Using FTP

FTP stands for “file transfer protocol” and – while still enormously popular – it’s one of the oldest methods of file transfer used on networks, and, the internet. FTP allows for the transfer of files, back and forth, between an FTP host and an end user. Using ftp users can also create directories, and, set file permissions on files and directories on remote computers.

Nothing complicated, folks…

FTP is easy to use and works, in brief, like this: a host runs a piece of software called an “ftp server” (makes sense, right?) and people connect to the server by knowing the host’s domain name or IP number. In most cases, by the way, users who are connecting to an FTP server are required to present a user name and password in order to complete their connection (not always – more about that in a minute). Also, most commonly the people who are connecting use a piece of software, called an FTP client program, to log into an FTP server (“Filezilla” is an enormously popular FTP client program – and it 100% free!). If you’re a purist/geek, you can also “do ftp” from a command line (in Unix, Windows – any operating system). If you’re new to FTP it’s highly unlikely that you’ll be doing command line FTP, and, that’s a subject that is beyond the scope of this page.

Anonymous FTP – the simplest form of FTP

Anonymous FTP servers are less common than FTP servers which require credentials (a user name and password) to achieve a connection. An anonymous FTP server offers entry to virtually anyone who knows the IP address or host name of the server. Typically universities run anonymous FTP servers for the benefit of students, usually offering open-source packages and learning materials for download.

Standard account-based FTP
This is the most commonly used type of FTP wherein a client connects by using 3 things: the server’s hostname, a client user name, and a client password. The user is, most commonly, given access to a specific group of files and directories only. If you have a web site hosted on a server you will be given an FTP account so as to log in and create and modify your site.

FTP with SSL

A large percentage of FTP servers, nowadays, require a connection which transmits user names and passwords across the internet in an encrypted form. The technology at work, here, is called SSL – or Secure Socket Layers. My own FTP server uses SSL. If you’re connecting to an FTP server using SSL you simply have to tick an extra option in your client to tell it to connect securely – it doesn’t make using FTP any more difficult.

Pictures are worth a bunch of words….

First – just to give you a jump start – you can download the Filezilla FTP client program from me, right here (for Windows operating systems). The installer is in a .zipped folder because search engines will, often, post warnings about sites that offer “setup.exe” file for download – just unzip the bugger and install the small program:

Download Filezilla

I have to cut this short but I’ll add some more info, later – anyway, the pics below kinda sum things up. If you’re connecting to my server make certain you have chosen: Require Explicit FTP over TLS. Once connected you can surf around your local computer in the left pane (right-click to see the options – eg. “upload”, etc.) and surf around the remote host in the right pane. Again, right-click in the right pane (on the remote host) to see options (eg. “create directory”, “download”, etc.). More later!

First, open the program and go to File > Site Manager and choose NEW SITE (see graphic, below).

You can give your new site a name….or not. Now fill in the required info, as shown below, then hit connect – that’s it!:

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