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Axel

Axel is a light command line download accelerator that uses multiple connections to speed up file downloads from the Internet. It supports HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, and FTPS protocols and can achieve up to 60% faster downloads.

Description

Axel accelerates the downloading process by utilizing multiple connections for a single file, similar to tools like DownThemAll. It can also leverage multiple mirrors for downloads, making it effective for retrieving files faster from the Internet. This makes it particularly useful on systems where resources are limited, serving as a lightweight alternative to wget and other console-based downloaders.

Ideal for penetration testers and security professionals needing quick file retrievals during reconnaissance or tool deployment, Axel minimizes download times without heavy resource usage. Its installed size of 224 KB ensures it's suitable for byte-critical environments.

How It Works

Axel operates by splitting downloads across multiple simultaneous connections to the same server or multiple mirrors, maximizing bandwidth usage. It supports HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, and FTPS protocols, with options for IPv4/IPv6, custom headers, user agents, and SSL handling. Timeouts, speed limits, and progress indicators provide control during transfers.

Installation

bash

sudo apt install axel

Flags

--max-speed=xSpecify maximum speed (bytes per second)

--num-connections=xSpecify maximum number of connections

--max-redirect=xSpecify maximum number of redirections

--output=fSpecify local output file

--search[=n]Search for mirrors and download from n servers

--ipv4Use the IPv4 protocol

--ipv6Use the IPv6 protocol

--header=xAdd HTTP header string

--user-agent=xSet user agent

--no-proxyJust don't use any proxy server

--insecureDon't verify the SSL certificate

--no-clobberSkip download if file already exists

--quietLeave stdout alone

--verboseMore status information

--alternateAlternate progress indicator

--percentagePrint simple percentages instead of progress bar (0-100)

--timeout=xSet I/O and connection timeout

Examples

Display help information and usage options

axel -h

Download a single file using default settings

axel http://example.com/file.zip

Download file using 4 connections for acceleration

axel -n 4 http://example.com/largefile.iso

Download file with maximum speed limited to 100 KB/s

axel -s 100k http://example.com/file

Download file and specify custom output filename

axel -o outputname.zip http://example.com/file.zip

Search for mirrors and download from multiple servers

axel -S http://example.com/file

Quiet download without progress output

axel -q http://example.com/file

Download HTTPS file without verifying SSL certificate

axel -k https://example.com/file

Updated 2026-04-16kali.org ↗