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2.7: File Transfer Protocol

  • Page ID
    305532
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    A simple process for moving those big files that e-mail can’t handle is called File Transfer Protocol (FTP). There are dozens of free software programs available to execute the task.

    Digital audio and video — and some PDF and PowerPoint files — can exceed 1MB in size. Some video files even exceed 1GB. It’s not a good idea to transfer files larger than 1MB with e-mail since most network servers are not capable of handling them. (Third-party e-mail programs such as Gmail handle them pretty well, however.)

    The best way to move a big file between computers is with a free FTP program. FileZilla, Coffee Cup and Ace are FTP programs I’ve used successfully on the Windows platform. For the Mac, Fetch, Cute FTP or Cyberduck will do the trick.

    Or, if Firefox is your browser (and it really should be), you can download the FireFTP plug-in and add FTP capability to your current browser.

    Note

    The Firefox browser by Mozilla is used by 31% of Internet users (as of February 2007)1 and has erased the dominance of Internet Explorer because of its intuitive user interface, efficient page loading, tabbed browsing and copious free plug-ins that allow for easy customization. If you haven’t switched to Firefox yet, I recommend giving it a try.

    When would you use FTP? Use it if you have shot some photos or video or recorded some audio and you want to publish it online on your Web site with the story you are working on. All you need to transfer a large file (or files) over the Internet, besides some free software, is the account information of the server where you want to send the file. If you are hoping to upload a large file to your Web server, get the account information from your Web staff. It will look like this:

    Account name: Newspaper FTP (this is optional — something you create for yourself)

    Host: ftp.newspaper.com

    Login: crazyfiles

    Password: !secretstuff%

    Most FTP programs save the information the first time you enter it so you’ll be able to easily return and send additional files with one or two clicks.

    The setup for most FTP programs is the same: A folder layout on the left side of the interface that reflects the file structure of your computer, and a folder layout on the right side that reflects the file structure of the FTP server. Navigate to the folder where you want to copy the target file (if that folder is not already visible), then find the file in your file structure, click and drag it across. It’s that easy.

    clipboard_efcf77ddec616869ee4840babe3d8dc00.png

    The interface for the free FileZilla FTP program.

    Note

    To find any of the services mentioned above, simply run a search on Google or Yahoo! for the name.

    References

    1. W3Schools, Web-building tutorial site, February, 2007. www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_stats.asp

    This page titled 2.7: File Transfer Protocol is shared under a CC BY-ND 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Mark Briggs via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.