So, you want to build a Website! by Bean Counter's Dave Marshall Lesson 5 Publish, List, and Drive Traffic To Your Site

Publish Your Site

If you elect to have a web design firm build your site for you this task is usually taken care of by them for you;

otherwise,

now that you have your site designed how do you get your pages on the Internet ?

You're right, it doesn't do you a bit of good having these files (your website) just sitting on your computer. In order for the world to see what a fine site you built you have to publish your site. Publishing your site is just a matter of setting up folders, setting some file permissions, and transferring all your webpages, picture files, download files (such as ebooks you offer your visitors), and special program files (scripts) from your computer to your web hosting provider's computer.

Whenever you make any changes to your webpages or design new additional webpages for your site you need to transfer these changed and new files to your host's computer.

What tool do you use ?

There's more than one way to skin the cat.

• Webhost's File Manager
  Most web hosting services have an online program that allows you to transfer your web pages from your computer to your site and vice versa. Many are quite good but some are quite slow.

• Webpage Editing Software
  Most web page editors include a built-in FTP Program that provides you with the ability to upload, download and manage files.

• FTP Software
  There are large number of free stand alone FTP programs that are available that allow you to handle your file transfers in an easy and fast manner. One simple one to start with is Free FTP by Brandyware Software.

  FreeFTP Help Instructions courtesy of Brandyware Software

  * Logging on to FTP Servers
  FTP servers come in two flavors: public and private. Public servers, are open to anyone. Private servers, on the other hand, won't let you log on unless you are a bona fide user of the server. In either case, the FTP protocol demands that you supply a user name and a password. The two are used to authenticate a user and allow (or disallow) subsequent actions.

  * ENTERING A URL
  Enter in the FTP address in the URL box. The address is the first thing you want to enter. You must know the address ahead of time (also try free FTP sites. Search the internet on keywords FTP).

  Enter a URL like this (most common type).
  Example: ftp://ftp.mycompany.com
  OR...
  Example: http://mycompany.com
  (replace "mycompany.com" with your URL of course)
  To make sure it works... try using:
  ftp://ftp.microsoft.com
  or ...
  ftp://ftp.idsoftware.com
  with NO password or User ID (leave blank).

  * PASSWORD
  Sets the password that will be sent with the request to log on to remote computers. Enter your password for the FTP site. LEAVE BLANK for (open/free) FTP sites. If this is left blank, a default user name [anonymous] is sent.
  Q: Where do I get the passwords?
  A: You get the passwords from the FTP sites, not Brandyware Software. Say you have your own web site. In most cases, when you signed up for it. Your ISP (Internet Service Provider) or host sites that provide free web space. Gave you a password when you signed up. Make sure the site allows FTP access.
  If you want to use one of the public FTP sites. In most cases you will just leave the user id and password boxes blank. If they do require a password. You will have to email them and ask for one.

  * USER ID (NAME)
  Sets the name that will be sent with requests to remote computers. If this is left blank, a default user name [anonymous] is sent. Most of the time it's your e-mail address that goes here. But each FTP site is different.

  * ACCESSTYPE
  Sets a value that determines the type of access (through a proxy or directly) that you will use.

  If your working from your own computer that is not part of a computer network (computers connected together) the setting default or direct connection will probably work just fine.

  1. Default
  2. Direct connection to the Internet.
  3. Proxy. Instructs the program to use the proxy server specified in the Proxy property (below).

  * PROXY
  If you want to make any kind of connection to the Internet, you must determine how your computer is connected to the Internet. If you are on an intranet, you will probably be connected to the Internet via a proxy server.

  A proxy server is an intermediary between your computer and the Internet. All computers on an intranet that want to connect to the Internet have to go through a proxy server. The proxy functions as a firewall between the intranet and the Internet.

  To find the proxy settings on your computer.
  1. On the Taskbar of your computer, click Start.
  2. On the Settings item, click the Control Panel.
  3. Double-click the Internet icon.
  4. On the Internet Properties dialog box, click Connection.
  5. Under Proxy Server, confirm that the Connect Through a Proxy Server check box is selected.
  6. If it is selected, click Settings. The name of proxy servers you use for various protocols will be found in the dialog box. If no proxy is defined, contact your system administrator for available proxy servers.

  * CONNECT
  Click on Connect when you're ready to connect to the ftp site. (enter above information URL, password, User Id first) Look at the responce window to see if you're connected. (bottom row) Once you're connected to your site, you can start selecting files to upload (send) or download (receive).

  * SELECTING FILES
  To SEND/RECEIVE files, just drag and drop the files to and from the ftp site.

  Use the SHIFT or CTRL key (while clicking with your mouse) to select more then one file, then drag them with RIGHT MOUSE click to the [Your Files] window.

  Or.. you can SELECT the files you want to send/receive, and then click on the UP or DOWN arrow pictures to start the transfer.

  * COMMANDS
  To MOVE UP a directory, click on the folder button above the ftp site window.
  Double click on any folder to move into that folder.
  Click on the text button to READ TEXT files on the ftp site.
  Click on the sized boxes icon to find the file SIZE.
  The R button allows you to RENAME the highlighted file.
  LOG: The file icon saves the activity log to a file called "log.txt" in the FreeFTP folder.

  SECURITY: The passwords are saved to make it easier to move from one site to another. Use the erase button after each session to erase passwords if needed. Use the command line to download another file at a different location, at the same time. Enter complete URL address and file name.

  FTP programs are simple to use once you get the hang of it and use them a few times.

  If you're having problems using FreeFTP try out the free version of WS_FTP LE which is an FTP that's been around a while and is free to use for personal use. When you install this program on your machine you answer questions to see if you qualify for free use of this software. You need to answer that your using the software at home and for personal use. If you're actually going to use it for business usage you need to get the paid for version. I never recommend "cheating" it always comes back to bite you. You can at least test it to help learn how to use FTP software. Their site provides in depth tutorials and instructions about FTP and how to use the software.

  Download WS_FTP
  Tutorial

  Other free FTP progams that you might want to check out are found on my reference page.

  In order to make use of your webpage editing software or your stand alone FTP Program, your hosting service needs to provide you with FTP access capability. It is essential for making file (website) uploading fast and simple. Your web hosting service will provide you with the information and instructions needed for using those methods of transferring files.