Download from separate domain?

[northfork]

Hi All,

I would like to setup mp3 downloads for one of my sites, but the non-profit hosting environment we use has a rule that mp3 downloads have to come from a special "media" server and not from our web server.

I tried setting up a product with a download that had a fully qualified URL, but that didn't work, and I am stumped. Is there a way to do this or do I need some custom coding?

Thx,

Tim

[DrByte]

Needs lotsa custom coding if you want to maintain security...

[northfork]

Hmmm. By security you mean hiding the URL of the file to be downloaded? Security is maintained now via the browser re-direct?

So, what you are saying is that it wouldbe difficult to re-direct the browser to a different domain?

Thx

[northfork]

*Polite Bump* :-)

[Merlinpa1969]

As Dr Byte explained, there would be a good deal of coding to get this to work,
you might be able to get around this by zipping up the files

[northfork]

I am sorry I don't understand. I am hoping to learn how to solve this issue. I don't know where else I could hope to search for an answer to these questions. I know you are busy, and I am not impatient.

Here they are...

Hmmm. By security you mean hiding the URL of the file to be downloaded? Security is maintained now via the browser re-direct?

So, what you are saying is that it would be difficult to re-direct the browser to a different domain?

And, one more...would zipping the files allow them to be downloaded from a different domain? Or just that our host wouldn't notice us downloading mp3's if they were zipped?

In addition, I will be happy to help out answering questions from noobs on the forums, after I learn enough to be able to answer questions. I am not a programmer, though I studied CS in college for a couple years, way back in the era of big iron and green screens, and did programming then. I am very tech savvy, though, and should be able to answer lots of CSS questions, and configuration questions.


Thanks,

Tim

[Merlinpa1969]

host wouldnt notice,
In its ZIP format it as actually not a downloadable MP3.

[DrByte]

Hmmm. By security you mean hiding the URL of the file to be downloaded? Security is maintained now via the browser re-direct?

I mean limiting downloads by number of tries, number of days, and hiding the URL via browser redirect or simply streaming the file to the browser from server cache.

So, what you are saying is that it would be difficult to re-direct the browser to a different domain?

If you desire to not have folks giving out the URL to your files after they purchase and find out its address, then you would need to build some sort of stripped-down Zen Cart on the remote server which could talk to the main server and validate each download request. Then you need to build security handshaking between the two so that people can't spoof and trick it into thinking they're authorized when they're not.

And, one more...would zipping the files allow them to be downloaded from a different domain? Or just that our host wouldn't notice us downloading mp3's if they were zipped?

As Merlin indicated, ZIP files are not usually identifiable by the webserver according to their internal content. However, if the spirit of the requirement is to minimize bandwidth/processing from the main server, they may "catch" you due to the volume of traffic hitting the server and eventually present you with an ultimatum.

If you look at our Certified Hosts page (see link at top of forum), you'll see that there are many offerings for very low monthly rates ... quite competitive even when compared with non-profit options. If you're making sales, surely you can afford a few dollars a month so everything can run from one place and on a nicely-tuned engine.

[northfork]

Thanks for your replies, fellas.

I have my own VPS server, so setting it all up on one server would be a piece of cake, it's just that the client (who hasn't been zenned yet, and still has to think) is on a special hosting service, and there is some emotional attachment.

I guess we will have to talk about our options, which I now understand much more clearly thanks to you guys.