What is FTP?
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is the simplest and most secure
way to exchange files over the Internet. Whether you know it or not,
you most likely use FTP all the time.
The most common use for FTP is to
download files from the Internet. Because of this, FTP is the
backbone of the mp3 music craze, and vital to most online auction and
game enthusiasts. In addition, the ability to transfer files
back-and-forth makes FTP essential for anyone creating a Web page,
amateurs and professionals alike.
When downloading a file from the
Internet you're actually transferring the file to your computer
from another computer over the Internet. This is why the T (transfer)
is in FTP. You may not know where the computer is that the file is
coming from but you most likely know it's
URL or Internet address.
An FTP address looks a lot like an
HTTP, or Website, address except is uses the prefix ftp://
instead of http://.
Most often, a computer with an FTP
address is dedicated to receive an FTP connection. Just as a computer
that is setup to host Web pages is referred to as a Web server
or Website, a computer dedicated to receiving an FTP connection
is referred to as an FTP server or FTP site. |