How to make an FTP?

[Diso]

Yeah Lemme know

[Mag]

FULL CREDITS TO MADMAN(Owner of RomUniverse)

 

Some Networking Basics

=================

 

FTP is short for File Transfer Protocol. The easiest and most powerfull way to transfer files over the net.

As with HTTP, there are 2 computers involved into file transfering:

 

A server - The computer holding the files and sending them to the connected FTP client

A client - The computer running an FTP programm (or Browser which supports FTP transfers - not recommended) connecting to the server and downloads files

 

Ofcourse the server must be online and available via some Adress. Large servers usually have a static IP-Adress in the internet. An IP adress is a worldwide unique identification of a single computer on the internet and looks like 123.456.789.100

EVERY computer connected to the internet has such an IP adress.

 

So does your homecomp get an unique IP adress when dialing up. Unfortunately, on dial up connections, your comp usually gets a new IP adress every time you connect.

 

Ofcourse such IP numbers can change and are very hard to remember. Thats where the DNS comes into play.

 

DNS is short for Domain Name Service. Not to go into too much details, it works like this:

If you enter www.romuniverse.com in your browsers adress list, the browser asks a DNS-Server, which IP www.romuniverse.com has. Then the browser requests the website via the returned IP adress.

 

 

Requirements

==========

 

This brings us to 3 things needed for FTP transfers:

(Besides a computer with internetconnection )

 

0) A static adress for the FTP server comp.

1) A FTP Server software

2) A FTP Client software

 

Lets start from bottom up:

 

FTP client software

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Nothing spectacular this is. There are tons of programms around that do the job.

Usually newbies are very confused when they see all the possible configuration stuff in these programms.

There is no need to worry about this.

All FTP software is preconfigured to work with 99,5% of all the FTP servers out there.

 

Only things needed to connect to an FTP server is

 

- the adress (IP adress or domain for the FTP Server or Host)

- a loginname or username

- a password

 

For beginners i recommend WS_FTP which is free for non commercial use and available at www.download.com

Simply install it and launch it. You can also give every FTP connection a individual name and WS FTP will save the data for easy access later on.

 

Once connected you should see a tiled windows, left you see your HD and right you see the FTP servers directory. Now browse the FTP server till you find a file you want to download and then drag-n-drop it to your left Window and download should start immediately.

If you ever saw Norton Commander you will feel comfortable soon

 

 

FTP server software

-------------------------

 

No big deal here as well. Download G6 FTP server some where, install it and you are almost done.

Only thing needed here is to set up a user and a related password for people to log on, and set a home directory for the user on your HD, which will be most likely the directory where you store all your files for your FTP. A few trys and you will get the idea quick.

 

 

 

FTP Server adress

-----------------------

 

This is the trickiest part. If you have a dial up connection and no static IP, you would be doomed if there wouldnt be such a nice free DNS-services.

These services let you get a subdomain such as romuniverse.getmyip.com which always points to your last known IP adress.

Of course the downside is you need to find out your IP adress and enter it at the services website.

Unless you use DynIP or some other auto-update software.

This neat piece of software sits in your system tray, watches any IP changes, and when the IP changes it logs on to the DNS-service and updates your IP adress.

 

That way, your computer would be accessable via yourname.freednsname.com any time you connect to the web.

 

Now having the FTP server running and your comp connected to the net, you'd have an FTP server running for everyone to upload and/or download files.

[JuMeSyn]

Yep, Madman has some Nice Tips.

 

Check his forums

[MarkT2256]

yeah thanks for the tips... try using BulletProofFTP which is the best out there, trust me on that one, it doesnt get any better than that