How to publish a website
What is FTP?
This stands for File Transfer Protocol, the method by which files are exchanged over the internet and is used to upload web pages from a computer to the server which will host the website.
How do I upload files?
WS-FTP Setup
WS-FTP is a program that is used to upload and download files between your computer and your web space. A copy of WS-FTP can be downloaded at ipswitch.com
Once you start WS-FTP you are greeted with a screen that may look complicated at first, but in fact it is very straight forward and easy to use once you are familiar with the terms that are used.
Profile Name is the reference name which WS-FTP remembers the profile. This can be anything that you like.
Host Name / Address is probably the single most important item on this form. Enter your domain name that you have with your account. This is so WS-FTP can locate your virtual server on the Internet.
On linux servers: ftp.yourname.co.uk
On Windows servers: ftp.yourname.net
Host Type is the type of server that you are working with. Set this to auto
Username & Password are case sensitive. If you are on a .NET account remember the username looks like an email address
Getting your files uploaded
Once you have setup WS-FTP and clicked OK you will be able to see all of the files relating to your web pages in the left-hand window. The right-hand window shows what is currently in the folder that comprises your website. The first time you do this, the folder will be empty.
To transfer your page files to your web space, click on each file you wish to add, and then click the arrow button that points to the right. The speed at which these files are transferred will depend upon the size of the file; the bigger it is, the slower it will be.
When the transfer is complete, WS-FTP will show you the uploaded files that have been copied to your web space in the right-hand window. Once you have finished copying your files across, click Exit to close the WS-FTP program.
Updating your website
As your website develops it is likely you will want to add new pages and return to older pages to update, amend or delete them. To do this, open WS-FTP, and follow the same procedure as when you uploaded the initial files. If you are amending a page that is already online, this process will automatically over write the old with the new. To delete files from your web site, highlight the files you wish to remove and then click the delete button.