HOW TO USE DIXIE-NET FTP

(and look like you know what you're doing)

FTP stands for (F)ile (T)ransfer (P)rotocol. It is used to send files from one computer to another over the Internet, and is used in preference to sending a large message via email. For purposes of this discussion, let's assume that your login name is 'fred', and your password is 'password'.

There are two uses of FTP. Incoming and Outgoing (uploading and downloading). DOWNloading is where you transfer a file FROM the internet TO YOUR COMPUTER. It's the way you get stuff from the outside world. Now, you can do this with e-mail, but it sure does take a while, plus, it degrades system performance on our e-mail server, so DON'T DO IT FOR LARGE FILES!!!!!!!

UPloading, on the other hand, is where you place a file FROM YOUR COMPUTER to somewhere else ON THE INTERNET. It could be to your friend across the street, or to someone in China - doesn't matter. UPloading is UPloading!

SO, HOW DO I DOWNLOAD?

Well, glad you asked. Most sites have an ftp server. We do. The URL for our ftp server is;

ftp://ftp.dixie-net.com

NOW, compare that with the URL for our website:

http://www.dixie-net.com

Notice how it has the same general format, but uses 'ftp' instead of 'www' and 'http'. Once on our ftp server, you'll see a folder marked 'pub'. Most ftp servers have a 'public folder' such as this one where they place the files that ANYONE (on or off the system) can retrieve files. In our 'pub' folder is another folder labeled 'mail_pgms'. Click on this folder and you'll see a README.1ST file and eudor152.exe. The README.1ST file is a simple text file. Click on it, and you can read a quick explanation of what Eudora is.

Back at the 'mail_pgms' folder, click on the 'eudor152.exe' folder. This is a copy of the Eudora mail-retrieval program. Your browser will prompt you to 'Save the file', and then prompt you for a place to put it. Once you've answered those simple questions, the system will DOWNload the file from our FTP server to YOUR COMPUTER! You've just downloaded a file!

OK, GREAT. NOW THAT I UNDERSTAND DOWN, WHAT ABOUT UP?

Oh, ok. UPloading is just the opposite of DOWNloading. Your sending a file somewhere else instead of someone sending a file to you!

At Dixie-net, we have provided you with server space to allow uploading of your files. Once there, anyone can DOWNload the files you've place on our system to their system. FIRST, let's upload! Remember, it's username 'fred' and password 'password' for our example. You would use the following example:

ftp://fred@dixie-net.com

Once connected, the system will prompt you for your password (which WE already know is 'password'). You will then see your home directory with a series of folders. One is labeled 'ftp' (fancy that!). If you want someone else in OR out (but particularly outside) of our system to be able to upload from your ftp directory, then click on the 'ftp' folder. If not, click on the 'files' folder. NOW, click on the 'File' option on the task bar at the top of your browser, and then select 'Upload file'. You'll then be able to browse the system to find the file you want to upload. Once you've found it, double-click the file, and it will be magically (well, not quite, but close!) sent to our server and placed in the directory you chose.

Congratulations, you're now an UPLOADER (sounds like someone in a tank or a ship, doesn't it?).

FTP is also useful for uploading your files to your webspace area. If you've read our page on Setting up your own Personal Website, then you'd upload those files to the homepage folder, rather than the ftp folder.

NOW, and here's the fun part, if you chose to upload your file into your 'ftp' directory, anyone else in the WORLD can get a copy of your file by going to (and remember, you're 'fred' here!) the following URL:

ftp://ftp.dixie-net.com/usr/fred

Once there, they'd see all the files you have available, and they could click on and download the one(s) they want as we described earlier in the DOWNLOAD section.

Remember a couple of things. ANYTHING uploaded into the ftp directory will be DELETED after 24 hours, so don't put anything there you don't want erased. If you want to keep a copy for yourself, don't erase it off your computer, or leave another copy in the 'files' folder as well.

Well, that's about it. There are other FTP facilities (including the ability to do all this without using your mouse, but you really don't care about that, do you??) If you do, contact sysop@dixie-net.com and I'll tell you how to do all this from the DOS command prompt.

Remember one final thing - YOU'RE LIMITED TO 10MB OF TOTAL DISK SPACE!!! If you have a file larger than 10MB, contact sysop@dixie-net.com for special instructions or for a general waiver on the 10MB limit.

That's it! If you need more information on FTP, do a search on the 'net. You will find many resources there.