Using WS_FTP Home to FTP files to www.bc.edu

Most BC Offices with non-WebIT web sites on the www.bc.edu use Dreamweaver to move files to and from the web server. (see help page for Configuring Dreamweaver). However in some instance, you may find it useful to use a standard FTP program to do file transfers to the server. For such cases Information Technology recommends that you use WS_FTP Home. This program can be downloaded from the ITS Software Site. Once you download the program, you will need a license key to install it. The key is also available from the ITS Software site (see small key icon below the download link) or use this link to the licence key (BC username and password required).

Configuring WS_FTP Home

1. After installing WS_FTP_Home on your computer, launch the application. (You'll probably have an icon on your desktop or an option on the Start Menu under Programs (look for Ipswitch WS-FTP Home).

2. The first time you connect to a web site, you need to define a connection with the "Connection Wizard". Click the Connection Wizard button on the tool bar. This will prompt you for the information WS_FTP_Home needs to connect to your web site. You only need to do this process once to store the set up information.

• On the first screen "Site Name" type the name that you want to see in the menu when you choose to connect to this web site. For example: "Geography Dept Web Site".
Click the "Next" button.





• On the second screen "Server Address," type in "www.bc.edu".
  
  
  
  
  
• On the third screen "User Name", type in your BC Username (all lowercase!).
Leave you password blank. Click the "Next" button.





• On the fourth screen "Connection Type," choose "FTP" from the menu. Click the "Next" button.
  
  
  
• On the fifth screen "Finish," DON'T CLICK FINISH. Instead, click the "Advanced..." button. This displays the Site Options screen with the Host Options panel showing. We've already filled this out using the wizard, so select the "Start Up" item on the left side of the panel.
  
  
  
  
  
• On the Start Up display (below), type in the path to your folder on the www.bc.edu server. Virtually all sites have a path that begins: "/usr/eaglenet/www/data/" to which you add the part of the URL of your site that follow "www.bc.edu".
  For example:
  /usr/eaglenet/www/data/bc_org/svp/st_org/clubname/    or
  /usr/eaglenet/www/data/clubs/clubname/
  
  
  
  
• Now click on the "Advanced" item left side of the panel. UNCHECK the option for "Use Passive mode for data connections" if it is checked. Then click the OK button. Then click the "Finish" to exit the wizard and log onto the www.bc.edu server. If prompted for a password, supply your normal BC password (be sure the Cap Lock is off). You may be asked by your Windows firewall if you want it to Unblock the WS-FTP Home program. If so, answer "Yes."
  
  

3. When you log into www.bc.edu, local files on your hard drive ("My Computer") are displayed on the left hand side, and Remote files on the www.bc.edu server are displayed on the right hand side. (See below)

You will need to navigate through these two windows until your web site files saved on your computer appear in the left window and your web site files stored on the www.bc.edu server appear on the right side.

After the first time you have used the Connection Wizard to define the set up for your connection the BC web server, the preferences are stored in WS-FTP-Home. The next time you want to connect to the BC web server, just launch WS-FTP-Home, then click on the "Connect..." button and choose the set up you defined above. Click the Connect button and you will be prompted for your password. Supply your password, click "OK" and you'll be connected to the server.

Adding Files to the Server (FTP Put Command)

• To add one of your local files to the server, highlight the file(s) you wish to place on the server in the "My Computer" window on the left side. (refer to the screen shot above)
• Then click on the right arrow button between the My Computer window and the Remote System window (www.bc.edu).
• This will place your file on the www.bc.edu web server in the folder whose contents are listed in the window.

Copying Files from the Server (FTP Get Command)

• Copying files from the server to your hard drive is done the same way as adding files except you do the process in the opposite direction using the left arrow button.
• Highlight the file(s) you wish to place on your computer in the Remote System window (www.bc.edu) on the right side.
• Then click on the left arrow button between the My Computer window and the Remote System window.
• This will place your file on your computer in the folder whose contents are listed in the Local System window.

File Permissions

File permissions control who sees your web page. Your file permissions are usually fine when you upload files but sometimes, the settings for Group and Other access are turned off so you receive a "server error" message when trying to access your page.

• To check or change your file permissions using WS-FTP-Home, click once on the target file in the right window to select the file on the server.
• Click on the the File Menu and choose "Properties.". You will see the dialog box below
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• Check off Read, Write and Execute for the Owner and the Group. Check off Read and Execute for World (unless you know that you want to set other permissions for some special purpose).
• Click OK

Copyright 2005 - The Trustees of Boston College
URL: http://www.bc.edu/cwis/admin/ftpdocs/ftpwin.html
Questions/Corrections to: webmaster@bc.edu
Last Update: November 23, 2005