FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. It is a method of transferring files between 2 computers. Files can be transferred from a local computer (ie. your home computer) to a remote computer (ie. an Internet server), and vice versa. The process of transferring files from a local computer to a remote computer is called uploading; transferring files from a remote computer to a local computer is called downloading.

FTP is simple to do with a program like WS_FTPLE - Click this link to Download WS_FTPLE.
Our examples will use WS_FTP LE, but the theory is the same for all FTP software.

Creating Your Profile

1. Open WS_FTP95 LE.

2. You will be presented with the Session Properties window. Click New and fill in the following information so that it resembles the image below:
   
   Profile Name: Enter your name here
   Host Name/Address: Enter ftp.hwcn.org
   Host Type: Select Automatic detect
   User ID: Enter your userid here
   Password: Enter your password here. Check the Save Pwd box so that you don't have to type it in every time (optional!)
   Anonymous: Make sure this is NOT checked!

3. When done click OK. Your newly created profile is now added to the Profile Name list! The next time you start WS_FTP, select the Profile Name you gave, and you have to enter the previous information, except maybe your password if you didn't automatically save it.
   
   WS_FTP will now try to connect to your account. If successful you should see something resembling the following main window:

4. The main window has 2 sides: Local System (your computer) and Remote Site (your account storage space at HWCN). Any files you are uploading to your account must be placed in a folder called public_html or www (depending on the account you have). If you double click on that folder on the Remote Site side, it will open to where you need to be. You may see a file already there called Profile.html or index.html.

5. Uploading: Find the file(s) on the Local System, click to highlight the file(s), and then click the arrow pointing towards the Remote Site. Your files will upload.
   
   Downloading: Find the file(s) on the Remote Site, click to the hightlight the file(s), and the click the arrow pointing towards the Local System. Your files will download.

6. To close the connection click Close. This only disconnects you from WS_FTP, not the Internet.

In order to view your web site (and if the first page is uploaded as index.html) enter the URL www.hwcn.org/~userid, where userid is your User ID for your Hamilton CommunityNet account. (The same one you enter when you log on to the Internet and that you entered to FTP!)

Note:

By naming your first page index.html, it is not necessary to include it in the URL of your site as it is established by default as the first page of your site. If you wanted to direct users to a different page, uploaded as contact.html, you would provide them with the URL www.hwcn.org/~userid/contact.html.