Need advice about FTP servers...

[thechickgame]

I'm not sure if I chose the correct category for posting this question, but here goes: I'm part of a small business (3 people, currently), where we each work from home. We are in desperate need of our own FTP server for sharing files (and saving files--with back-ups at home, of course!) among us, since we're working from three separate locations, and since there are space limits on the file sizes one can transmit via e-mail!

Any suggestions RE: possible (hopefully, inexpensive) FTP server options and what steps we need to complete to set up FTP for our company would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!
Colleen
co-owner & webmaster, Squirrelly Girls, Inc.
makers of The Chick Game
webmaster@thechickgame.com
www.thechickgame.com

[mikmik]

It looks like your host may be Yahoo, but I'm not sure. Does your plan have any limits on FTP usage?
I have unlimited ftp so I just set up a program called "FTP Commander" on my associates computer(you can of course use any ftp software) and we transfer to and from our "assets" folder. Some servers don't allow space on sites to be used for storage.
Another option might be a VPN (virtual private network) or the easiest way is just to use "Windows" or "MSN" messenger . Ive transferred 10 MB at a time on it and you can connect and communicate with everyone together while you do it. I'm sure other IM's work as well but I don't know for sure.
Word of caution!! Use proper security precautions, a good anti-virus like "Norton" that is capable of IM monitoring.
Let me know if you need more info.
Also, what operating systems do you all use? And are you behind a router or switch i.e. on a local or home network?

[thechickgame]

Thanks, mikmik--
Unfortunately, I am not very tech-savvy when it comes to this type of thing! To answer your question, yes, our site is currently hosted through Yahoo. Right now, we have 25MB of space, but 18.4 MB is used up by our website:

Disk Space (MB)

Total: 25.0
Used: 18.4
Extra: 0.0
Available: 6.6

Is there a way for us to use this existing file space on our Yahoo account to share files via our existing website? (We do have the option of purchasing more disk space, which we can do anytime.)

Colleen
co-owner & webmaster, Squirrelly Girls, Inc.
makers of The Chick Game
www.thechickgame.com
webmaster@thechickgame.com

[mikmik]

I checked out the hosting packages with Yahoo.com, and 'multi-user ftp' is supported, as is using your disk space for storage or transferring files or whatever you want!
That is very good news, so you will be able to do what you are thinking for sure.
The only thing to getting you set up is just a wee bit more of information. If you are already uploading content using Frontpage 5.0 (I viewed suorce of your home page and saw it mentioned!) then you already know basically how to proceed. I will install FrontPage here and then I can give specific instructions to you, and if you don't use FrontPage, we can handle that too!

So, do you upload (ftp) with FrontPage?
Do you know how to view your directory structure (files and folders) on your server/website? I'm sure you do but I just want to make sure.

If this is all true, you just have to create a folder that you will all know to use as the "Transfer hub", and you can all access it with Frontpage by using your sign-in information from each respective computer. Probably only one can be signed in at a time, so you will have to coordinate (many times I thought I was having server probs only to find out my partner was already connected.

I will email you with my yahoo(.ca) email and we can continue that way. It is m44l@yahoo.ca anyways, so I will install frontpage and be in touch shortly - tonight or tomorrow noonish at the latest.

[minstrel]

If you are already uploading content using Frontpage 5.0 (I viewed suorce of your home page and saw it mentioned!) then you already know basically how to proceed.
If you DO use Frontpage to create and upload pages, you can indeed use it as an FTP transfer program (and for sites using FrontPage extensions, you should ALWAYS use FrontPage to "FTP" your files).

Just open your local or remote website in FrontPage. Then click on "File | Publish Web" (do NOT use the icon in the menu bar at the top to do this).

You should see a two panel display - one with your local web on the left and on the right your published web. You can now create or delete subdirectories or files and copy files from your computer to the server as you wish.

[redcircle]

My host offers 1gig for only $20 a mo1nth and you can setup unlimited ammout of ftp accounts. They also support FP extensions. You can pretty much do anything you want with the space except use it for illegal purposes or spamming.

www.100megswebhosting.com

[williamjay]

Hello,

After looking around to find out how and why the site uses so much space, I have some suggestions.

You offer desktop wallpapers, in Windows® bitmap .bmp format, which means a file size over 2.25MB each.

If you offer them in an archive, (ie: WinZip® .zip format) it will compress them down to around 310KB each, saving approximately 8 MB for the four files, (and they will actually download rather than open in the browser).

Many people are now using Internet Explorer® 5.5 or higher, which allows one to right click on a picture and choose 'Set as Background'. Offering the wallpapers in JPEG .jpg format will result in a savings of approximately 2.2MB for each file, which is 8.8MB for the four, (close to half), and leave you with lots more room to implement the FTP plan . . .

William

[williamjay]

Hello,

If one of the three has XP Pro or Win2K Pro, IIS is included and fairly easy to set up. The machine it's on will need to be reachable over the net when the others wish to access it. There are many many freeware FTP servers available for Win98 also. Please let us know which operating systems are used and the general internet access details for the three systems.

Using your own resources is preferred, as using the webhost for storage counts against your monthly bandwidth usage . . .

William

[vfaulkner]

you may have some luck with products from Cute FTP ( www.cuteftp.com )
I use the "basic" and can upload anywhere/anytime,
even to Yahoo! and several other clients.
I think it allows for multi-users, but don't quote me on that; the other flavors do, though.

Easy to set up and relatively unexpensive, free trial downloads.