Getting started with FTP
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The process by which files are transferred to the web server is called "FTP" (File Transport Protocol). You have unlimited access via FTP 24-hours per day. As such, you can create and maintain your web pages on your own computer and upload files to your web site at your leisure.

If you need an FTP program, you can download software for for either the PC or Mac below. We suggest that you contact your local Internet provider to inquire about compatibility.

• BulletProof FTP (recommended for Windows users)
• WS_FTP

For the Mac, "Fetch" is available:

• Fetch
• Fetch user guide

Microsoft FrontPage Users Customers with Microsoft FrontPage extensions installed on their sites should use only the FrontPage publishing feature to transfer files. Using regular FTP can corrupt the extensions, disabling the functionality of the FrontPage web and requiring that the extensions be reinstalled manually.

Configuring Your FTP Software

The following information is contained within your account activation notice and is needed to connect to your web site via FTP:

• FTP HOSTNAME
• USERID
• PASSWORD

The hostname tells your FTP software to connect to the web server upon which your web site resides. In general, the process of configuring the various FTP software programs is the same. We recommend BulletProof FTP (BPFTP) for Windows computer users (see above to download). When you run BulletProof FTP you can specify these three items on the top line (see Fig. 1).

Fig.1

If you wish you can use the Site Manager (select the Main/Site Manager menu) to save these settings for future use.

How to Transfer Files

When you connect to the web server, you will connect directly to the root ("home") directory of your account. BPFTP will display a split screen where files on the left-hand side are within your own computer. You will see one or more folders on the right-hand side such as www which are landmarks suggesting a successful connection to your web site.

The contents of your web site are located in the /www/htdocs folder. Upload files there to have them appear on your web site. The only system directory that you may need to use is /www/cgi-bin; this directory is reserved for custom scripts written in Perl or Unix Shell.

To make your home page load automatically, name the HTML document "index.html" or "index.htm" in lowercase and upload it to the /www/htdocs directory of your account. To upload a file or files, simply highlight the file(s) on the left and drag it into the window on the right. An alternate method is to use the "Queue for Upload" button on the toolbar. Press the green Go button to start the transfer.

Be sure to upload HTML documents and scripts in ASCII mode (the green "A") and images in BINARY mode (the red "B"). In most cases BPFTP will handle this automatically for you. To transfer a file to a subdirectory, double-click the appropriate subdirectory on the right side to open it before transferring the desired file(s).

As soon as a file is uploaded to the web server, it is available for all to see. If, after uploading a file, you are still unable to see the updated file, you need to clear your browser's cache. This function can be found by selecting Edit/Preferences/Advanced/Cache in Netscape 7, or Tools/Options in Internet Explorer. Remember that you must first be connected to the Internet through your local Internet service provider in order to connect to the web server.

Acceptable File Names

Our operating system (FreeBSD) is case sensitive. In other words, the file name "faq.html" is NOT the same as "FAQ.html". If your HTML code references a faq.html, but the actual file name is in uppercase, this will result in a File Not Found error. This applies to directory names as well.

To prevent errors, we suggest naming all files in lowercase. Spaces are generally not a good idea. The underscore character ("_") is acceptable. You should avoid special characters ( ! @ # $ % ^ & * : ' ) in file names. We suggest that you keep the length of file names to a minimum. The tilde (~) cannot be used in directory or file names.

Notes to Mac Users

Select "raw data" transfer mode when using Fetch to transfer both HTML and images.

PageMill may add either a .bin or .txt extension to your files which must be removed in order for such files to load properly.

Viewing Web Pages in Netscape

Webmasters often modify an HTML document and re-upload it to the server. After returning to their web browser they click RELOAD only to find the original document unchanged. This is a common occurrence for Netscape users and is easily remedied by clearing the browser's disk cache. This can be done in Netscape under Edit/Preferences/Advanced/Cache in Netscape 7. You can also hold down the Shift key when clicking the Reload button to force the page to refresh.

What should I do if denied access via FTP?

1. If you can access your web site and e-mail, but cannot access your account via FTP, the FTP configurations may be incorrect.
2. If you are denied access AFTER entering your userid and password, you may be using the wrong password. Check the activation notice sent to you via e-mail when the account was first set up. If you changed your password and it doesn't seem to be working, contact support to reset your password.
3. If you cannot connect at all, or connect and then "hang", there may be problems with connectivity. Please contact support for assistance.

Please note: the information on this page applies to ITS web hosting plans. It may or may not apply to other environments. If you are looking for a feature described here, or better support from your hosting provider, please consider hosting your site with ITS!

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