A recording and reproducing apparatus includes a file recorder, an interface, and controller which, upon receipt of content file with copy control information, records the content file in the recorder by adding thereto identification information M requesting transfer upon confirmation that a round-trip response time to a destination is not longer than a predetermined time, so that upon receipt of an instruction for transfer of the content file to an external device on the network, the controller determines whether the external device has a function of measuring and determining the round-trip response time to the destination, and in the case where the external device has function of measuring and determining the round-trip response time to the destination, transfers the content file to storage area of the external device, after measuring the round-trip response time and confirming that the measurement is not longer than predetermined time.