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Transfer Files |
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What is FTP and how do I use it to transfer files?
FTP is an acronym for File Transfer Protocol. As the name
implies, 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.
How to use FTP
Graphical FTP clients: Using graphical FTP clients simplifies
file transfers by allowing you to drag files back and forth
between computers (usually between your computer and a remote
computer). When you open the program, you will have to enter the
name of the FTP host (e.g., ftp.empire.gov) and your username
and password. If you are logging into an anonymous FTP server,
you may not have to enter anything. Two common FTP programs are
Fetch (for Mac OS) and Hummingbird FTP (for Windows).
Web browser: 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, less reliable, and
have fewer features than other ways of using FTP.
To use your Web browser to connect to an FTP site such as
ftp.empire.gov, where you normally enter a URL, you would enter:
ftp://ftp.empire.gov/
Command line FTP: You can also use FTP in a command line format
from your Unix account, or your Unix or DOS workstation. For a
list of commands to use, see the Knowledge Base document What
are some FTP commands? For example, to start FTP, at the command
line prompt, enter:
ftp ftp.empire.gov
If you are connecting to your own account, enter your username
and password. If you are connecting to an anonymous FTP site,
for your username, enter anonymous . For your password, enter
your e-mail address.
Keep track of the files
Even if you are using a desktop computer to log into a Unix
shell account , the files you transfer in an FTP session started
from your Unix shell account will be stored in the directory of
your account, and not on the hard drive of your desktop
computer.
If you connect via Ethernet and run an FTP program (e.g., Fetch
or Hummingbird) from your desktop computer, the files will
usually transfer to your hard drive.
Anonymous FTP
Many universities, government agencies, companies, and private
individuals have set up publicly accessible archives on the
Internet. There are thousands of these sites that contain a
myriad of programs, data files, and informational text. At these
sites, public directories and files that may be read by the rest
of the world via FTP are set aside. These directories are
usually named /pub. Specific directions and information about
the site are contained in greeting messages or files with names
like README.
Remember that anonymous FTP is a privilege granted by the
organization that owns the computer to which you are connecting.
Some general guidelines for using anonymous FTP are:
- Don't transfer files you don't need.
- Don't transfer an excessive amount of material.
- Restrict your transfers to off-peak hours, if possible.
- Many FTP sites are heavily used and require several
attempts before connecting.
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