Wednesday, July 30, 2008

FTP for everyone!

So..What is FTP?
FTP is an acronym for File Transfer Protocol. As the name suggests, FTP is used to transfer files between computers on a network, such as the Internet. You can use FTP to exchange files between computer accounts, to transfer files between an account and a desktop computer, or to access software archives on the Internet. Keep in mind, however, that many FTP sites are heavily used and require several attempts before connecting.

Why Use It?
Its a guaranteed way to share DATA, namely files over the internet with any one who can connect to the FTP server.

How Do I Connect?!
You can use a web browser to connect to FTP addresses exactly as you would to connect to HTTP addresses. Using a web browser for FTP transfers makes it easy for you to browse large directories and read and retrieve files. Your web browser will also take care of some of the details of connecting to a site and transferring files. While this method is convenient, web browsers are often slower and less reliable and have fewer features than dedicated FTP clients.
Command line FTP
You can also use FTP in a command line format from your Unix account, or your Unix or Windows workstation. For help, see What are some common FTP commands? For example, to start FTP, at the command line prompt, enter: this also works with CMD in windows!

What Connection Information Or Credentials Do You Need To Connect?
To connect to a FTP server you need the domain, this is the most important component...depending on if the server uses anonymous FTP or requires you to insert a user name and password will dictate what other credentials you will need.

No comments: