FTP (File Transfer Protocol)

So you have built your new web site or had it designed for you, it is a graphical masterpiece, but how do you get it onto the Internet and update it?

For this you need an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) program. One I always recommend is WS_FTP from Ipswitch available at: http://www.ipswitch.com

This program is available in a Professional version but also a 'Lite' version, which is free and can be used for non-commercial/non-business purposes. This version (WS_FTP LE 5.08) is available from: http://www.ipswitch.com/cgi/download_eval.pl?product=main

What an FTP program does is simply transfer your web pages and graphics from your computer to the web server of your hosting company from where they will be live on the Internet.

So you have your program installed. Now open it and you will be presented with a small window that requests some basic details from you. This information you will need to acquire from your hosting provider, your host name/address, your user ID and password.

Once entered press OK and WS_FTP will attempt to connect to the web server and open the directory where your web site will be stored. You will now see two windows in WS_FTP, the one on the left are directories on your computer and the one on the right the directories on the web server.

From here you work your way through the directories on your hard drive in the left window by double clicking (on a windows system) the small arrow at the top of the window until you find where you have stored your web site.

Select the page or graphic you want to send and using the two arrows in the middle of the screen you can send them to or from the server.

Whenever you send an item by FTP it will write over an existing file with the same name, so there is no need to delete a file when updating your web pages just upload, and the new version will replace the old.

Once you have uploaded your files open your web browser (IE, Netscape etc…), and type in the address of your web site to check that all of your pages are in place and you have not forgotten any graphics.

That's it, easy and now your masterpiece can be seen by all.

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