FTP Connection Information

FTP INFORMATION

Anonymous ftp users cannot upload data to any of our servers. If you need to upload files to us by ftp, use the email link above to request a user name and password for uploading files.

Authorized users can upload files to our /incoming/ directory, only; and then only while logged in with their authorized user name.

Anonymous users cannot access the /incoming/ directory and will receive an error message from the server if they try.

WHAT DO I NEED

Assuming you want to upload a file, have an FTP program, have used it before, have a username and password for our host server, this is all you'll need to make the upload:

/1/ hostname:   cms-mpc.com

/2/ name of upload directory:   /incoming/

Nothing about the FTP host is unusual, and normally you can go forward with the above two items, only returning here if you find you need another piece of information. Fare ye well!

I don't have an FTP program.... Please check here...using built-in ftp

Outgoing files from us will be PGP encrypted, or may require a file-extraction password.

The company maintains redundant FTP servers:

    ftp.cms-mpc.com/   65.246.15.2
    ftp2.cms-mpc.com/  65.246.15.5
    ftp3.cms-mpc.com/  restricted users   no PASV mode
    ftp4.cms-mpc.com/  restricted users   programmers

TIPS

You need not read this unless you need FTP help.

Always use a good FTP program for FTP transfers, instead of trying to force a web browser to do the job. A browser is better able to download an FTP file than it is to upload.

If you want to upload using a browser, try Microsoft's Internet Explorer first.

The browser assumes a http:// server state by default. Fully remove all ``http'' reference from the address window.

To log into our root directory, using the browser, paste this URL into the browser's address window overwriting any ``http'' reference:

The browser will login as ``anonymous'' by default.

If you are an authorized user for FTP uploading and you cannot ``copy and paste'' your upload files into the /incoming/ directory, then try to use an FTP client program.

Frequent FTP users will want a good FTP client program. Each client program offers some differences, and switching from one to another sometimes solves an FTP usage problem.

The basic FTP program for WIN32 workstations is Win_Sock FTP Limited Edition. This program offers the greatest ease of use and trouble-free functionality. See some example WS_FTP LE Screenshots.

You may retrieve this program from our FTP server by entering this URL into your Web Browser's address window:

move the cursor backward over any http:// user-side state.
FTP is not HTTP compatible.
enter address:
ftp://ftp.cms-mpc.com/pub/win32/ws_ftple.exe
then download this file to a known folder, and, afterward,
use the ``run'' command to extract this archive's contents.

This ws_ftple.exe is an installation file which will install the program to your local computer.

The program will tolerate free and unregistered use if you answer the user questions correctly. For instance, a government contractor using the program for personal use is permitted free and unregistered use. After you examine the program please register to pay the author its normal use fee.

BulletProof FTP is another good FTP program; it is best reserved for more-experienced users. Filename: bpftp220.exe.

Cute FTP is also another widely used program, but we recommend you try it last. The 16-bit version offers the most privacy and least advertising, and it will run fine on 32-bit systems. This one is called cute2016.exe. Other 32-bit versions are: cutexxxx.exe filenames.

If any FTP program fails to connect to the host, try prefixing the site address with the ftp. subdomain prefix:

Example, change ``cms-mpc.com'' to ftp.cms-mpc.com.

If this fails to connect, try replacing the site address (hostname) with its direct ip address:

Example, change ``cms-mpc.com'' to 65.246.15.2

For your convenience, all of the above FTP programs permit you to declare a local directory (on your PC or LAN). You should set this variable to C:\TRF, or some known folder, so you'll know where your transfer files have been downloaded, or where your upload file is as you get ready to send it using the FTP program.

The FTP protocol is very much different than the program language used in all email systems. Email is a text-based protocol that is not 8-bit friendly. This means that it cannot natively transfer ``binary'' or non-text characters correctly. Email uses a translation process to overcome this problem, and it translates the binary data from 8- to 7-bit text, and re-translates the 7-bit text back to 8-bit binary on the receiving user's end.

This means that an original binary (such as a ZIP or EXE file) that starts as, say, 1,000,000 bytes, can easily grow to 1,400,000 bytes in this 7-bit interim state. But FTP is natively an 8-bit-friendly language, and your transfer data undergo no translation process. Your 1,000,000 bytes file travels the internet in exactly that same binary form, with each byte rebuilding on the receiving side until the final 1,000,000 bytes are sent.

The 8-bit-friendly nature of FTP is why it should always be used in lieu of making an email attachment. The speed and stability of FTP, and its lack of size limitations, make it better for transferring data files over the internet.

The FTP program may ask you to declare a data type for your transfer data. You should use ``binary'' as your data type. Wrongly using ``text'' or ``ascii'' as the data type can corrupt many transfer files, such as compressed binary files like ``ZIP'' files, or EXE executable files. Also, using ``text'' mode can cause trailing blank characters to be dropped off the ends of normal text-formatted lines. This can corrupt the intended length of fixed-length, text-formatted records, such as a tape-image file.

Binary mode attempts to send every byte, without any shortcuts such as removing blanks or compressing repetitive letter combinations into any compression scheme. The FTP protocol itself will employ a simple linear compression, or HASP, over these bytes, but this scheme is well tested over time.

All internet traffic uses ``port'' channels which help host systems learn what kind of traffic to expect from your recent connection. When port 21 is requested, the host knows to expect FTP protocol.

