What is FTP?

Once you have finished your web site, or even just a page, you need to transfer your files onto the server at your web host so that people can see your results. All you are doing is basically transferring files from one hard disk to another. It doesn't matter if the other hard disk is in the same city as you or the other side of the world. To do this, you use a File Transfer Protocol program, more commonly known as FTP.

Some of the most popular programs for doing this are: CuteFTP, FTP Voyager and WS_FTP. There are dozens more, many of which can be downloaded for free or on a trial basis. Visit Download.com and search for "FTP" to find the latest editions of these programs.

The FTP program we use is called Ace FTP (see picture below). It is very similar to other FTP programs. The bottom left hand window shows the contents of your hard disk. The bottom right window shows the files on your web host's server. To upload a file from your computer to the internet where other people can see it, you just select the file and then click on the "upload" arrow. Very easy really. You can also do this in reverse. Click on a file on the server and then download it onto your computer.

Getting Started

When you are ready to upload for the first time, you need to fill in a few details. Most of the FTP programs are basically the same.

Label for site: This can be any name you like.
FTP Host Address: If you have a dot com name then type it in full here. Other people might have to type something slightly different.
FTP site User Name: Type in the user name that was given to you.
FTP site Password: Again, type in the password given to you.

Then just press "connect".

Popular FTP Programs

The following are some of the more popular FTP programs which can be downloaded at Download.com.

CuteFTP is a file transfer application that's easy for beginners to use and has enough features to be useful to power users as well. It uses drag and drop, bookmarks, automatic renaming, and download resuming to make FTP easier, and it includes a macro feature that you can use to record frequent tasks and play them back later with another file. Other key features include directory upload, directory compare, remote site editing, queued uploading and downloading, complete directory overwrite and delete, and a progress rate display.

WS_FTP is a standard FTP client for Winsock. It has an easy-to-use graphical interface and advanced features. It contains profiles that can be set up to toggle between commonly visited FTP sites. Newer features included corrections to FTP servers for year 2000 compliance; a default transfer mode option in session parameters; auto re-get; prompts for file overwrites and preserving file date and time; support for new firewall and host types; and other minor corrections.

FTP Voyager is an FTP client program that allows you to perform FTP operations in the same way that you would normally perform file operations. FTP Voyager can connect to almost any FTP site, whether it's a Unix site or a Windows NT site. FTP Voyager looks and feels like Windows Explorer. In fact, you can even drag and drop files from the FTP site to your hard drive, and vice versa. Also included are local drive and folder panes, a log pane, the ability to resume broken file transfers, and 270 preconfigured public FTP sites.

AceFTP is a file transfer tool that enables Internet users to transfer files from their systems to any Internet server. AceFTP includes the option to connect simultaneously to more than one server and has an integrated browser that allows you to see all your files. With the integrated viewer, you can view or listen to any file without leaving AceFTP. It also allows the handling of interrupted transfers and multitasking operations and offers a quick-disconnect option.

Return to Internet Lessons