Source -
http://users.pandora.be
OK, now suppose you're a user new to this whole ftp thing. What next?
Understanding ftp types:
OK, there are two kinds of FTP server: PUB(lic) and private. Pubs are open to everyone, because they do not require you to know a login or password (but they often send your email address as a password, which is why you must put one in many download managers and ftp clients).
Most large companies that have FTP servers have pubs (or at least a /pub/ folder). If you need a patch for a LucasArts game, for example, you can go to
ftp://ftp.lucasarts.com/pub/ and then find the patches folder (probably inside the game name folder). If you know the web address of most any software company, you can usually find their pub folder by changing the http:// to
ftp://, the www. to ftp. and adding /pub on the end. This also works for many other sites, such as hardware resellers that keep drivers on an FTP for tech support, or places that collect drivers and patches for the same reason.
Private FTPs require you to know a login and password to access their files. These might be large company sites (some hardware manufacturers require you to logon to their tech support, like Apple Computer-- so you can forget about Quicktime support ), or they might be personal FTP servers like those on other forums.
Scanned pubs:
A lot of people scan for pubs. This means that they use a program which pings a range of IP addresses and searches for a pub which can be uploaded to. This may be a corporate pub, or a private FTP that is poorly set up. The idea is to upload warez to the site. This saves personal HDD space, and reduces personal criminal liability, since the illegal files are not on your server. Various techniques are used to hide the files from the system administrator (who naturally would not want them there if he/she knew they were there). The address of the pub is then posted (or a warez site links to the hidden files on their page) so that we can download them.
Problems with pubs:
Pubs often go down fast. Maybe the system administrator found the files and deleted them. Or they noticed the extra activity and shut down the server. Or deleters found out the address and deleted all the files (yes, there are whole groups that do that for fun or revenge). In any case, when a pub is posted, try to get there as fast as possible, but don't be surprised if what you're looking for is not there. If the server is still open, look around a little-- you might find it in another folder. Or you might find something else you're looking for.
There's more discussion of the etiquette of pub posting and pub stealing in The EW Handbook.
Ratio sites:
Many sites that you will find on FTP lists or Lycos FTP search are ratio sites. This means you have to upload before you are permitted to download. You can tell a ratio site because somewhere in the info you'll see: "1/(number)". Or the login/pass will be something like "ratio/ratio" (always a good clue ).
This tells you how much you can download for each byte/kilobyte that you upload. Naturally if you see 1/1, you're outta there, because you have to upload the same amount that you download. Bah!
If the ratio is say 1/10, you can download 10 times as much as you upload. Much better.
Problems with ratio sites:
They're great when they work, but mostly they're just a PITA. The main problem is that the server counts every byte that you upload and keeps a running total of how much you are allowed to download. This is called your credit.
Wonderful, but if your connection breaks, your credit is usually lost (set back to 0). So you've wasted a lot of time uploading and maybe don't have enough left in the upload to get the credits you need. Or worse, you were downloading, and now you have to upload again to finish the download.
You can try emailing or PM-ing whoever runs the server to tell them that your credits are gone, if you have contact info. Sometimes that works. A lot of times it doesn't. There are also people who actually don't plan to share-- you upload, then they ban your IP, in effect stealing from you. So be careful with ratio sites that you find posted on big FTP lists or search engines.
"look" accounts:
Many sites that you will find on FTP lists or Lycos FTP search are look accounts. This means that you can connect and see what is on the server, but you cannot upload or download anything at all (except maybe the "How to download.txt" file, but often you can't even get that). The main purpose of this is that the look account allows users to get onto the server and see what is there even if the download accounts are full. That way you can plan what you want to upload or download, or stop trying to get on the up/down site entirely (because there's nothing there you want).
Yeah, OK, but how do I get on any kind of server??
There are two ways of connecting to an FTP server. You can use your browser and a download manager like Go!Zilla, GetRight or DAP , or you can use an FTP client like CuteFTP, SmartFTP, FlashFXP or a whole lot of others .
Understanding ftp addresses:
To connect to an ftp, you need the following basic information, no matter what you use to connect:
IP address of the ftp. This may be in numbers (111.111.111.1), or a site address (me.dns2go.com).
port number. The default FTP port is port 21, but many private FTPs specify a different port. If no port number is given, use port 21.
login and password. If it's a pub, that means anonymous access, no login or pass. Or actually, login "anonymous" pass "valid email address"-- which means "somebody@somewhere.com", whether it's real or not, it just needs to be in the right form for a real email address.
This information can be given in 2 forms:
- a list:
111.111.111.1
21
help/me
- a full web address which can be copied into your browser:
ftp://help:me@111.111.111.1:21
(
ftp://Login:Password@FTP Address:Port Number)
If you're paying attention, you may notice that this means you can point your mouse cursor at a link on a warez site and (if they have not disabled the status bar and/or right-click) use the link info to connect directly to the pub with your FTP client. Cuts down on javascript popups, if it works.
How do I download from a private, no-ratio FTP with a browser/download manager combo?
1. First put the FTP info into the browser-compatible form above and hit "Enter". After a (long) while (browsers are really meant to display web pages, not FTP folders), you should see folders or files.
2. Download and read any important-looking text files like, "How to download.txt", "Please read.txt" or "Requests.txt".
3. Queue the files you want into your download manager normally, BUT if your download manager "threads" files (breaks them up into smaller parts for faster downloads), set the number of threads to "1", or disable threading.. Most private FTPs only allow one connection per IP, and each "thread" is a separate connection to the server.
4. Download the files.
But what if it's a ratio site?
Then you have to use an FTP client, you can't upload with a download manager!!!
How do I upload/download with an FTP Client?