Some hosts will require you to come in on a ``well-known'' FTP port or they will refuse you service. This is why a web browser that connects using port 80 (for www http) may be refused FTP service. Most browsers lack any control over your requested connection port, except by a manual encoding.

If you need to connect to a non-anonymous FTP server using a browser, the user name, password, and port can all be manually encoded into the server address:

If the site requires a user name and password, you need
to include that information in the address. For example:

  ftp://username:password@ftp.microsoft.com/ 

To download a file or folder, right-click the item on the page,
and then click Copy to Folder.

To access FTP sites through a CERN-compliant proxy server:

    In the Address bar, type the Internet address (URL)
    for the FTP site you want to connect to. For example: 

        ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/
 
Note:

If your system uses a CERN proxy server, you will only be able
to download and view files. Check with your administrator to see
whether you can bypass the proxy server or whether a full-service
FTP proxy server is available. 

COMMAND-LINE FTP INFORMATION

Read below, or print these manual FTP instructions for simplified help. Choose ``print'' under the ``file'' menu to print, if you have a printer available.

Your Windows desktop workstation has a built-in command-line ftp program supplied from Microsoft. It is excellent for transferring any kind of transfer file[s] to our server.

To use command-line ftp to transfer a file to us, carefully follow these instructions:

Open a DOS prompt window. Search for ``ms-dos'' using your search or find features (right-click ``start''). Locate MS-DOS Prompt shortcut and do a right-click and choose ``create shortcut'' place a copy of this shortcut on the local desktop.

Use the shortcut just located to open a DOS window, and to start a new ``command interpreter'' program, called a ``prompt.''

Make a directory folder on drive c: named c:\trf using Windows Explorer (right-click ``start''). Locate drive c:. Do right-click and select ``new'' ``folder''. Name new folder ``trf''. Locate the file you'd like to upload and copy it to c:\trf, using Explorer's ``copy and paste'' functions (or try ``dragging'' the filename object into the upload folder); then close Windows Explorer.

To enter and ``run'' commands from the operator console, or DOS prompt, first prepare the console by starting your history and command-recall memory. Type

    doskey

and then press ``Enter''. To enter all further commands, type them one at a time on the bottom command-prompt line where the cursor is flashing, and then press ``Enter''.

The ``Enter'' key, when pressed, submits your typed command to the operating system, first to locate the program or command within, and next to ``run'' the program or command. The program or command chosen will call upon the machine's processing capabilities to ``execute'' all the instructions that the program or command has been pre-programmed to perform, such as ``dir'' will tell the processor to do a disk directory. ``dir'' is a command so basic to the computer that it is built into the command-interpreter itself. This means that there is no program named ``dir'' to find; it's already in the ``memory'' of the DOS prompt's ability to interpret commands submitted for processing.

There is no mouse support here, and you cannot copy, cut or paste. Everything is keyboard manual, and all commands are typed and entered by pressing the ``Enter'' key. Pressing ``Enter'' is the same as double-clicking a command in Windows; it ``enters'' a command or program to start processing within the computer system.

Next, if you like, you can change the ``prompt'' on your command line by entering the command line ``prompt $p$g''.

Using the open DOS window, run the following commands and see the notes we have provided to the right of each command. Example: ;is a noted comment from us, and you do not enter the comments, but read them for your understanding of the preceding command's function. You also do not enter the ``dos>'' line prefix seen below; it's there to symbolize your DOS prompt, which could read ``C:\trf>'' after changing to disk directory c:\trf.

dos>  c:          ;log to disk drive c:\ 
dos>  cd c:\trf   ;change to c:\trf directory
dos>  dir         ;see if upload file is present as expected
dos>  cls         ;clear screen

dos>  ftp ftp.cms-mpc.com   ;start command-line ftp program
                            ;using the host name for our company

      User:       ;enter user name given you by our company 
      Password:   ;enter password given you by our company
ftp>  cd incoming   ;change to remote directory /incoming/
ftp>  dir         ;list remote directory files
ftp>  bin         ;put program in binary mode (I)
ftp>  bell        ;turn on bell notification (use is optional)
ftp>  hash        ;turn on hash screen updates (use is optional)    
ftp>  put uploadfile.zip    ;store your upload file to /incoming/
ftp>  dir         ;see your file has been uploaded
ftp>  bye         ;tell server goodbye and terminate ftp program 

dos>  exit        ;close DOS window and return to Windows

Note: any time you see the prompt ``ftp>'', as shown above, please know that you are still ``inside'' the running ftp program. To exit this program, enter the command ``bye'' and you will then see a normal dos prompt, and the ``ftp>'' prompt will be absent from the command line.

To abort any running transfer in progress, press combination command Ctrl+c. FTP keeps a control channel open beside its data-transfer channel, and ``Ctrl+c'' will tell program ftp.exe to abort the transfer, or error condition of the program, and to notify the host server of this action.

You can now save a copy of your manual FTP instructions to your c:\trf directory for future reference. Right-click the preceding link and choose "save target as''; or choose the ``save as'' option under the ``file'' menu, if the document is being read by your browser, to save it to your c:\trf disk directory.

Copyright  © 2003 mail-production.com^® created 2000 -- last modified 2003-05-20