File Transfer Protocol (FTP)

• Another High Level Protocol 226

• Is used to facilitate the transfer of files from one host to another

• Users can use FTP to transfer files to/from two hosts when they
possess an account (Username/Password) on each host
• Internet users may receive files from hosts which have been set
up with anonymous FTP

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Anonymous FTP

• Anonymous FTP accounts have been set up on hosts which have

been designated archive sites
• These accounts have limited access rights, as well as some oper- 227
ating restrictions
• Internet users log in with username anonymous and a password
with their email address
• Using email addresses allows the administrators to monitor who
is using their services
• To retrieve a file, users need to know the host to connect to and
the pathname of the file
• Note that there are some variations on how users connect and use JJ
specific hosts, i.e. don’t assume all are set up the same II
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• There are differences in the implementation of FTP commands at I
sites Back
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Downloading/Uplading files — Using Web Browser and FTP
Client

• FTP file downloads (server-to-client) may be performed either

– using a Web Browser, Safari/Explorer/Netscape, 228
with ftp://ftp.site.com -type URL, or
– with a specialized FTP client,
such as Fetch (Macintosh), WS FTP (for Windows), ftp (DOS),
xftp,ftp (UNIX).
• FTP file uploads (server-to-client) best performed
– with a specialized FTP client,
such as Fetch (Macintosh), WS FTP (for Windows), ftp (DOS),
xftp,ftp (UNIX). JJ
– Need correct access privileges for uploads to work. II
– Servers need to be configured correctly for Web Browser J
Uploads — Not Guaranteed. I
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Mac FTP Client — Fetch

The preferred method of FTP for this course is to use Fetch on the
Macintosh Computers.
• Fetch is a relatively easy to use package
229
• Basically Drag’nDrop or Menu Driven
• See help facility available from Fetch Window Menu for full info.

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• Also see the online fetch documents (FAQs,...) at I
http://www.fetchsoftworks.com Back
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FTP Conventions, File Extensions, ...
• Once connected you browse files/directories, find/select files and
down(up)load
– For Anonymous FTP you are usually be placed in pub
directory (Public Access Directory)).
230
• Most FTP directories have a README.txt file that includes an
index of all the files in the directory.
– Occasionally, README.txt files include information
regarding the compression method used and
– where you can find a free copy of the software needed to
uncompress the file
• File extensions are used to convey information concerning the file
formats
JJ
• Look at the files’ extensions to determine the compression method II
(See section on compression) J
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How Does FTP Operate
An FTP client and server actually make two connections:
• Control Connection — FTP Protocol Dialogue
• Data Connection — File Transfer
231

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FTP Control Connection

• Must be functioning for Data transfer to occur

• Control connection utilised the TELNET protocol (see later)
232
• Special FTP commands and responses — the FTP Protocol
• Text (ASCI) Command line oriented.

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FTP Standard Control Connection

FTP Connection is usually between 2 machines

(A (Client) and B (Server)):

233

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FTP Alternative Control Connection

FTP Can support a more distributed model

(Computers A (Control), B (Client) and C (Data)):

234

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Simple FTP Clients
Fetch (and other GUI FTP Clients) easiest to use for general file
transfer

Simpler Command line based FTP Clients:

235
• Text based FTP clients such as
– ftp on from a DOS prompt or
– Mac terminal /UNIX command line ftp Client

• You can ACTUALLY converse with the

server with commands that are very close
to (or are) the FTP protocol.
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A Command Line FTP Client
Let is study how we use such simple FTP applications:
• first as they are sometimes very useful to use (over a Telnet client
for example) and
• we can gain a good appreciation of what is sort of communica- 236
tion is happening before we look at the actual FTP PROTOCOL
next
Note: You can actually see the PROTOCOL in operation of you use
the debug command option (see below).