1. Get an FTP client.
2. Install and read the Help/Tutorial.
3. Enter the site info into the Site Manager.
4. Connect to the site...
OK, this is where you may start to have trouble. Maybe you can't get past the login. Maybe you logged in but you can't see any files or folders. Maybe you're getting an error when you try to upload/download. Here are some of the more common problems and solutions.
First thing you should know is that there is a Log window among the windows of your FTP client. This records the messages your computer has sent to the server, and the server's responses. You need to be looking at it if you have problems so you can see just what command failed.
Problems logging on:
Look at your log window. What does the response after PASS: (the password or "hidden") say?
"Login or Password incorrect" - make sure you've typed the login and pass correctly in the Site Manager's site properties. Many l/p are case-sensitive, so if there's a capital letter, type it as a capital letter. If the l/p are typed correctly, then you have the wrong l/p. Hey, people make mistakes. Contact the admin and get the correct info. Otherwise, it's possible that the account has been completely deleted from the server. Contact the admin if you can.
"Too many users logged for this account. Try again later." - Well, that's pretty clear, isn't it? But this is the moment that I should mention "hammering".
Hammering is the process of connecting to a server over and over in a very short period of time (seconds, I mean) in an attempt to log on to a full server. You probably don't mean to do it, and you'd better stop doing it pretty darn quick-- it's the fastest way to get banned from the server forever.
Here's what you have to do: Go into the Options/Preferences/Settings of your FTP client. The first tab should contain settings like "Connect Timeout" (how long the program should wait before it decides that it can't connect), "Connect Retry count" (how many times the program should try to reconnect), and "Connect Retry delay" (how long the program should wait before it retries to connect). This is the setting you must change to stop hammering a server. Set the number to at least 30 (seconds). 45 or even more is even better. Some servers/admins will even tell you how many seconds your retry delay should be.
Yeah, I know, you're trying to catch the golden moment that somebody has finished their download and logged off, before someone else gets it, but try to relax about it. There'll be a spot eventually, or you'll find the file somewhere else.
Also, remember-- if you set your retry delay to some non-offensive number and set the retry count to a very high number, be sure to keep an eye on it if you don't have any files already queued for download or upload from a previous session. If you get connected, and you don't do anything (change directories, upload or download) you'll be disconnected when the server's idle time runs out.
"This account has been disabled" - Also pretty clear. For some reason the admin has turned the account off. The fact that it still exists is a hopeful sign that the situation is just temporary. Contact them if possible, or just wait and try again later (though "later" may be a long time....)
Problems listing directories:
Oh goodie, now we get to talk about passive mode transfers!
Here's the simple explanation. To transfer files, the two computers have to be connected, naturally. Transferring a file means that the connection has to involve things like one computer saying, "Send me this file, please", the other saying, "OK, here's some data, did you get it?", the first saying, "Yeah, I got that, is that all of it?" and the second saying "No, here's the next part," over and over until it's all done. So connecting is a little like ballroom dancing: somebody has to lead.
So there are 2 transfer modes: PORT means that the other computer opens a port on your computer and controls the data transfer. PASV (passive mode) means that your computer opens a port on the other computer and controls the data transfer.
What this means to you is that most problems you have with listing directories or transferring files are often solved by turning Passive Mode on or off. You can usually find this setting in the Options/Preferences/Settings of your FTP client. On some FTP clients it exists in addition in the properties of each site in the Site Manager (so you can turn PASV off for a site without turning it off generally). Check for the setting in both places if you have problems.
If the person posting the FTP says you can't use Passive Mode (or that you have to use Passive Mode)--listen to them!!!
Common errors seen:
"PORT command only accepts client address" - turn Passive Mode on.
"Data Socket Error (10060)" - the attempt to open the data socket has timed out. Whichever mode you're in (PORT or PASV), try the other one.
"500 Invalid PORT Command" - turn Passive Mode on, or off.
"ERROR -> Connection closed. Client timeout." - turn Passive Mode on.
"ERROR -> Error opening data socket -- PORT command not understood" - Whichever mode you're in (PORT or PASV), try the other one.
Other Listing errors:
No contents - Find the "Resolve Symbolic Links" and the "Show Hidden Files" switches in the Options/Preferences/Settings of your FTP client, turn them on (or off) and retry.
"Only client IP address allowed for PORT command" or "500 Illegal PORT Command"
- Your FTP server is blocking/preventing FXP'ng. What's FXP-ing? It's a FTP server to server transfer. Many FTP clients (like FlashFXP, for instance) try to connect/transfer using this special protocol. It is blocked on many servers because it can be used for a "bounce" attack on the server.
If you use FlashFXP, try turning on/off some of the "Options" settings for the site (Alternative FXP protocol, Site uses IP Masq/NAT/Non-Routeable IP). Other clients may have similar options or not. In any case, of course, try turning PASV off or on, depending on what it is.
Transfer errors:
Download:
"ERROR -> REST command not implemented." - The server does not support resuming downloads (RESTarting files). That means you were disconnected in the middle of a transfer and the server can't continue from where it left off. You have to start the download again and save the files to another location. Drop a note to the admin if you can.
"ERROR ->"You do not have sufficient credit to download this file" - you're on a ratio site. Upload something.
Upload:
"ERROR -> APPE command not supported." - The server does not support resuming uploads (APPEnding files). That means you were disconnected in the middle of a transfer and the server can't continue from where it left off. You have to start the upload again and save the files to another location. Drop a note to the admin if you can.
That should about cover all the basics. Finding sites and arranging trades is up to you . I hope that you find this helpful if you're new to FTP-ing, and that it's worth the time spent reading it (not to mention writing it!) Have fun, and see you on the server!
Linear Mode
