Client c = new Client("192.168.0.196");
c.sendFile(@"A:\Users\Tono\Desktop\a.mp4");

the server has to be running first before executing that code.

I don’t know why is so complicated to send a file over the internet using sockets. I don’t konw WCF that’s why I been loosing a lot of time creating this classes. Maybe there are already some built in classes that will enable me to send files over the internet to a different computer. I know just the basics of networking thereofore it will be nice if I could do it with a simple class. I don’t undersatnd why my classes do not work all the time? if I increase the buffer size will my classes be more efficient? do I have to wait or pause my program a little bit before sending more bytes? It will be nice if someone can tell me what is wrong with this classes. They work nice with small files but with large files sometimes it does not work…

  • 1 1 Answer
  • 0 Views
  • 0 Followers
  • 0
Share
  • Facebook
  • Report

Leave an answer
Cancel reply

You must login to add an answer.

Forgot Password?

Need An Account, Sign Up Here

1 Answer

  • Voted
  • Oldest
  • Recent
  • Random
  1. Editorial Team
    Editorial Team
    2026-05-24T22:18:02+00:00Added an answer on May 24, 2026 at 10:18 pm

    There are a few issues that I can see immediately. The one that may be causing your program to only work some of the time is the fact that sending via TCP will not guarantee that every send will result in an identically-sized receive on the other side.

    Your protocol seems to assume it will, because you’re waiting for a read of exactly 11 bytes for the </sendFile>, whereas it could be received in multiple separate reads. E.g.: “[file data…]”. If this happens, your code will not correctly finish.

    It’s also worth noting that the ASCII encoding is 7-bit, and so binary files (such as the MP4) will be received incorrectly (even if you fix the above). If it is binary data, you should not attempt to convert it to a string, but instead write it to file directly from the byte[].

    If you wish to contine down this route (rather than using the many existing file transfer systems already available as mentioned in another answer) then you may also want to change your protocol so that instead of delimiting the file with <sendFile>...</sendFile>, you send the file’s length initially, which will allow you to send files that may contain one of these special tags.

    • 0
    • Reply
    • Share
      Share
      • Share on Facebook
      • Share on Twitter
      • Share on LinkedIn
      • Share on WhatsApp
      • Report

Sidebar

Related Questions

I need to send and receive data over serial connections (RS-232 and RS-422). How
We need to send uploaded files from our CMS website to any antivirus product
I need to send a different udid to my database for few testing purpose.
I need to send hundreds of newsletters, but would like to check first if
I need to send MMS thought a C# application. I have already found 2
I need to send a very specific (non-standard) string to an FTP server: dir
We need to send email which contains Pound (currency) symbols in ColdFusion. Before sending
I need to send PUT and DELETE along with POST, GET to a REST
I need to send a CSV file in HTTP response. How can I set
I need to send emails to a list of IDs from the contact application,

Explore

  • Home
  • Add group
  • Groups page
  • Communities
  • Questions
    • New Questions
    • Trending Questions
    • Must read Questions
    • Hot Questions
  • Polls
  • Tags
  • Badges
  • Users
  • Help
  • SEARCH

Footer

© 2021 The Archive Base. All Rights Reserved
With Love by The Archive Base

Insert/edit link

Enter the destination URL

Or link to existing content

    No search term specified. Showing recent items. Search or use up and down arrow keys to select an item.