File Transfer Protocol
Internet tool to transfer files through the
Internet from one computer to another. FTP is used to
download files from another computer, as well as to
upload files from your computer to a remote computer. Through (regular) FTP you can
login to another Internet
site but you must have a
user ID and a
password .
Anonymous FTP servers don't require usernames or passwords, but you can't upload files to anonymous FTP servers.
A protocol which allows a user on one host to access, and transfer files to and from, another host over a network. Also, FTP is usually the name of the program the user invokes to execute the protocol. It is defined in STD 9, RFC 959. See also: anonymous FTP and
FTP FAQ's
(File Transfer Protocol). The principle of FTP is simple. You logon to a site (using your FTP software), then you choose a file to transfer. All FTP activity requires you to log on to the remote computer with a user name and password. To get to files shown on the map, it's important to understand the concept of anonymous FTP. Here, you log on to the machine as a guest rather than as an authorized account holder. In this situation, type "anonymous" as the user name and your full e-mail address as the password. Once you log on, you'll be able to access specified directories as an anonymous user. You can also access FTP sites with your Web browser. In the location or dialog box, type ftp://xxx.xxx.xxx, then click from directory to directory. But be warned: this procedure doesn't always work, and Web browsers tend to be much slower at file transfers than dedicated FTP clients.
