New Remote Worker - CAD Files Won't Open from Server to Laptop

[jhyman572W9]

Hello all,

I am the first remote worker for my engineering firm, and it's been off to a rocky start. My workflow consists of remotely accessing CAD files stored on our server.  An immediate problem I am running into is that the server's ISP upload speed is unbearably slow, I'm talking upload speeds of 0.5-1 mb/s! We are working on upgrading the upload speed dramatically, however I don't think that's the only issue. Even with such slow upload speeds, I'd at least expect CAD files to open, just slowly. However, I am dealing with CAD files just not opening. For example, a CAD file of 1,800 kb in size idles and does not open for upwards of 45 minutes! I will say, it does appear to be not directly correlated to file size, as I had a file of 986 kb open in just under three minutes. Other CAD files will just refuse to open and leave me idling. I'm having slow speed when opening large PDFs or PowerPoint files, but at least they open. What I'm running into is a CAD specific problem. 

Why won't my CAD files open? Is it an issue being compounded by a slow server ISP upload speed, or is this something else that will persist even once we upgrade our upload speed? Thanks for helping me figure this out all.

[Simon_Weel]

How about downloading the files you need to edit locally, modify them and then upload back to the server?

[TravisNave]

I agree, you should not be opening files over the network.  That can cause you some locked-file issues.  You might consider implementing Vault, so that your repository of files can still live on the server so that engineers can still access them, and for backup purposes.  But also so that files can be checked out to prevent them from being accidentally overwritten, but most importantly, so that the files are being opened locally instead of over the network.  

[johnmatthew569808]

I agree with you.

[handjonathan]

Hi @jhyman572W9 

Thanks a lot for posting your question to the forums!   Have the solutions suggested by @Simon_Weel @TravisNave helped with your issue?
 
We look forward to hearing back from you with more information so we can help you as a community!