To learn how to FTP upload files to a web host, it is a pretty easy process if you have a good web hosting provider that has tools to help you with the process. Before you continue reading to find out how to FTP upload files to a web host, it is first a good idea to learn exactly what FTP is and how you can use it to your advantage when you are looking switch web hosting companies, or start up a new web hosting plan with a new provider. Keep reading to learn more.
File Transfer Protocol:
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol and works to transfer files between computers on a network or from a computer to a web server of a web host. You can use the FTP to exchange files between computer accounts or the computer and web server. There are lots of web users that rely on FTP to upload their necessary files to create a web site on a web host server. Or those who are switching web hosts will find FTP to be an invaluable resource to transfer entire website files so they don’t have to completely start over their website construction when they switch to that new web hosting company. Because many FTP sites are heavily used, it might be a good idea to consider going with a web hosting provider that is able to offer free FTP within the web hosting package.
This is a great way to easily switch your old website files over to your new web host’s server. Or if you are simply using a program like Dreamweaver, you can use an online FTP tool to help you transfer all of those files you’ve created in Dreamweaver over to your new web host’s server. If you have your own server or VPS, having FTP is also going to be helpful again in learning how to FTP upload files to a web host.
How to FTP Upload Files to a Web Host:
There are a few different ways you can learn how to FTP upload files to a web host server. To start, one of the best and easiest ways to complete this process is to make sure your web host provider offers free FTP. If your web host offers this, you might want to consider calling the help support line for assistance, or you can check and see if your web hosting provider offers easy-to-follow tutorials on how to do certain projects including FTP in order to manage your website. These video tutorials are helpful and usually really easy to follow. However, if you have more questions, you can always consult with the help support line in order to get the best service in figuring out how to FTP upload files to a web host server.
If your web host provider does not offer FTP, you can always go about it in a different way. You can actually use an online service that you can access via the web. Just like you access a typical HTTP address, you can use a web browser for FTP transfers that make it super easy to browse through large directories to read and retrieve files. When it comes to learning how to FTP upload files to a web host, you can also use the browser concept for FTP so you can connect to a website like a web host server to transfer your files. This is a great way to not only build your website online, but to also build a blog like a WordPress blog if you so desire to add this kind of a feature to your website. This is a super convenient way to build your website or blog especially if your web hosting provider does not offer you any sort of FTP tools to help manage your uploads. However, there are a few downsides about using a webserver via web browser to upload your online content: it is slow. If you are only uploading a couple of pages worth of files, this is going to be a super easy way to accomplish your task. However, if you are in the process of switching over your entire website to a new web server, this process might take a while and is considered to be less reliable. Because the website or web browser is slower and has fewer features than dedicated FTP clients, it is not always the best FTP upload solution. However, if your web host does not provide you with a dedicated FTP client, this method still might be your easiest solution.
If you choose to go this route and connect your web browser to an FTP site like ftp.empire.gov, you can enter in a specific URL in the URL box: ftp://username@ftp.empire.gov. You will then have a built-in command line pop up where you can enter an FTP command depending on what you want to do. You might even want to create your own account, using a username and password specific to your account. You can also connect anonymously where you simply enter in your email address for your password. There are lists of common FTP commands available online depending on what kind of FTP task you are looking to accomplish.