Setting up an FTP server

Setting up an FTP server in Windows is easy. However, before we start walking you through the process, let’s ask ourselves a few questions first. What’s FTP? And why would we need an FTP server?

FTP, for file transfer protocol, is a method for transferring files over a network, including the Internet. The principle behind FTP is very similar to that for HTTP, or hypertext transfer protocol, which is used by websites to serve their web pages over the Internet. There is an FTP server where the files to be shared are stored, and there are clients that connect to the server to get those files.

An FTP server is needed if we want to share, or get, large files, or small but numerous files, with/from users on another network. This is particularly true if the other network is far away from us, or geographically distant, from our own location. Why not just use email to send data? Because that would take time, since we can only send one email at a time. We may be able to attach more than one file to an email, but the process would take too long. With FTP, you just connect to the server, select the files you need, then transfer it to your PC using any client. It’s simple, and also doesn’t require additional hardware, as FTP is included in almost all operating systems, including Windows.

Now that we’ve discussed the advantages of using FTP for sharing and getting data, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of setting it up on our Windows XP PC.

1. Go to Control Panel, then click Add/Remove Programs.
2. Click the Add/Remove Windows Components on the bar on the left.
3. On the Windows Components Wizard window, check if Internet Information Services (IIS) is installed (it is installed if there is a check on the box beside it).
4. If IIS is installed, click Details. If not, select it, then click Details.
5. On the IIS window, check if File Transfer Protocol Service is installed (it is installed if there is a check on the box beside it).
6. If not installed, select it, along with Common Files and Internet Information Services Snap-In.
7. Click Ok, then click Next to start installing the service. You might need to provide your Windows XP installation CD during installation.
8. Once setup is finished, exit Control Panel.

You will then need to configure your FTP site. To do this, follow the steps below.

1. Open Control Panel again, this time selecting the Switch to Classic View option on the bar on the left.
2. Open Administrative Tools, then select Internet Information Services.
3. On the IIS snap-in, select Default FTP Site, then right-click it.
4. On the Default FTP Site Properties window, you may rename the site by entering a new description for it, and select the IP address for the site. The IP address will be the one used by users to connect to your FTP site.
5. By default, the number of connections to your FTP site is limited to 10. You cannot go beyond this number in Windows XP.
6. Leave all the other options in the other tabs as-is, except for the Messages tab, under which you can set the messages that greet the users when they connect to your FTP site.

That about covers it all. However, be forewarned that FTP is basically an unsecure way of transporting data over the Internet.

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