Using FTP

FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol.  For practical purposes, it refers generally to a type of program that can be used to upload and download files, rename files, delete files and change properties of files located on a web server. These programs are relatively easy to use and configure.  Once installed, you can drag-and-drop programs to and from your website with ease.

For Windows Users: We recommend that you look at WS-FTP and CUTE FTP, both of which can be downloaded from www.download.com

NEW: MAC users: you can download "Fetch 5.3" - an FTP tool for MAC users, plus a variety of other userful MAC tools from this site at fetchsoftworks.com.

FTP runs as an application separate from your browser. You do need to be connected to the Internet for it to work. Essentially, when you open the program you will need to connect to your FTP site (for your purposes, this is the same as your web site).

To configure, it will ask the following questions:

    1.  FTP Site: this is ftp.yourdomain.com

    2.  User Account: this was provided to you via email

    3.  Password: this was provided to you via email


The other fields are optional and do not need to be completed. However, you should give a name to the site that you will recognize — this is how the FTP program will remember this configuration.

Once connected, you will see a representation of your computer on the left side of the screen and a representation of your website on the right.  Navigate on both sides to get to the directory you want to work with.  To upload or download, simply drag-and-drop.  To delete, highlight the file and hit DELETE on your keyboard.  To rename, highlight the file, right-click the mouse, and select RENAME.

The most common problem people have with FTP is that FTP moves two types of files: Alpha/Text and Binary. HTML pages are ALPHA/Text.  Text files are alpha/Text.  Log files are alpha/Text.  Pretty much everything else, including images and sound files, are binary.  Some FTP programs automatically recognize which is which by the file extension (".bin"  ".gif"  ".jpg"   ".htm"   ".html") on the end of a file.  However, if you misspell it, it will not know what type it is.  Also, if you upload files ending in ".pl", ".plx" or ".cgi", these should be Alpha/Text.  The FTP system may not recognize this correctly.

To avoid problems, there should be a menu option or button indicating ALPHA/Text or BINARY.  Alpha/Text buttons could look like Aa while Binary buttons could look like 0/1.  Make sure you click the right button and try uploading files again if the initially uploaded file doesn't work.

If you have additional questions, please consult the online or printed documentation that came with the FTP program.