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File Transfer
Protocol, better known as FTP, is a procedure used to upload and download
files to and from your web server. FTP is a special way to login to another
Internet site for the purposes of retrieving and/or sending files.
In order to
use FTP, you'll need to download and install a software program on your
computer. The most widely used FTP program is WS FTP Pro. You can find it
here:
http://www.wsftp.com. Also check
out other FTP Downloads here
When you
first launch the FTP program, a startup screen will appear. This screen will
enable you to add your website information and allow the program to connect
with your server. You simply fill in the information where indicated with
the following information:
Profile
Name - This name will be added to the selection list of profile names.
Select your profile name according to your domain. For example, if your
domain name were smiths.com, your profile name might be Smiths.
Host
Name/Address - Your domain name address.
Example - www.candidinfo.com
Host Type
- The type of server in which your website is hosted. The standard is
Unix.But you can probably skip it.
User ID
- Your hosting User ID. Example - candidinfo.
Password
- Your hosting password.
Depending on
which FTP client you use, the names may be slightly different.
Once the FTP
program has connected with your server,you will see the files on your
computer in the left window and the files on your server will be displayed
in the right window.
To maneuver
through your folders, simply double click on them. To transfer your files,
either double click on the file or highlight it and then click on the
transfer files arrow.
Sometimes,
you will have to upload your files to a special directory,
like WWW or Public_HTML, but most providers let`s you upload the files to
the current directory.
To select
more than one file at a time, click on each file you'd like to transfer
while holding down the Ctrl key on your keyboard. Keep in mind, all of the
files you select must be uploaded in the same mode. In other words, you
could upload all of your HTML files at the same time, or all of your images.
If all of the
files you'd like to upload are all together, you can click on the first file
while holding down your Shift key and use the down arrow on your keyboard to
highlight all of your files.
Files such as
text, HTML, and most scripts should be uploaded to your server in ASCII
mode. Any file that isn't ASCII text, such as programs (EXE, ZIP), graphics,
ebooks, sounds (WAV, MID) and movies should be uploaded to your server in
Binary mode.
If you're
managing your own website, having a good FTP software program is an absolute
must. Not only will it provide you with some independence, but it will also
enable you to have complete control over your files.
Some of
the FTP software programs which we had found useful are:
FTP Downloads
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