What Does FTP Stand for When Using a Computer?
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol and is one of many protocols used to transfer or share information between computers. Using FTP to receive or send files simply requires client software installed on your computer; making files available to others requires running FTP server software on your computer.
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Function
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FTP is used to send and receive files between computers. Examples are uploading files to update a website, or downloading driver software from a manufacturer.
Considerations
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If you intend to make files available you must have a computer running as an FTP server. To acquire files or send them to another computer requires an FTP client, which is widely available; you can search Google for "free ftp client" to find some examples.
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Types
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The FTP protocol sends all information as "plain text,"meaning that if an FTP server requires a log in, the username and password are not encrypted when sent over the Internet, and can be intercepted.
Types
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The difference between FTP and secure FTP is secure FTP includes encryption for the login information. Functionally, they do the same thing.
Benefits
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FTP is an efficient way to transfer files over the Internet.
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