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FTP at home

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  • 27-11-2007 5:15pm
    #1
    FunkyChicken
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,067 ✭✭✭


    Hey

    I'd like to set it up so my friend can download things from me from my pc at home. We're just using MSN sharing folders at the minute but it gives awful speeds. I've thought about using remote desktop and also setting up an FTP so he can just download whatever he wants from me.

    Thing is though I have no idea how to set this up. Any help would be appreciated. We're both on broadband. He's on eircom and Im on BT, both with dynamic IP addresses. Both using XP.

    Thanks.


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    #2
    rmacm
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,039 ✭✭✭rmacm


    What OS are you using? If you're going down this route you'll need an FTP server e.g. proftp on Linux or Filezilla on Windows to mention two there are more. You'll also have to forward ports on your router to your PC. Having a dynamic IP means that you'll have to tell your friend when your IP address changes or use a service like DynDNS which will get you a hostname that will point to your dynamic address and update as your IP address changes.

    Cheers
    Rory


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    #3
    kaizersoze
    Registered Users Posts: 7,042 ✭✭✭kaizersoze


    The upload speed of your BB package will dictate your friends download speed from you and vica-versa. On Eircom/BT, depending on your package, that will either 128, 256 or 384, none of which is much good for what you want to do.
    Chances are you'll see no noticeable improvement in transfer speeds from an FTP than you currently do with MSN using a standard BB connection.

    Also bear in mind that your internet connection will be poor when your friend is downloading from your server.


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    #4
    Taildragon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 100 ✭✭Taildragon


    kaizersoze wrote: »
    Also bear in mind that your internet connection will be poor when your friend is downloading from your server.

    I agree. An FTP session seems to "suck" whatever bandwidth is available to it. Filezilla gives you the option to throttle the session bandwidth back if you so chose. Worth bearing in mind that FTP is a very insecure protocol, so if you have the option, run the server session on a seperate machine to your main PC. You might also consider using a "Live CD" Linux such as Knoppix for the server, with the hosted files on a USB memory stick or similar.


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    #5
    rmacm
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,039 ✭✭✭rmacm


    As pointed out by kaizersoze and Taildragon the speeds you'll get will probably be pretty crap aswell. On the security end of things it is possible to tunnell ftp over ssh although the last time I tried it, it was a bit of a pain to configure. Depending on what kind of stuff your friend is downloading buring it to a dvd and giving it to him may end up being the quicker option.


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    #6
    FunkyChicken
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,067 ✭✭✭FunkyChicken


    I only get 11kb/s on MSN but Ive got a 384k upload speed which will give about 38-40kb/s which is fine for what we need. Thanks for the replies. Now all I need to do is try and get Filezilla to work.


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    #7
    forbairt
    Registered Users Posts: 3,594 ✭✭✭forbairt


    ... running an FTP server from your home machine will be in violation of your contract with eircom or whoever to the best of my knowledge they always say you must not run a http / ftp server from your machine. (maybe its changed in recent times)

    I'd recommend you get yourself an account at http://www.dyndns.com/ which will give you a url your friend can connect to ... (install a little app on your machine which tells the dns entry to update so your friend can always connect to yourname.mydns.com or similar)


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    #8
    monkey tennis
    Closed Accounts Posts: 583 ✭✭✭monkey tennis


    Taildragon wrote: »
    FTP is a very insecure protocol, so if you have the option, run the server session on a seperate machine to your main PC

    A far smarter plan would be to use an encrypted protocol, non-standard ports, and a complicated password or keyfile.
    rmacm wrote: »
    it is possible to tunnell ftp over ssh although the last time I tried it, it was a bit of a pain to configure

    SFTP is a better idea. No mucking about with manual tunnelling.


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