What Is FTP Server?

FTP servers are like the mailboxes of the internet. Except, instead of getting letters, you get files. And instead of putting your mail in a mailbox, you place your files on an FTP server. Think of it like this: You're at your friend's house, and they want to show you something cool they found online. They open their laptop, go to their favorite website and type in a URL (that's the address). Rather than giving them directions to where they can find that information, you offer to take them there yourself by taking them to your computer and showing them what's there. This is what an FTP server does for other people: It gives them access to all the files on your computer (or network). You can also use FTP servers to share files with other people or companies without worrying about using email attachments or other means of transferring large amounts of data over the internet. FTP is the way you get files from one place to another. It's like the internet's mailman, only it doesn't use a horse and carriage—it uses the internet. "file transfer protocol," and it's one of the most essential protocols today. FTP servers are like post offices: they accept packages from senders and send them along to their recipients (or destinations). They do this by listening on TCP ports 20 and 21—the same ports that HTTP uses. That means you can't transfer FTP files unless both ports are open on your network. FTP servers are like the kings of the internet. They're the server providers, and they have all the power. An FTP server can grant limited access to anonymous users but cannot provide connections to users without login credentials. FTP servers can provide anonymous access as well. Users can download files from the servers anonymously, but FTP servers cannot accept uploads from anonymous users.