Whether you need to move a file from your personal machine to a server or send a file to a website halfway around the world, FTP, or file transfer protocol, is a simple set of commands that can help. In fact, many peer-to-peer file sharing programs like Ares rely on a robust set of FTP commands to create the backbone of the transfer routines. Don’t let technical terms intimidate you. You can understand the FTP basics in no time!
Connecting to a Machine
To connect to a remote machine using FTP commands, you must have:
§ The IP address or the domain name
§ A user id and password
§ The appropriate permissions
At a command prompt, simply type in “ftp” followed by a space and the IP address or domain name. The system will automatically attempt a connection across an internal network or the Internet. If you can establish a connection, you’ll be prompted to enter your user id and password.
Retrieving a File
Once the connection is established, it’s a simple matter to get a file if your user id has the proper permissions. Type “get,” a space, and the filename. The system will indicate the file transfer has started, and furnish the number of bytes transferred when the FTP command is finished. Afterwards, you can end the session by using the “quit” command or “get” another file.
Sending a File
To drop a file onto another machine, substitute the “put” command for the “get” command.