How to Build a Web Site With an FTP Program

FTP programs let you transfer files from your computer to a Web server.

FTP or File Transfer Protocol is an Internet protocol that allows for online file transfers between a server and a computer. An FTP program is one of the most basic tools that Web developers use, as it offers them a quick way of transferring numerous files over the Web with ease. There are many FTP programs available for free, and people can choose from among various programs accessible online when connecting to their Web hosting account's FTP client.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• FTP program
• Web hosting account
• HTML editor

1. Download and install an FTP program. See the Resource section for a list of popular FTP programs in use today.

2. Create your website. Using an HTML editor such as CoffeeCup, Adobe Dreamweaver or FrontPage, create the pages that you wish to upload on your site. Beginning Web designers can find links to tutorials in the Resource section.

3. Find your Web host's FTP address, user name and password. For most hosts, the FTP address contains your domain. For example, if your domain is www.iloveftp.org, your FTP address will be ftp.iloveftp.org. The user name and password will be the user name and password used to access your Web hosting account.

4. Set up your FTP connection. Open your FTP program and follow the prompts to set up a new FTP connection by entering the FTP address, user name and password of your hosting account.

5. Upload the files to your site. Using the FTP program, transfer the files on your computer to upload on your website. For most Web hosting accounts, the folder to upload files will be the "public_html" folder on your server.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are unable to connect via FTP, check with your Web hosting provider as they may have other settings for connecting to your site.

Resources

• WebDAM : 5 Best FTP Programs
• Knet Tutorials : Create A Web Page
• HitMill.com : How to Create Your First Web Page