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First We Need a Terminal Window

Before we run the FTP client we

need to open a Mac Teminal
window:
237
• The Mac Terminal Application is
located in the
Applications/Utilities
sub-folder on the Macs
• Double-click on application to
get a Terminal Window
• SimilarProcess to get a
UNIX/DOS Terminal
Window JJ
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Running a Simple FTP Client
To run such clients simply type ftp
from the Mac/UNIX Terminal com-
mand line:
> ftp
238

or to access server more quickly

give the FTP address as well:
> ftp ftp.cs.cf.ac.uk

Next, You will usually be asked to

login
• Username JJ
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• Password J
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FTP Client Application Commands

Note: These commands ARE NOT Part of the PROTOCOL

(Although some are very closely related)

All the FTP client session commands may be abbreviated to their 239
first three charcters, e.g.
ftp> hel
help or ? [ command-name ] — list of all commands

ftp> rem ***

remotehelp [ command-name ] — Request help from the remote JJ

FTP server. II
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Seeing the actual FTP Protocol in Action

This is an excellent way for INVESTIGATION of ACTUAL

PROTOCOL COMMANDS AND The SERVER REPSONSE

See Internet Computing Lab Worksheet 3. 240

To Turn ON/OFF ftp client protocol command listing:

debug — Toggle debugging mode.
verbose — Toggle verbose mode.

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Conversing with the Server in the actual FTP Protocol

Again an excellent way for INVESTIGATION of ACTUAL

PROTOCOL COMMANDS AND The SERVER REPSONSE

To actually converse with the server in Actual protocol commands 241

use:
quote arg1 arg2 ...

where arg1 arg2 ... are actual protocol commands.

More on this later

See Internet Computing Lab Worksheet 3. JJ
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Connecting and Login On Inside ftp

If you have not already done so at ftp start up

(or if you quit and wish to start another session inside ftp)
use the following commands:
242
open host [ port ] — Establish a connection
user user-name [ password ] [ account ] — Identify
yourself to the remote FTP server.
account [ passwd ] — Supply a (supplementary) password

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File Transfer Type
IMPORTANT: GET THIS RIGHT FOR FILE TYPE:
• (Raw) text files —- ASCII endcoded
• All audio, image, video files — binary encoded
243
• (Almost) All application files (e.g. Word Docs, excel files) — bi-
nary encoded
• all compressed files (e.g. zip, binhex) — binary encoded
• Uuencoded files (.uu) — ASCII endcoded

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Setting the File Transfer Type
You must set file correct file type, Before Transfer:
ascii — transfer of text only files
binary — transfer of files that contain binary data,
244
type [ type-name ] Set the ”representation type” to type-name.
(ascii/binary).
Note: Most GUI FTP clients allow for automatic detection of trans-
fer type
Dont trust them to get this right!!!

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Directory Traversal: Remote (Server) Side

It is useful to know which directory you are currently working in and also change
this if you are not in the right one. You may also wish to make new ones (if you are
allowed)

The follow commands achieve this:

245
pwd — List the name of the current working directory on the remote machine. For
example:
cd remote-directory — Change the working directory.
cdup — Change the remote machine working directory to the parent.
dir [ remote-directory ] [ local-file ] — Supply a listing of the
directory contents
ls [ remote-directory | -al ] [ local-file ] — Supply an abbreviated
listing of the contents of a directory
mdir remote-files local-file — Like dir, except multiple remote files may
be specified.
JJ
II
mls remote-files local-file — Like ls, except multiple remote files may be
specified. J
mkdir directory-name — Make a directory on the remote machine.
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Local (Client side) FTP commands:
You may wish to change where you download files to or upload files
from on your computer:
lcd [ directory ] — Change the working directory on the local
machine. If no directory is specified, the user’s home direc-
246
tory is used.

Note: that new local directories can be created with

!mkdir directory and listed with !ls or !dir.

The ! can in general be used to force many commands to work on

the local side rather than the server side — it forces a local
“command shell” to be created. JJ
II
Commands executed after ! are dependent on OS of client — Usu- J
ally UNIX shell commands or perhaps DOS. I
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FTP wildcards
How can I list multiple (perhaps not all) files or down/upload mul-
tiple files (we’ll see how very soon)?

Traditional UNIX FTP servers allow the ls, dir .... com-
mands to name several files. For example, the command 247

dir *.ps *.ps.gz

which refers to every file in the current directory whose name ends
with .ps or .ps.gz.

