I need a computer guru to explain FTP software and usage to me please. Anyone?

Tom Baugues

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I've been using a FTP (File Transfer Protocol) program for many years now but suddenly something is not right. I have questions. Does anyone here know about FTP programs?
 
I've been using FLING. The newspaper that I send files to (photos) tell me that my files are coming to them individually instead of in a folder. I put all the photos that I need to send into a folder and select that folder and send it to them but they tell me they show up individually. If I have covered a large event such as a sporting event I could have several hundred images that I'm sending. That makes it difficult for them to catch all of them.
I'm thinking of trying different ftp software. I have seen filezilla. When going to their site to download the software it asks if I want to download software as a client or server. I assume I want to choose client since I'm sending images to them only???????
 
I've been using FLING. The newspaper that I send files to (photos) tell me that my files are coming to them individually instead of in a folder. I put all the photos that I need to send into a folder and select that folder and send it to them but they tell me they show up individually. If I have covered a large event such as a sporting event I could have several hundred images that I'm sending. That makes it difficult for them to catch all of them.
I'm thinking of trying different ftp software. I have seen filezilla. When going to their site to download the software it asks if I want to download software as a client or server. I assume I want to choose client since I'm sending images to them only???????

Correct, you'd just need the client. It's pretty much drag/drop based. So you'd setup your connection, then on the left hand side is your local files, and on the right you'd see the ftp's folder/files once connected. You can drag a local file or folder over and it would take care of making sure the folder was re-created on the ftp side and move any files within the folder at the same time.
 
Another Filezilla user here. You can also drag and drop from Windows Explorer directly onto the remote site. (Although it's been so long, I don't remember if there was an extra plugin or something necessary to make that possible.)

Lately though, I've not been able to connect to several of the sites I manage. I've not had the time to really figure out what the problem is. Instead, I find other ways to transfer the files (typically though the Bluehost Control Panel, which is pretty clunky compared to Filezilla.)
 
Ok thanks guys. I will give FileZilla a try. I'm not the most savy computer user. Once things are set up I'm fine but trouble shooting issues and just getting things set up can be a challenge for me.
 
Ok thanks guys. I will give FileZilla a try. I'm not the most savy computer user. Once things are set up I'm fine but trouble shooting issues and just getting things set up can be a challenge for me.

Check with the publisher on the filezilla/ftp settings to see if maybe they are requiring a specific encryption type or if they've gone to a different protocol (SFTP vs. FTP), you'll see these settings in the connection setup. Most likely this is what has changed that has broken your old software.
 
Lately though, I've not been able to connect to several of the sites I manage. I've not had the time to really figure out what the problem is. Instead, I find other ways to transfer the files (typically though the Bluehost Control Panel, which is pretty clunky compared to Filezilla.)

Two ideas, Vaughn.

1) most sites have turned of FTP altogether as it is a security hole. They only support SSH and related encrypted copying tools. This is confusing to people as they still use the traditional "FTP" client, but it is not using the FTP protocol to do the copying any more. If your server has stopped supporting FTP then you need to make sure that your client is set to use the SSH protocol

2) One of the hosts I deal with has changed the default network "port" as a way to make it harder for hackers. So they have advertised to their clients what port they do use, and again, we need to tweak our FTP/SSH software so that it uses the other port number.

...art
 
Two ideas, Vaughn.

1) most sites have turned of FTP altogether as it is a security hole. They only support SSH and related encrypted copying tools. This is confusing to people as they still use the traditional "FTP" client, but it is not using the FTP protocol to do the copying any more. If your server has stopped supporting FTP then you need to make sure that your client is set to use the SSH protocol

2) One of the hosts I deal with has changed the default network "port" as a way to make it harder for hackers. So they have advertised to their clients what port they do use, and again, we need to tweak our FTP/SSH software so that it uses the other port number.

...art

Just fyi...SSH FTP is also known as SFTP...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SSH_File_Transfer_Protocol
 
Downloaded the filezilla client software tonight and then watched a couple of tutorials on YouTube. Got it set up and it seems to be working. Was able to send two new folders of images tonight and it looks like it went through just fine. I don't like change but this doesn't seem to be too difficult so this looks like it will solve my problem.

Thank you all for your advice. Not woodworking related but I knew I could trust you all on here to steer me in the right direction.
 
Downloaded the filezilla client software tonight and then watched a couple of tutorials on YouTube. Got it set up and it seems to be working. Was able to send two new folders of images tonight and it looks like it went through just fine. I don't like change but this doesn't seem to be too difficult so this looks like it will solve my problem.

Thank you all for your advice. Not woodworking related but I knew I could trust you all on here to steer me in the right direction.

:thumb:
 
Two ideas, Vaughn.

1) most sites have turned of FTP altogether as it is a security hole. They only support SSH and related encrypted copying tools. This is confusing to people as they still use the traditional "FTP" client, but it is not using the FTP protocol to do the copying any more. If your server has stopped supporting FTP then you need to make sure that your client is set to use the SSH protocol

2) One of the hosts I deal with has changed the default network "port" as a way to make it harder for hackers. So they have advertised to their clients what port they do use, and again, we need to tweak our FTP/SSH software so that it uses the other port number.

...art

I'll have another look at it, but I think I've got all of the accounts on the client set to use SSH. I access about five different hosted accounts, all on BlueHost. Last I was messing with it, I double checked to confirm all the non-working accounts were set up the same (using SSH and the same port number) as the working one. But as I like to say, I've got three good excuses -- I'm old, feeble, and blond. It most likely is some kind of operator error. :rolleyes:
 
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