Dropbox FastDL: Public folder will no longer work after March 15, 2017!

**DarkDeviL** · **Author**

On Friday, December 16 2016 at 04:02 CET, I received the following email:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dropbox Email

Hi <Your Name>,

We’re always looking to improve the Dropbox sharing experience. The Public folder was the first sharing method we introduced, and since then, we’ve built even better ways for you to share securely and work together with your team.

As a result, we’ll soon be ending support for the Public folder. Dropbox Basic users will be able to use the Public folder until March 15, 2017. After that date the files in your Public folder will become private, and links to these files will be deactivated. Your files will remain safe in Dropbox.

If you’d like to keep sharing files in your Public folder, you can create new shared links. Just make sure to send the new URLs to your collaborators.

In addition to shared links, we have a number of sharing options designed to make collaboration easier and give you more control. To learn more, visit our Help Center.

The Dropbox team

This means if you are currently running your sv_downloadurl via your pre-June 2012 Dropbox account, using one of these two links:

Code:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/{ID}/...
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/{ID}/...

Then your sv_downloadurl will break after March 15, 2017.

It might make sense for you to ensure that you are fully migrated away from the Dropbox URL before this date.

UPDATE May 2, 2017:

Paid accounts (e.g. Dropbox PLUS (1 TB)) seems to have an extended period until September 1, 2017 (not officially confirmed!).

metal_upa

Means this is the end of free public folder. Sad.. very sad..

fysiks · *Last edited by fysiks; 12-18-2016 at 12:15.*

Probably because it was being abused by being used for fast download and other "file server" purposes which is not what dropbox was designed for.

GrO

Formally it's about ToS, but the real reason is MONEY.

**DarkDeviL**

As an update, it ended as scheduled for Dropbox FREE users.

Paid accounts, e.g. Dropbox PLUS (1 TB) seems still to be able to use this one.

Dropbox does not seem to have any official data available, some third party sites says it ends for them on September 1, 2017.

oldpapa49

I run a server from home with fiber network. I just started up my server after a few years and needed to find a way to host the maps for download (faster way).
I had bought a lifetime account on pCloud earlier this year (500gb) and just noticed they now have Public folders/files now. I just gave that a try on my server and it works fine.

I still have some kinks to iron out on the server side (2 years of catching up), but the option of supplying UN-common maps is less of an issue

tarsisd2

ppl always want free stuff, i pay only $ 1 Dollar monthly for a webhost with 10 GB of space, and use it as fastdl, it works great

comodder

Quote:

Originally Posted by tarsisd2

ppl always want free stuff, i pay only $ 1 Dollar monthly for a webhost with 10 GB of space, and use it as fastdl, it works great

I'd be happy to do the same, please pm me which webhost do you use?. Btw how much do you pay for bandwidth, and how fast is it?

jesusemilio · *Last edited by jesusemilio; 05-25-2021 at 13:23.*

.-. dropbox for poors?

Timocop

Just a side note: DO NOT use free webhosts for file storage! Some webhosts (e.g 000webhost) disallow filehosting-only in their Terms of Services.