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Paused sharing activity due to the daily limit for data sharing. What can I do?

I have tried to download a large file shared with me from a client a number of times and every time it is about to finish the folder gets corrupted and I get a suspension from Dropbox?

Why is this happening? I am not the owner of the files I am trying to download, and I am pretty sure the owner of the files pays for the service, so why is this happening?

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Rich

Jazdude wrote:
I have tried to download a large file shared with me from a client a number of times and every time it is about to finish the folder gets corrupted and I get a suspension from Dropbox?

If you're downloading from someone else, then it's their account that has reached their bandwidth limit, not you. They may have a paid account, but there are still bandwidth limits and other things that can cause a suspension, and each time a file is downloaded it counts towards those limits.

If this is truly a suspension due to a bandwidth overage, the owner will need to wait it out (24 hours initially, with each subsequent suspension lasting longer). Otherwise they can contact Support directly if they feel there's some other issue.

Megan

Hey @Jazdude thanks for posting here!

Just wanted to check in with you, and ask if you're still facing the same issue. It sounds like this is why you're getting the error.

Have you recently shared a link which could have been downloaded many times, or to a large file?

This will help me to assist further!

Jazdude

Yes, I have been unable to download the files all weekend. A client shared files with me, but I am getting suspended for trying to download it because it contains a folder that is bigger than my bandwidth of limit of 20 GB I guess? I get having a bandwidth limit for someone hosting a file, but having it for someone trying to download it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I don't really have a choice about how big of a file someone else is hosting for me to do work for them. I can assure you, I am the one getting suspended, not the host. I have not shared any links myself in years, there are literally no files in my DropBox account. I am just trying to download a folder full of files and folders I need to do work assigned to me.

Megan

Hey @Jazdude thanks for clarifying!

Let's test something. Do you get any errors if you try to share a file, or create a shared link on your end?

If yes, then I'd be happy to send you an email in order for us to have a closer look into this.

Jazdude

Hello @Megan ,

I don't get an error when doing this. But also, I don't understand what this has to do with me, being unable to download someone else's link sent for me to download? If I try to download said link, I get suspended? I am not trying to share a link with someone, someone else is trying to share a link with me, and downloading it gets me suspended for excessive bandwidth use.

Hannah

This is quite a strange issue indeed, @Jazdude.

What if you open the link from a private browsing/incognito window, without being logged in to your Dropbox account and download the file that way? What happens then?

Jazdude

Hello @Hannah,

Going incognito and refusing to login to anything did actually allow me to download the file I have been struggling to. So it seems like something about my account is messed up? Is there someone I can reach out to to fix this because I shouldn't need to not be logged into DropBox to be able to download stuff from it.

Also thank you Hannah for the help so far, but some help with the issue would be very nice.

Jay

Hi @Jazdude, if you're not getting an error when sharing links, then it would mean that the issue isn't related to your Dropbox account.

Could you clarify exactly how you were attempting to download the file that was shared with you? Was it via a shared link, a shared folder, or a shared file?

Jazdude

@Jay, please read the test Hannah suggested that worked, and then read my last message.

I am not sharing any links myself. I am trying to download a link sent to me. As suggested by Hannah, I logged out of Dropbox, used incognito mode ( which I don't think was necessary ), and downloaded the exact same file that I have been having problems with. It downloaded just fine and because I wasn't logged in, there was no account to suspend, so that didn't happen either.

The link was shared to me by a client, I get an error any time I try to download the entire folder that was sent to me, so I went through and was downloading the individual folders inside of the folder that was shared directly with me. I was able to download all of the folders and files inside of the folder except for the biggest one. Anytime I would attempt to download the biggest folder it would let me start the download, but at the every end the download would be cancelled and I would get a suspension for going over the bandwidth limit, even though I was not the one hosting the shared file.

So in summary, it is a shared link, that links to a folder full of individual folders and files, all of which I could download, except for the folder that was 30ish GB. The only way to download this folder required me to go incognito and not log in when prompted by Dropbox. Hence, why I think it is my account that is messed up, because I was able to download large folder when my account was not associated to the download request.

