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Client,tracker,spreadftp servers
The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is most probably the most common form of data transfer online. In most cases you probably do not even know you are utilizing it. It’s the most secure and simplest form of data transfer, meaning you can be downloading in the click of a button.
ftpservers.overview
FTP is the standard protocol for transferring files over a network, that being local and over the internet. It is far more optimized for file transfer than HTTP, having a faster throughput and better error checking.
What’s this got to do with P2P? Well you’re correct, it isn’t, its part of the client-server model. However I feel it’s something that many people lack the knowledge of and if utilized properly it can heighten your internet experience, alongside allowing you to get access to many aspects of the web you didn’t know existed.
If you’ve ever used sites like downloads.com then you will notice that at the point of you downloading the file it mentions FTP servers. This is where the files are located which allow you to download them from their servers. This is known as the client-server model. You can have 1, 2 , 3, 4, 10, 20, 100, 1000.... people all accessing the same file on the server at the same time and downloading the file, most commonly with the server having a high speed internet connection. This has its advantage and disadvantages.
The main advantage being that if you are the only person downloading then you often get an extremely high speed download which can be finished in no time. The main disadvantage being that as its all being distributed from the one location it can cause a bottleneck. A bottleneck is when the server becomes saturated and packets are being dropped because too many people are accessing the server at once.
So in terms of file sharing where are these used? Most commonly in a place named “The Scene”. This is a place which started with great intention, to allow people to share quickly and efficiently. A place where the technical elite can use their skills to create the ultimate file sharing network. If your more interested in this then please see our “Guide to the scene”. Be warned this is purely informative, I do not condone why the scene is now currently used and using it so download illegal software. I do however feel that the scene shows a wealth of organization and technical skill that should be appreciated. If we could turn it around then we can use it to improve the internet instead of hinder it.
There is now a vast array of FTP clients available; from windows GUI based FlashFXP to the UNIX shell command based PFTP. We will have each of these detailed further throughout the section, showing you how to use them. Which each client comes many FTP clients; again you have the two extremes. A quick easy windows setup with BulletproofFTP or an in depth extremely powerful linux based glftpd.
If you are interested in finding out more about the FTP protocol’s clients, servers and uses then please check out our guides.
- Those people at p2p.resource