links and bandwidth

[wickedthoughtz]

I'm starting a new site that adds a direct link to someone else's video file (with mention of who made the video and their website), but if I have a direct link where people can download the video does that eat up my bandwidth as well, or does it only eat up the bandwidth of the site who hosts the file?

[Matt Probert]

If your site is www.examplesite1.com and you put a link as <a href=www.examplesite2.com/video.mpg> on your web page, then your readers accessing that link will be served with the video from the other web site, and not affect your bandwidth.

Make sure you get permission from the owner of www.examplesite2.com before doing this, however!

Matt

[topsites]

No but it eats up their bandwidth while they may feel cheated out of that visitor, so the thing about asking permission is correct...

You may alternatively see if it is ok to download the file to your server, and link it direct.

Or, give a direct link to the page contains the file.