Using FTP
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol, and is used to transfer files from one system
to another via a network, primarily the Internet. We use an ftp client to upload and
download files from our home or office computers to FIU's Internet connected hosts
such as solix and serss1. If you create your www files and images on your PC, you need
to upload them to your unix account in order for them to be viewable on the web.
We recommend using an ftp client program called WS-FTP to do this uploading.
It is a Windows based graphical program that hopefully makes transferring files a simple process.
- First, establish your regular PPP connection, or make sure you are connected to the FIU Network.
- Double click on the WS-FTP icon. Below is the first screen you should see. The important
boxes are the ones labled "Host Name", "User ID", and "Password".
The "Host Name" is the name of the computer you will be connecting to.
To upload www files and images, you can connect to solix or serss1; if you are not connecting through
FIU's modem pool but through an external ISP, you will need to enter solix.fiu.edu or serss1.fiu.edu.
The "User ID" is the unix username (in lowercase letters) for the account where you will be uploading the files.
For personal web pages, this would be your normal username. If you are uploading files for a departmental account,
you need to use that username and password during this login process.
You will be storing the files you upload into a directory called www. If it doesn't exist yet, you can create
it in the next step using the ftp program.
- Having connected to serss1, we now see the files on our PC on the left side, and the files in our unix
account on the right. We need to create the www directory in the unix account. We do this by clicking on
the button on the right side labeled "Mkdir". In the dialog box presented we type www in all
lowercase, then click OK.
- Once the directory has been created, scroll down the right column list and double click on your
new directory. The list should change and since it's a new directory the right column should not
have any files listed.
- Now you are ready to transfer your files from your PC to your unix account. Change to the appropriate
directory and drive where you web files are located on the left column, which represents your PC. You can
send the files over one at a time by clicking on the filename on the left side, or by holding down
the CTRL button while clicking on files to select more than one file at a time, and then on the arrow pointing
to the right.
- During the uploading process, a dialog box will appear showing how much has been sent and time remaining.
- Once completed, you should see the files you chose now listed in the right column (figure below). You
are now done and can click on the Close button in the lower left corner.
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