RFC 1635 (rfc1635) - Page 1 of 13


How to Use Anonymous FTP



Alternative Format: Original Text Document



Network Working Group                                         P. Deutsch
Request for Comments: 1635                                     A. Emtage
FYI: 24                                                           Bunyip
Category: Informational                                        A. Marine
                                                               NASA NAIC
                                                                May 1994


                        How to Use Anonymous FTP

Status of this Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  This memo
   does not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of
   this memo is unlimited.

Abstract

   This document provides information for the novice Internet user about
   using the File Transfer Protocol (FTP).  It explains what FTP is,
   what anonymous FTP is, and what an anonymous FTP archive site is.  It
   shows a sample anonymous FTP session.  It also discusses common ways
   files are packaged for efficient storage and transmission.

Acknowledgements

   This document is the result of work done in the Internet Anonymous
   FTP Archives (IAFA) working group of the IETF.  Special thanks are
   due to Mark Baushke (Cisco), John Curran (BBN), Aydin Edguer (CWRU),
   Rafal Maszkowski (Onsala Space Observatory), Marsha Perrott
   (PREPnet), Bob Peterson (Texas Instruments), Nathan Torkington
   (Victoria University of Wellington), and Stephen Tihor (NYU) for
   excellent comments and contributions.

What is FTP?

   FTP refers to the File Transfer Protocol [1], one of the protocols
   within the TCP/IP protocol suite used on the Internet.  The File
   Transfer Protocol makes it possible to transfer files from one
   computer (or host) on the Internet to another.  There are many FTP
   implementations built on the specification of the FTP protocol.  A
   user of an FTP program must log in to both hosts in order to transfer
   a file from one to the other.

   It is common for a user with files on more than one host to use the
   FTP program to transfer files from one host to another.  In this
   case, the user has an account on both hosts involved, so he has
   passwords for both hosts.



IAFA Working Group