Hannah

Hey @Jazdude, since this is an issue that will require access to info specific to your account, which we don't have here on the Community, can we send you an email?

Jazdude

Hello @Hannah, yes, please send me an email. Thank you!

Hannah

Sure thing, @Jazdude, I just reached out to you, so I'll see you there!

Crok

Sorry to add onto this already answered thread, however I have been having issues with Dropbox excessive traffic myself. I run a moderately shared link for a game but I haven’t had this problem until now, which is strange.

I find it hard to believe the link I’ve used has generated more than 20GB in downloads in under a day.

Walter

Hi there @Crok, sorry to hear about this. Can you let us know how long you've been getting this error and if you're familiar with the information from this Help Center article?

Crok

I got the error yesterday. After unbanning myself it proceeded to give me the same message 24 hours after. And yes, I’m aware with that information and I’ve been doing my research on it as of today.

Walter

I see, thanks for the clarification @Crok

If you're still getting this error, please let us know and we'll reach out via email to investigate further.

Crok

The next error I get will likely result in a permanent ban, no? I would like more clarification before that happens if possible, since I’m almost sure it will. Also Dropbox has stated my bandwidth limit is “0.01 GB” but I’m fairly sure the standard Dropbox limit has always been 20GB

“For more information on suspended links, please visit the Help Center. Your current account bandwidth limit is 0.01 GB and your current usage is 0.01 GB. You may remove the suspension by clicking this link otherwise please visit the Help Center.” -Dropbox email today

Walter

When the daily limit for data sharing has been exceeded, note that links are paused temporarily, one day for the first time, and progressively longer for each time after.

Most likely the limit mentioned in the e-mail you received is the remaining bandwidth. For context, if you share a file that is 2 GB in size and someone downloads the file 4 times, that’s 8 GB of bandwidth.

Other than that, as I mentioned in my previous reply, if you're still getting an error, don't hesitate to let us know and we'll be happy to look further into this via e-mail @Crok

felixcat

sorry about replying to this thread. I'm having a similar problem or the third time I'm getting this email "your Dropbox public links have been suspended for generating excessive traffic". I got three emails on apr 28, 30 and may 4th. Is this a glitch? from reading the help center, it looks like the bandwidth limit is daily, but have the same message in all three emails: "Your current account bandwidth limit is 20.00 GB and your current usage is 21.19 GB"

I have had my dropbox or 10+ years and this was the first time I run into this issue. It's just a link to a photo album so I'm surprised it would generate such excessive traffic.

Megan

Hey @felixcat, sorry to hear you're going through that!

Just wanted to check in with you, and see if you're still going through this.

Have you tried sharing an example file/folder to see if you still get the same error? If you do, let me know and I'll be happy to send you an email.

Let me know more, and we'll take it from there!

felixcat

i didn't during my first ban. I regenerated my externally published dropbox link on may 30th, but then i got the exceeding bandwidth warning again on the 4th. I deleted my publicly available dropbox link on the 4th.

I just checked this morning with the other link, that's known only to me, and it worked again. I'm wondering if something wrong with my account and if it's safe to publicly share my link again. thank you or replying to me it's been quite frustrating

Walter

Thanks for the update and please let us know if anything else comes up in the future @felixcat

Mark

felixcat wrote:
I'm wondering if something wrong with my account and if it's safe to publicly share my link again

It sounds like what you are sharing has just become popular if I'm honest. If its working on links only known to you then there is no issue with Dropbox or your account.

Its been awhile since I've seen it, but, in the past there have been a few occasions where others (competitors?) have purposefully tried to max out the bandwidth on peoples account knowing that it causes issues.

felixcat

i wish that's the case lol. It's just my vacation photos from events i attended. I shared it publicly so people can save their own photos. it worked well or 5 years. but for some reasons i got hit with three strikes in a week.

some people suggested AI companies are harvesting my photos to teach their AI. that's kinda far fetch honestly.

You might be onto something. people can do it maliciously and write a script to repetitively download my content and max out my account