15 Jul 10 Copying/Moving Files or Directories

Files/directories can be easily copied/moved from one directory to another within your website or to an altogether different server via the File Manager:

Copying Files/Directories

1. Select one or more files/directories you wish to copy and click Copy.

2. You may either choose to copy Files/directories to another directory within your website or to a different web server altogether -

a. Copying files/directories to another directory within your website: Here you have two options, you may either Copy all the files/directories to a single destination or individually select different destination folder for each file/directory -

Copying individual files/directories to different destination directories
i. Click next to Target directory to locate the destination directory
ii. Double-click the directory to which the files/directories need to be copied and click Choose.

You may also choose to rename the file by providing a new name in the Target name field.

Copying all files/directories to a single destination directory i. Click next to Set all target directories to locate the destination directory
ii. Double-click the directory to which the files/directories need to be copied and click Choose.

b. Copying files/directories to another server: Simply provide the destination server IP Address or website URL, FTP port if different from the default port 21, and the FTP Username and Password.

3. Click filemanager02 Copying/Moving Files or Directories to initiate the copying of the files/directories.

Moving Files/Directories

1. Select one or more files/directories you wish to move and click Move.

2. You may either choose to move Files/directories to another directory within your website or to a different web server altogether -

a. Moving files/directories to another directory within your website: Here you have two options, you may either Move all the files/directories to a single destination or individually select different destination folder for each file/directory -

Moving individual files/directories to different destination directories
i. Click next to Target directory to locate the destination directory
ii. Double-click the directory to which the files/directories need to be moved and click Choose.

You may also choose to rename the file by providing a new name in the Target name field.

Moving all files/directories to a single destination directory i. Click next to Set all target directories to locate the destination directory
ii. Double-click the directory to which the files/directories need to be moved and click Choose.

b. Moving files/directories to another server: Simply provide the destination server IP Address or website URL, FTP port if different from the default port 21, and the FTP Username and Password.

3. Click filemanager02 Copying/Moving Files or Directories to initiate the moving of the files/directories.

Tags: Default Port, Destination Directories, Destination Directory, Destination Folder, Destination Server, Double Click, File Manager, Ftp Port, Moving, Server Ip Address, Server Manager, Target Directories, Target Name, Web Server, Website Url

Filed in Using the File Manager within your Control Panel to manage your Content with 0 Comments

09 Jul 10 Should I use Active or Passive mode for FTP?

FTP exists primarily for the transfer of data between two end points. FTP differs from HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol, used for serving websites via web browsers) fundamentally as it is an application made up of two distinct TCP connections:

1. Control connection: This TCP-based connection is used to provide a communications channel for the delivery of commands and replies. This is effectively the mechanism that enables the user to tell the server which file is being requested, which directory it is in, and so forth.

2. Data connection: The second TCP-based connection is used for the actual transfer of user data. Once the Control connection has been used to exchange information on which file is required, the Data connection is used to transfer the file between the client and server.

Using these two communication connections, two distinct modes of operation determine in which direction the connections are established: Active mode and Passive mode.

FTP is a TCP based service exclusively. There is no UDP (User Datagram Protocol transports data as a connectionless protocol, using packet switching) component to FTP. FTP is an unusual service in that it utilizes two ports, a Data port and a Command port (also known as the Control port). Traditionally these are port 21 for the Command (Control) port and port 20 for the Data port. The confusion begins however, when we find that depending on the mode, the data port is not always on port 20.

Active FTP

In active mode FTP the FTP client software connects from a random unprivileged (unprivileged port is a port which is higher than 1023) port. Let’s say N is the FTP server’s command port, port 21.

Then, the client starts listening to port N+1 and sends the FTP command PORT N+1 to the FTP server. The server will then connect back to the client’s specified data port from its local data port, which is port 20.

Here in this mode of FTP, Gossimer doesn’t need to open any additional non-secure ports on our servers firewall and hence is secure from the server-side.

Passive FTP

In passive mode FTP, the FTP client initiates both connections to the server. When opening an FTP connection, the client opens two random unprivileged ports, lets say N and N+1. The first port contacts the server on port 21, but instead of then issuing a PORT command and allowing the server to connect back to its data port, the client will issue the PASV command. The result of this is that the server then opens a random unprivileged port lets say P and sends the PORT command back to the client. The client then initiates the connection from port N+1 to port P on the server to transfer data.

This method of FTP is insecure, as a random unprivileged port is opened on the Server. This is a potential security issue and it isn’t advisable to use the Passive mode of FTP.

IMPORTANT

All Gossimer Windows and Linux web servers support both Active as well as Passive modes.

All popular FTP software allow users to select the data connection mode (Active or Passive), when uploading/downloading data to a web server.

Reference:

Click here to read how to set data connection mode in CuteFTP >>
Click here to read how to set data connection mode in 3D-FTP >>
Click here to read how to set data connection mode in CoreFTP >>
Click here to read how to set data connection mode in SmartFTP >>
Click here to read how to set data connection mode in WS_FTP >>

Tags: Client Software, Command port, Communication Connections, Communications Channel, Confusion, Connectionless Protocol, Control port, Data port, Distinct Modes, Firewall, Ftp Client Software, Ftp Command, Ftp Port, Ftp Server, Ftp Software, Gossimer, http, Hyper Text Transfer, Hyper Text Transfer Protocol, Linux, Microsoft Windows, Modes Of Operation, packet switching, Passive Mode Ftp, Ports, Tcp Connections, Text Transfer Protocol, Transports, UDP, User Datagram Protocol, Web Browsers, Web Server, Web Servers

Filed in Configuring and using various FTP Clients with 0 Comments

15 Jul 10 Copying/Moving Files or Directories

09 Jul 10 Should I use Active or Passive mode for FTP?

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