FTP |
What exactly is an FTP? Well an ftp isn't exactly an object or piece of software, FTP is method of transferring files across the internet. The purpose of this page is to explain the basic workings of an FTP as well as provide a walk through for first time users.
What is an FTP?
What do I need to get Started?
Addresses, Logins and Passwords
Using WS_FTP
Additional Notes
An FTP is essentially a server, a collection of files that have been organized and offered over the internet. Chances are that you have used FTP's before...perhaps even without knowing. Many Web sites that distribute software use FTP to actually send you the files.
The first thing that you will need is called an FTP client. An FTP client is software that connects you to a server and allows you to download and upload files. Two of the more popular FTP clients of today are WS_FTP and CuteFTP. Shareware versions of either of these programs can be found on the internet, or by clicking here:
This page provides a walkthrough for using WS_FTP. This is because I believe WS_FTP to be the more straightforward of the two and the easiest to learn. At some later date you may also want to give CuteFTP a look. It can do some things that WS_FTP can't and has a better system for storing frequently accessed sites.
Now In order for you to connect to and use an FTP you are going to have to know three pieces of information: An IP address, Login name, and a Password.
An IP address is a set of numbers that identify a computer on the internet. Internet addresses are not unlike postal addresses. In order to send a letter to someone you need to know their state, city, street and house number. The internet works much like this, though rather then dealing with letters and names, the internet deals with numbers. An IP address looks something like this:
149.106.143.23
Which is similar to:
State.City.Street.Number
A Login name is a name used to identify you on the remote computer. This name is what is going to control what access you have to the computer and the files on it. By using login names, it can be controlled who gets access to what.
Similarly, a Password is a device that ensures that the person trying to use a login name is authorized to use that name. If you are given a login name you will also most likely be given a password to go along with it.
When you first start up WS_FTP you should see a screen very similar to this:
The first thing you are going to do is type in a name for your new connection in the Profile Name box. Then type in the IP address you are trying to connect to in the Host Name box. Make sure that the Save Password option is checked and then type your login name in the Host Name box and your password in the Password box. Then click on Save. It should look something like this:
When you click on OK, WS_FTP will connect you to the FTP and greet you with it's main window, Like so:
The left pane represents your computer, and the directories should look familiar. The right pane represent the remote computer and the directories that are available on it. Now say for instance that I'm looking to download movies. I would change into the Movies directory by double clicking on
in the right pane. This would change me into the movies directory and the right plane will display the contents of that directory, like so:
The left pane is navigated the same way. If you double click on
In the left pane, your local directory will be changed to C:\Temp. All files that are downloaded will be placed here. So you can think of the right pane as being "What" you want to download and the left pane as being "Where" you want to put it.
If you want to change back into the previous dir you where in, click on the
button at the top of either pane. This will make you go back one level in the directory tree.
Now say that I like the sound of alicia2.mov and that I would like to download it. First I would click on it, like so:
Clicking the
Button will then download the file to the location shown in your left plane. It is also possible to select and download multiple files. The program will download them in order, until it finishes the last one.
Multiple files may be selected by multiple methods. You can click on one file to selected and then hold down Control and click to selected another. You can also click in the right part of the plane where there are no files, and draw a "fence" over the files that you want to download. After the files are selected, just click the
button to download them to your computer.
Uploading files from your computer to the remote computer works in pretty much the same way. You select files on your computer (the left plane) and click the
button to upload them to the remote computer.
You can think of it this way. The left plane is your computer and the right one is the remote computer. You can select files on either side and the arrow points the way that you want them to go. It is in this way that you can upload and download files.
Several additional things that must be noted. On most FTP's there are restrictions as to where you are allowed to upload files. Usually files are uploaded in either Incoming or Upload directories. These directories provide you with special privileges that allow you to write to them.
Some FTP's use what are called ratios. An FTP that uses a ratio keeps track of how many files you have uploaded. By uploading files you earn "credit" that may be used in the downloading of files. FTP's with say a 1:15 ratio require that you upload 1 file for every 15 that you take. So if you are given a "No Credit for Download" or something similar, you must upload some files before you will be permitted to download any. Also, you should pay attention to what sort of files you are uploading. Uploading files that are offensive to the owner of the FTP are often grounds for being banned.
-Klamouth, 1998
