FTP to the rescue
Question: I have been sending large files as e-mail attachments to a colleague in another office, but the IT guys have started complaining because it bogs down the e-mail. Is there another way to move large files across the web? –David J.
Answer: One thing you can do is to make your e-mail file attachments smaller by using a ZIP program. See: How to send large e-mail attachments.
However, there are a few other methods to moving files.
You could establish an account with Carbonite where you store large files on the web and share that account so people can download them. This is ideal for groups – like families or colleagues who share a lot of large files regularly. The company offers FTP space (learn more about FTP below). Try it now for 15 days free.
So let’s talk about FTP.
There’s a better method of moving files, though, called FTP, which stands for “File Transfer Protocol”. It’s used to move files from one computer to another across the Internet.
The problem with this is that you and the recipient both need to have access to a computer called an FTP server. As the sender, you’ll put the file on the server using one of the FTP clients (programs) listed below, and your colleague, as the recipient, will retrieve the file also using one of those FTP programs.
Think of an FTP server as a mid-point between you and your colleague (let’s call him “Biggles” for simplicity’s sake) so you’ll need to talk to your IT staff and ask for access to an FTP server for yourself and Biggles. Most companies have one of these. If your company doesn’t, talk to your favourite web site designer. They will often have a server available for this purpose. You’ll need to get the address of the FTP server, which will be something like ftp.someserver.com. You and Biggles will also both also need to be set up with user IDs and passwords on the FTP server.
Some FTP servers have “anonymous” access set-up on them. On an anonymous FTP server, your user ID is always anonymous and your password is your e-mail address, although you can fake one. I always use something like [email protected] or [email protected] (Apologies to all Bobs and dromedaries.)
When you use the FTP program to access the anonymous FTP server, you’ll be presented with a list of folders in your FTP program. All you have to do is pick a folder and select the file on your desktop and send it to the remote folder. A copy of the file will be transmitted and saved in that folder on the FTP server. Remember the name of the folder. Then send Biggles an e-mail with the FTP server’s address and the folder that the file is in.
Biggles can then use his FTP program to log onto the server, go into the folder where you left the file, and pull a copy of the file onto his own computer.
If you’re a Windows user, there are three FTP programs that you and Biggles should consider when getting ready to guy one.
The first is an old favorite of mine called Ipswitch WS FTP. It is a very reliable product that is easy to use. WS FTP has two interfaces.
One uses a drag and drop file management. When you open it, it lists all the FTP sites that you use. When you connect to a site, all the folders and files on the server open in a window that looks and works like the folder windows in Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000. To move files, you drag them from your Windows folder into the FTP session and the program moves a copy of the file accordingly.
There is also an interface in WS FTP that uses two panes. On one side, your computer folders are listed and on the other side is a list of the remote FTP server folders. This is a holdover from earlier versions of the product. The product can be found at Ipswitch WS FTP .
Another product is Internet Neighborhood by Deerfield.com. It can be downloaded at www.deerfield.com. This incorporates FTP sites as entries in Windows Explorer. It looks like a folder of hard drives. The hard drives just happen to be on various FTP servers around the Internet.
This product works quite well, but it occasionally seems to fail to connect to some FTP servers. When this happens, it seems like an Internet connection problem, but I’ve found that retrying with WS FTP in this scenario is usually successful, so there’ something within the Internet Neighborhood program that’s flaky.
CuteFTP is a third option in the world of FTP clients. It can be found at www.cuteftp.com.
Mac users should look at a product called Fetch available at www.fetchftp.com. Alternately, there’s a list of other Mac FTP clients listed at www.macupdate.com.