The wild cards can also be used for multiple file downloading and
uploading (which we now go on to discuss).
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Retrieving Files

The Main Purpose of FTP

Use one of the following commands:
248
get remote-file [ local-file ] — Retrieve the remote-file

recv remote-file [ local-file ] — The same as for get .

mget remote-files — Multiple Get (Next Slide)

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Multiple Get

The mget command is typically used with wild cards (see FTP
wild cards above). E.g.
mget *.ps *.ps.gz 249

which downloads to every file in the current directory whose name

ends with .ps or .ps.gz.

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The prompt Command
The setting of the prompt is also useful for use with mget (and mput
which we see below)
prompt — Toggle interactive prompting. By default, prompting is
turned on.
250
If prompting is :
Turned on — you have to repsond yes (y) or no (n) to multiple
down/upload request for each file
• sometimes useful — to select files more finely than a wildcard
allows
• can be tedious if wildcard can select all files already
Turned off — any mget or mput will transfer all files, and any JJ
mdelete (see below also) will delete all files. II
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Uploading Files

The other primary use of FTP

The following commands maybe used:

251
put local-file [ remote-file ] — Store a local file on the
remote machine.
send local-file [ remote-file ] — The same as for put.
append local-file [ remote-file ] Append a local file to a file
on the remote machine.
mput local-files — Multiple put, similar to mget

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Renaming, Deleting Files and Directories

The following commands are also sometime useful:

rename from to — Rename the file from on the remote machine
to have the name to. 252
delete remote-file — Delete the file remote-file on the
remote machine.
mdelete remote-files — Delete the remote-files on the
remote machine. Wild Cards may be used.
rmdir directory-name — Delete a directory on the remote ma-
chine.

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Terminating the FTP session and Quitting ftp

When have finished all file transfers you will have to:

close /disconnect — Terminate the FTP session with the remote 253
server, and return to the command interpreter.
You could connect (open) to another FTP server, OR
bye/quit — Terminate the FTP session with the remote server and
exit ftp.

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A Complete Example FTP Session
Let us now look at an examle FTP where many of the commands
above are used in practice. We do the following:
• connect to the year1 server — open,
• list the files — dir, 254

