Here are some hints to help you more efficently use rapidshare.

Rapidshare has been an excellent tool for sharing large files. Over the last few weeks, many people have figured out how to more efficently use this service. I wanted to document some of these suggestions here. If you have more please let me know.

Rapidshare traces the users IP address to limit each user to a certain amount of downloading per day. To get around this, you need to show the rapidshare server, a different IP address. You can do this one of multiple ways.

1. Short-Out the java script:

1. Goto the page you want to download
2. Select FREE button
3. In the address bar put the following: java script:alert(c=0)
4. Click OK
5. Click OK to the pop-up box
6. Enter the captcha
7. Download Your File


2. Request a new IP address from your ISP server.
Here's how to do it in windows:

1. Click Start
2. Click run
3. In the run box type cmd.exe and click OK
4. When the command prompt opens type the following. ENTER after each new line.

Code:
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
exit
5. Erase your cookies in whatever browser you are using.
6. Try the rapidshare download again.

Frequently you will be assigned a new IP address when this happens. Sometime you will, sometimes you will not. If you are on a fixed IP address, this method will not work. To be honest, I do not know how to do this in linux/unix/etc. If this works for you, you may want to save the above commands into a batch file, and just run it when you need it.


3. Use a proxy with SwitchProxy and Firefox:

1. Download and install Firefox if you have not already
2. Download and install SwitchProxy
3. Google for free proxies
4. When you hit your download limit, clean your cookies and change your proxy


4. Use an anonymous service:
Running your system through the tor network should in theory work; however, it is difficult to use and setup. Plus, you allow others to run their evil deeds through your system as well by using this system. Anonymizer 2005 is inexpensive, easy to use, but not free. Other pay services would likely work as well.


5. You can use a bookmarklet to stop your wait times:
1. Open IE
2. Right Click On This Link
3. Select Add to Favorites
4. Select Yes to the warning that the bookmark may be unsafe.
5. Name it "RapidShare No Wait"
6. Click on the Links folder (if you want to display it in your IE toolbar)
7. Click OK
8. You may need to close and reopen IE to see it
9. Goto rapidshare and click the bookmarklet when you are forced to wait

Well, in my opinion the limits were imposed due to excessive usage and a large number of users the system wasn't really able to handle efficiently enough.

Such measures are usually introduced for the good of all users, which leads to higher service quality for all of them (shorter waiting times, faster speeds). If some of those users abuse the system, all the other get lower quality service in the long run. Keep that in mind, when you are about to cheat a service that is provided to you free of charge...

Now if someone want to possible make a few bucks or provide a good deed for the community they should write their own Rapidshare downloader. Simply place you file in the queue and the program will automatically determine your wait time and download the file for you.