-
Step 1
Determine the FTP address for the website you are attempting to access using Windows XP Professional. This information can be obtained from your website's hosting service provider. You will also need your hosting login information (i.e., the login name and password for your FTP account).
-
Step 2
Launch Internet Explorer, the built-in web browser that is included in all copies of the Windows operating system.
-
Step 3
Type the FTP address that your web host provided you, preceded by FTP:// rather than HTTP://. This signals the browser to turn on its FTP function. For example, the FTP address may look like like this: FTP://68.68.255.66.
Include your login name (obtained in Step 1) in the address if your web host does not allow anonymous FTP access. The name should be typed before the FTP address, and be separated from the address with the "@" symbol (e.g. FTP://name@68.68.255.66). -
Step 4
Enter your FTP password in the Windows XP Professional pop-up dialog window that appears once Internet Explorer has successfully connected with your FTP site. Click "OK." The built-in FTP reader will then display a list of all the files included on your server, allowing you to download or upload files as needed. Windows XP Professional will display the server contents in a hierarchical format similar to the "My Computer" listing native to the Windows operating system.
-
Step 5
Transfer files from your Windows XP hard drive to the FTP site by dragging the file from your computer to the Internet Explorer screen. Navigate to the appropriate file directory and drop the file into it. Depending on the speed of your Internet connection, the uploading process may take several minutes. Conversely, to download a file from the FTP site, simply drag it to your computer desktop.