• change directory — cd,

• list directories contents — dir,
• set binary transfer mode: to download the gif file correctly —
(bin)ary,
• download a single file — get
• turn prompt on: to allow interactive multiple get),
• perform a multiple get: note prompt we get and MUST acknowl- JJ
edge — mget, and II
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• finally close the connection . I
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 The FTP Session looks like this:
ftp> open ftp.cs.cf.ac.uk
Connected to thrall.cs.cf.ac.uk.
220-************************************************************************
220- Cardiff Computer Science campus ftp access. Access is available
220- here as anonymous, by ftp group or by username/password.
220-
220- The programs and data held on this system are the property of the
220- Department of Computer Science in the University of Wales, Cardiff.
220- They are lawfully available to authorised Departmental users only.
220- Access to any data or program must be authorised by the Department 255
220- of Computer Science.
220-
220- It is a criminal offence to secure unauthorised access to any programs
220- or data on this computer system or to make any unauthorised
220- modification to its contents.
220-
220- Offenders are liable to criminal prosecution. If you are not an
220- authorised user do not log in.
220-************************************************************************
220-
220-Cardiff University. Department of Computer Science.
220-This is the WUSL ftp daemon. Please report problems to
[email protected].
220-
220 thrall.cs.cf.ac.uk FTP server (Version wu-2.6.1(1) Mon Sep 18 12:45:30 BST 2000) ready.
Name (ftp.cs.cf.ac.uk:dave): yearone
331 Password required for yearone.
Password:
JJ
230-
230-Welcome to the guest ftp server for Year 1 Internet Computing
II
230-in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Wales, Cardiff. J
230-
230-Please note that all commands and transfers from this ftp account I
230-are logged and kept in an audit file.
230- Back
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230-
230 User year1 logged in. Access restrictions apply.
ftp> dir
200 PORT command successful.
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for /bin/ls.
total 32
drwxrwxrwx 2 y1ftp 2048 Nov 8 1999 ex_gif
drwxrwxrwx 2 y1ftp 2048 Nov 8 1999 ex_hqx
drwxrwxrwx 2 y1ftp 2048 Nov 8 1999 ex_text
drwxrwxrwx 2 y1ftp 2048 Nov 8 1999 ex_uu
drwxrwxrwx 2 y1ftp 2048 Nov 8 1999 ex_zip
drwxr-xr-x 2 y1ftp 512 Oct 18 1999 exercise 256
drwxrwxr-x 2 gueftp 2048 Nov 5 1999 incoming
drwx--x--x 2 staff 1024 Nov 11 1999 marker
drwxrwxr-x 2 gueftp 2048 Nov 10 1999 test
226 Transfer complete.
489 bytes received in 0.0032 seconds (148.17 Kbytes/s)
ftp> cd exercise
250 CWD command successful.
ftp> dir
200 PORT command successful.
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for /bin/ls.
total 156
-rw-rw-r-- 1 staff 25943 Dec 8 1997 ex.gif
-rw-rw-r-- 1 staff 53104 Oct 18 1999 ex.txt
226 Transfer complete.
117 bytes received in 0.0066 seconds (17.22 Kbytes/s)
ftp> bin
200 Type set to I.
ftp> get ex.gif
JJ
200 PORT command successful. II
150 Opening BINARY mode data connection for ex.gif (25943 bytes).
226 Transfer complete. J
local: ex.gif remote: ex.gif
25943 bytes received in 0.072 seconds (350.60 Kbytes/s) I
ftp> prompt
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Interactive mode on.
ftp> mget *.*
mget ex.gif? y
200 PORT command successful.
150 Opening BINARY mode data connection for ex.gif (25943 bytes).
226 Transfer complete.
local: ex.gif remote: ex.gif
25943 bytes received in 0.067 seconds (378.46 Kbytes/s)
mget ex.txt? y
200 PORT command successful.
150 Opening BINARY mode data connection for ex.txt (53104 bytes).
226 Transfer complete. 257
local: ex.txt remote: ex.txt
53104 bytes received in 0.13 seconds (387.51 Kbytes/s)
ftp> close
221-You have transferred 184037 bytes in 5 files.
221-Total traffic for this session was 186865 bytes in 9 transfers.
221-Thank you for using the FTP service on thrall.cs.cf.ac.uk.
221 Goodbye.
ftp>

Make sure that you can pick out the different ftp commands (ftp>)
and responses in this output (Numbers and followinf text).

Notice that the ftp responses are only displayed when the verbose JJ
feature is turned on – so you may need to do this to see the above for II
yourself. J
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The FTP Protocol
Like the email protocols SMTP and POP, you enter into a dialog with
a (FTP) server
• Fetch (menu, mouse driven GUI FTP Clients): the Protocol con-
verstaion is taken of for you.
258
• Command line based (UNIX/DOS) ftp clients
– you can turn on debug to see the Protocol command conver-
sation and
– use quote to converse in the protocol yourself
• All protocols are 4 ASCII Characters long
• You connect to FTP Port Numbers 21 (Data) and 20 (Commands)
on the server.
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FTP Protocol Commands
Login on
• The client normally begins each FTP connection with a USER re-
quest;
• then, depending on the server’s response, a PASS request; 259

• and then, depending on the server’s response, an ACCT request.

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The TYPE command — Setting File Transmission Type
• A TYPE request controls the binary flag.
• It requiures a parameter after the command.
There are four possibilities for the parameter:
260
A — Turn the ASCI Text flag on.
(A for Ascii)
A N — Turn the ASCI Text flag off.
(N for non-print, some other flags)
I — Turn the binary flag on.
(I for Image)
L 8 — Turn the binary flag off.
(L for Local Byte Size, can use other numbers (not common)
JJ
Example: type I II
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• The server accepts the TYPE request with code 200. I
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Navigating Directories
• A PWD request asks the server to list the Present Working
Directory.
• A CWD (Change Working Directory) request has a single
parameter giving a pathname for a directory to change to. I
261
• A CDUP request asks the server to remove the last slash,
and everything following it, from the name prefix.
If this produces an empty name prefix, the new name prefix is a
single slash.

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Listing Files: The LIST and NLST commands

A LIST or NLST request asks the server to send the contents of the
Current Working Directory over the data connection already 262
established by the client.

