ftp intro

What is FTP?

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is the simplest and most secure way to exchange files over the Internet. Whether you know it or not, you most likely use FTP all the time.

The most common use for FTP is to download files from the Internet. When downloading a file from the Internet you're actually transferring the file to your computer from another computer over the Internet. This is why the T (transfer) is in FTP. You may not know where the computer is that the file is coming from but you most likely know its URL or Internet address.

An FTP address looks a lot like an HTTP, or Website, address except it uses the prefix ftp:// instead of http://.

Example Website address: http://www.korteco.com
Example FTP site address: ftp://tkcftp.korteco.com

Most often, a computer with an FTP address is dedicated to receive an FTP connection. Just as a computer that is setup to host Web pages is referred to as a Web server or Website, a computer dedicated to receiving an FTP connection is referred to as an FTP server or an FTP site.

What is an “FTP Site”?

An FTP site is like a large filing cabinet. With a traditional filing cabinet, the person who does the filing has the option to label and organize the files how ever they see fit. They also decide which files to keep locked and which remain public. It is the same with an FTP site.

The “key” to get into an FTP site is the Username and Password. Some FTP sites are willing to give anybody access their files; these are referred to as 'anonymous' FTP Sites. To ensure security, Korte’s FTP site is secure, thus there is a unique username and Password for each construction job. In addition, subcontractors are only given access to download documents from Korte’s FTP site.

To make an FTP connection you can use a standard Web browser (Internet Explorer, Netscape, etc.) or a dedicated FTP software program, referred to as an FTP 'Client' such as SmartFTP or WSFTP.

When using a Web browser for an FTP connection, FTP uploads can be more difficult, or sometimes impossible when compared to FTP Clients. When connecting with an FTP Client, uploads and downloads couldn't be easier, and you have added security and additional features. For instance, you're able to resume a download that did not successfully finish, which is a very nice feature for people using dial-up connections who frequently loose their Internet connection.

Using a web browser for FTP

Because of their availability, web browsers have become a very common way to use FTP Sites. As most anyone has a web browser installed, no additional software is needed. The most common web browser (and most compatible) is Microsoft Internet Explorer. Other browsers such as Netscape and Firefox also work well with FTP. AOL is another browser that supports FTP, but is not recommended due to poor compatibility.

Most web browsers support in-line Usernames and passwords. When experiencing login problems, often using this method yields better results. When using this method, you use the same name and password that you were given, but you enter them in while typing in the FTP site’s URL (again, this only works with web browsers, not FTP clients). The syntax for this is: ftp://username:password@ftp.site.com

Your integrated link would be ftp://subcontractor:shovel55@tkcftp.korteco.com

Typing this type of link into a web browser would log all the way into the site for you, without prompting for the information. These are especially handy when working on multiple ftp sites/projects with Korte.

What is an FTP Client?

An FTP Client is software that is designed to transfer files back-and-forth between two computers over the Internet. It needs to be installed on your computer and can only be used with a live connection to the Internet. FTP Clients have been around for a long time and are by far the quickest and most versatile way to use FTP. The classic FTP Client look is a two-pane design. The pane on the left displays the files on your computer and the pane on the right displays the files on the FTP site. File transfers are as easy as dragging-and-dropping files from one pane to the other or by highlighting a file and clicking one of the direction arrows located between the panes. Smart FTP is a common FTP Client. Download here.

Still having trouble?

If you need additional assistance please contact your system administrator. Often FTP Sites are blocked by a company’s firewall or your web browser requires additional configuration due to varying network settings. If everything checks out, please email us at ftphelp@korteco.com for additional assistance.