Questions about setting up an ftp site

[Kayotic1]

I was trying to set up my own ftp site on my PC so that a buddy of mine can get the music that I ripped using itunes on his cpu. He built a brand new rig and had to wipe his HD's. The problem is that I live 500 miles away and can't really run over there and rip them again. I downloaded WS_FTP and installed it but when I go to create the site I don't have an adress to put in. I called my ISP and they told me that I wasn't able to use them as my host. It's quest by the way. I was just wondering if there was anywhere else that would be willing to host me for 2 weeks to a month?

 

[mundane]

I'm a bit confused - you mean you ripped CDs into AAC on his comp, but lost them? You could just use WMP or Winamp on your local PC to rip the discs again.

For an FTP service, it'd be easy to use dyndns.org to set up the dynamic dns (it maps kayotic1.dyndns.org to your specific IP address). To host the FTP, switch to a non-standard port if your ISP blocks the default (21?). Most ISPs aren't too concerned about the bandwidth various types of hosts consume as long as you keep it reasonable. The way I figure it, I'm paying for the up and down bandwidth of my connection; how I choose to allocate them (Apache, Tomcat, Streaming Audio, web browsing, etc) shouldn't concern them as long as it's not illegal.

 

[Kayotic1]

He reformatted and I'd like to get him my songs again using an ftp site. My only problem is I don't know where to find a host address to support my ftp site. Any suggestions on where I can find a host?

 

[mundane]

Originally posted by: Kayotic1
He reformatted and I'd like to get him my songs again using an ftp site. My only problem is I don't know where to find a host address to support my ftp site. Any suggestions on where I can find a host?

If you're hosting an FTP server, he just needs some way to find you. Host address could be a URL, or it could be an IP Address, etc. I don't have any experience with WS_FTP; I've used the FileZilla FTP server without any issues before.

1) Register with a service such as dyndns.org. You'll probably have to install a small piece of software which will update the dyndns servers with your ip address as it changes. This will allow your friend to reference your specific IP by name - say, kayotic1.dyndns.org. As your IP Address changes (you most likely have a dynamic address), the little client you downloaded will inform dyndns appropriately.
2) Install your FTP software. If it's requesting a host name at installation, provide it with the address you obtained in step 1.
3) Setup the software - create users, and point it towards the directory you wish to share.
4) Check your port forwarding. You'll probably have to investigate your specific brand of router. You'll also need to do this for the local firewall, if you have one installed.

At that point, it should be easy for your friend to use FTP Client software (such as is built in to IE, FF, or something like filezilla). He'd be provided with a) your address (*.dyndns.org), b) a user name, and c) a password.

As mentioned previously, your ISP might block the default FTP port. In that case, you'll need to modify your server software and supply your friend with the new port.