Simply put, an FTP server is a computer that allows you to log in and either upload files, download files, or do both. FTP servers have a number of uses:
- Many web hosts allow customers to upload their websites’ files via the FTP protocol.
- When a file is too large for e-mail, many organizations will instruct you to upload it to an FTP server.
- Software, data, and other files can be distributed using FTP servers.
Common Uses for FTP Servers
When a file is too large to attach to an e-mail message, many organizations will instruct you to upload to an FTP server. This is common among companies that frequently work with technology and digital information, such as web development shops, graphic designers, marketing professionals, and video editors. The recipient will send you instructions for logging into their FTP server, where you will be expected to upload the file. Once the file is uploaded, it is sitting on the recipient’s computer system where they can easily retrieve it.
FTP servers are a common tool for distributing software, data, and other files. For example, one of the traditionally most common methods of getting various versions of the popular open source operating system Linux has been to log into an FTP server, locate the files you are looking for, and download them to your own computer.
Web hosting companies provide a space for your site’s files to live 24/7, and one way to get a site’s files from your computer onto the host’s server is via the FTP protocol. You log into to the web server via FTP, upload the files, and voila — your site is live.
How to Log Into an FTP Server
You need two or three things in order to log into an FTP server:
- The FTP server’s address.
- Login credentials (sometimes these are not necessary).
- FTP client software.
The server’s address tells your client software where the FTP server is located online. An address might be something like ftp.example.com. Depending on which software you are using to connect to the server, you may be required to enter the full address, i.e. ftp://ftp.example.com.
In order to gain access to an FTP server, you may need to supply credentials. If this is the case, you will be asked for your username and password upon logging in. Some servers permit anonymous access… you may be given an anonymous username, or be instructed to log in with your e-mail address and no password.
Finally, you need FTP client software that knows how to communicate with the FTP server to which you are uploading/downloading. Most operating systems have a rudimentary client built-in, for example Windows Explorer can speak FTP. Mac OS X’s Finder can also connect to FTP servers, but as of this writing it does not permit uploading. Third party FTP clients include Cyberduck (Mac), Fetch (Mac), FileZilla (cross-platform), Transmit (Mac), SmartFTP (Windows), and WinSCP (Windows).