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Connecting to new Server: PASV and PORT Commands

A PASV request asks the server to accept a data connection on a

new TCP port selected by the server. PASV parameters are
prohibited. 263

A PORT request asks the server to use a different mechanism of

creating a data connection: the server makes a TCP connection to the
client.

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Retrieving Files: RETR and REST Commands

• A RETR request asks the server to send the contents of a file over
the data connection already established by the client.
• The REST N command — Restart download 264
The server keeps track of a start position for the client.
– The start position is a nonnegative integer (N).
– At the beginning of the FTP connection, the start position is
clearly 0.
– Most Modern FTP clients can use this feature.
– Useful for restarting partial downloads

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Uploading/Storing files
• A STOR request asks the server to read the contents of a file from
the data connection already established by the client.
• APPE is just like STOR except that, if the file already exists, the
server appends the client’s data to the file.
265
• STOU is just like STOR except that it asks the server to create a file
under a new pathname selected by the server.

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Directory Commands and Deleting Files
• A MKD pathname request asks the server to create a new
directory.
The MKD parameter pathname specifies the directory name.
• An RMD pathname request asks the server to remove a directory. 266
• A DELE filename request asks the server to remove a regular
file.
• A RNFR filename1 request asks the server to begin renaming
a file.
• A RNTO filename2 request asks the server to finish renaming
a file. must immediately follow RNFR filename1.
– Together the rename filename1 to filename2
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The HELP command

A HELP request asks for human-readable information from the

server.

A HELP request may include a parameter. 267

• The meaning of the parameter is defined by the server.

• Some servers interpret the parameter as an FTP verb, and re-
spond by briefly explaining the syntax of the verb:

> HELP RETR

< 214 Syntax: RETR <sp> file-name
> HELP FOO
< 502 Unknown command FOO.
JJ
• The server may accept this request with code 211 or 214, or reject II
it with code 502. J
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Terminating the FTP Session: The QUIT command

A QUIT request asks the server to close the connection:

> QUIT 268
< 221 Bye.

