achimba | 66 points | Feb 11 2017 15:44:08

[meta] understanding megalinks

All links in this subreddit are related to the hosting service at mega.nz. This is what /r/megalinks is all about. megalinks are links to content hosted by mega.nz.

megalinks can be broken down into three separate pieces:

1) base URL

2) 'link'

3) encryption 'key'

The first part of a megalink is the base URL. The base URL is always 'https://mega.nz/'. Your browser will probably take you there even if you only type in 'mega.nz/'. You can also get there by IP address 'http://31.216.148.12'. The point is that the links should always be to content hosted on mega.nz.

The second part of a megalink is the 'link'. The link is the lookup code that mega assigned to the content when they hosted it. The link often starts with a # and looks like some random numbers and letters. It is some random numbers and letters but mega.nz knows what those particular ones mean. When a file is uploaded to mega.nz they assign it a hashed value which is the link they give to the user. Example: I upload a file named 'really_cool.must_watch.2017.720p.mkv' to mega.nz. mega.nz responds, cool bro, we got it, that file now has this link '#123ExAmPlE'.

The third part of a megalink is the encryption 'key'. You can only access content on megalinks if you have the encryption key. For all practical purposes you can think of the encryption key as the password to access the content which the megalink is pointing to. Like the 'link', the encryption key looks like some random numbers and letters and it usually starts with a ! character.

Put these three pieces together and you have a working megalink. Now to quickly review, a megalink starts with 'https://mega.nz/' or 'mega.nz/', because you know, it is a megalink. Then add the 'link'. Finally add the 'key'.

Here is an example of a full megalink:

https://mega.nz/#!F0BVQQIC!APhVwABwiP7coXrvfhFlfgCiL9gAwvjV3DrI-X67Bzk)

You only have to click on this kind of link, everything is included for you, and there is no homework.

Here is an example of a megalink without the base URL:

#!5MgCwTaK!WjOueNrFluT6aw0dFVyazLFzhAM9RibyS8EBJS7jkcE

This one is missing the base URL. So what do you do? Yes, that's right, just add mega.nz/ to the beginning. It would look like this: mega.nz/#!5MgCwTaK!WjOueNrFluT6aw0dFVyazLFzhAM9RibyS8EBJS7jkcE

Here is an example of a megalink where the 'link' and 'key' are separated:

link: #F!jxMEBKBL

key: !3q-Mvt0-CMIL3YyRqrGLVg

This one is missing the base URL and it is broken into pieces. Oh noes! Whatever do I do? Just put it together. First you need the base URL 'mega.nz/', then you add on the'link', and then you add the 'key'. It would look like this: 'mega.nz/#F!jxMEBKBL!3q-Mvt0-CMIL3YyRqrGLVg'

Here is an example of a complex megalink:

#!{7 - 2}MgCwTaK!WjOueNrFluT{9 - 4 + 1}aw0dFVyazLFzhAM9RibyS8EBJS7jkcE

First is it missing the base URL so we will have to add 'mega.nz/' to the beginning.

mega.nz/#!{7 - 2}MgCwTaK!WjOueNrFluT{9 - 4 + 1}aw0dFVyazLFzhAM9RibyS8EBJS7jkcE

Next the poster has asked us to perform some math. 7-2=5. 9-4+1=6. We are asked to substitute the math problems with the answers.

mega.nz/#!{ 5 }MgCwTaK!WjOueNrFluT{ 6 }aw0dFVyazLFzhAM9RibyS8EBJS7jkcE

mega.nz/#!5MgCwTaK!WjOueNrFluT6aw0dFVyazLFzhAM9RibyS8EBJS7jkcE

And there it is. To assemble a megalink you may be prompted to do some math, replace some characters, or simply add mega. Use that big old brain of yours.

You can deconstruct the megalink to by breaking it into the three pieces. Given this megalink: 'https://mega.nz/#!F0BVQQIC!APhVwABwiP7coXrvfhFlfgCiL9gAwvjV3DrI-X67Bzk)'

base URL = 'https://mega.nz/'

'link' = '#!F0BVQQIC'

'key' = '!APhVwABwiP7coXrvfhFlfgCiL9gAwvjV3DrI-X67Bzk)'

First and foremost remember that this is /r/megalinks and all of the links located here are supposed to be links to mega.nz. So if you see only parts of a megalink do not worry. You just need to put the pieces together. You got this. I believe in you. Just add mega.

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