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The Example FTP Session with Protocols
ftp> debug
Debugging on (debug=1).
ftp> open ftp.cs.cf.ac.uk
Connected to thrall.cs.cf.ac.uk.
220-************************************************************************
220- Cardiff Computer Science campus ftp access. Access is available
220- here as anonymous, by ftp group or by username/password.
220-
220- The programs and data held on this system are the property of the
220- Department of Computer Science in the University of Wales, Cardiff.
269
220- They are lawfully available to authorised Departmental users only.
220- Access to any data or program must be authorised by the Department
220- of Computer Science.
220-
220- It is a criminal offence to secure unauthorised access to any programs
220- or data on this computer system or to make any unauthorised
220- modification to its contents.
220-
220- Offenders are liable to criminal prosecution. If you are not an
220- authorised user do not log in.
220-************************************************************************
220-
220-Cardiff University. Department of Computer Science.
220-This is the WUSL ftp daemon. Please report problems to
[email protected].
220-
220 thrall.cs.cf.ac.uk FTP server (Version wu-2.6.1(1) Mon Sep 18 12:45:30 BST 2000) ready. JJ
Name (ftp.cs.cf.ac.uk:dave): year1
---> USER year1 II
331 Password required for year1.
Password: J
---> PASS year1ic
230- I
230-Welcome to the guest ftp server for Year 1 Internet Computing
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230-in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Wales, Cardiff.
230-
230-Please note that all commands and transfers from this ftp account
230-are logged and kept in an audit file.
230-
230-
230 User year1 logged in. Access restrictions apply.
ftp> dir
---> PORT 131,251,42,151,155,230
200 PORT command successful.
---> LIST
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for /bin/ls. 270
total 32
drwxrwxrwx 2 y1ftp 2048 Nov 8 1999 ex_gif
drwxrwxrwx 2 y1ftp 2048 Nov 8 1999 ex_hqx
drwxrwxrwx 2 y1ftp 2048 Nov 8 1999 ex_text
drwxrwxrwx 2 y1ftp 2048 Nov 8 1999 ex_uu
drwxrwxrwx 2 y1ftp 2048 Nov 8 1999 ex_zip
drwxr-xr-x 2 y1ftp 512 Oct 18 1999 exercise
drwxrwxr-x 2 gueftp 2048 Nov 5 1999 incoming
drwx--x--x 2 staff 1024 Nov 11 1999 marker
drwxrwxr-x 2 gueftp 2048 Nov 10 1999 test
226 Transfer complete.
489 bytes received in 0.0064 seconds (75.12 Kbytes/s)
ftp> cd exercise
---> CWD exercise
250 CWD command successful.
ftp> dir
---> PORT 131,251,42,151,155,231
200 PORT command successful.
JJ
---> LIST II
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for /bin/ls.
total 156 J
-rw-rw-r-- 1 staff 25943 Dec 8 1997 ex.gif
-rw-rw-r-- 1 staff 53104 Oct 18 1999 ex.txt I
226 Transfer complete.
Back
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117 bytes received in 0.0022 seconds (52.60 Kbytes/s)
ftp> bin
---> TYPE I
200 Type set to I.
ftp> get ex.gif
---> PORT 131,251,42,151,155,232
200 PORT command successful.
---> RETR ex.gif
150 Opening BINARY mode data connection for ex.gif (25943 bytes).
226 Transfer complete.
local: ex.gif remote: ex.gif
25943 bytes received in 0.092 seconds (275.08 Kbytes/s) 271
ftp> prompt
Interactive mode off.
ftp> prompt
Interactive mode on.
ftp> mget *.*
---> PORT 131,251,42,151,155,233
---> TYPE A
---> NLST *.*
---> TYPE I
mget ex.gif? y
---> PORT 131,251,42,151,155,234
200 PORT command successful.
---> RETR ex.gif
150 Opening BINARY mode data connection for ex.gif (25943 bytes).
226 Transfer complete.
local: ex.gif remote: ex.gif
25943 bytes received in 0.1 seconds (252.73 Kbytes/s)
mget ex.txt? y
JJ
---> PORT 131,251,42,151,155,235 II
200 PORT command successful.
---> RETR ex.txt J
150 Opening BINARY mode data connection for ex.txt (53104 bytes).
226 Transfer complete. I
local: ex.txt remote: ex.txt
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53104 bytes received in 0.17 seconds (297.91 Kbytes/s)
ftp> close
---> QUIT
221-You have transferred 104990 bytes in 3 files.
221-Total traffic for this session was 107294 bytes in 6 transfers.
221-Thank you for using the FTP service on thrall.cs.cf.ac.uk.
221 Goodbye.
ftp>

272
Make sure that you can pick out the different ftp PROTOCOL
commands and responses and see how they relate to the ftp client
commands in this output.

Notice that the ftp PROTOCOL commands and responses are

only displayed when the debugging feature is turned on.

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FTP Etiquette
• Not every site which supports FTP allows anonymous transfers
• Don’t pester FTP administrators with any questions you might
have. They are under no obligation to support you
• Normally, you should limit your accesses to non-business hours 273
(FTP site local time)
• This is especially true when accessing sites on another continent
• Don’t transfer files indiscriminantly
• Have some idea what you’re transferring and think through your
need to have such files
• If you find some files which may be of interest to others at your
own site, publicize it and try to make it available
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Secure FTP (SFTP)
Why Do I need SFTP
• If you wish to access our School’s Computers from outside of
School
– If you upload files to your account 274

– If wish to download files from your account to home com-

puter
• You may wish to protect your file transactions to other servers
too (if they support SFTP)
• If you wish to connect this way make sure you have an FTP
client that supports SFTP
sftp on Mac OS X/UNIX command line, Fetch does not support
SFTP yet. JJ
There are plenty Freely available on the Web for all platforms. II
For more information of SFTP on Schools computers see Web or J
PDF files online. I
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How does SFTP Work?
Very Simply:
• Recall FTP uses TELNET for command connection
• As we will see in next section, Secure Shell (SSH) is an encrypted
version of TELNET 275
• SFTP essentially creates create an SSH tunnel from your worksta-
tion to the server such that:
– the tunnel’s entrance listens for FTP connections on your own
workstation
– the tunnel encrypts the FTP traffic and sends it to server
– the tunnel’s exit decrypts the traffic and connects to an FTP
daemon on server

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