| After your account has been opened with your web | | | | With your FTP software, connect to your web |
| host and you've set the DNS for your website (see | | | | server. Open the folder where you're going to upload |
| Parts 1 and 2 for more information) you can start to | | | | the files and then find the files on your computer |
| upload your content. The most common way this is | | | | that you're going to send. You can transfer individual |
| done is through FTP (File Transfer Protocol) | | | | files or entire directories using FTP. |
| software, but there are a few other options as well. | | | | Most of the pages on your website can be named |
| The FTP protocol lets you transfer data files from | | | | anything you want, but the home page or main page |
| one computer to another. Your web hosting | | | | in any subdirectories should be named index.htm (or |
| company will give you the information you need to | | | | .html, .php, etc.) The name "index" tells the web |
| connect to your site with FTP. | | | | server that this is the file that should be displayed by |
| You normally would use software like WS_FTP or | | | | default. |
| FileZilla to connect. Your FTP address will usually be | | | | So if someone goes to what they're actually going to |
| Your web host will also tell you where your files | | | | see is [ the web server just displays that file |
| should be uploaded to on the server. There is usually | | | | automatically so they don't need to enter the |
| a folder in the root directory of your website called | | | | "index.html" part. |
| public_html, www or something similar. This is where | | | | If you don't put an index file in each directory on |
| you need to store all your website files to make | | | | your site, people might be able to browse the |
| them accessible to the public on the internet. | | | | directory and see "behind the scenes" on your |
| You might have to adjust some settings in your FTP | | | | website. This can be a security issue in some cases, |
| software to make the files upload properly. eg. If | | | | so it's always a good idea to put an index page in |
| you're running a firewall on your computer (or a | | | | each directory, even if it's just a blank page. |
| hardware firewall) you may need to set the transfer | | | | What Other Ways Can You Upload Your Website? |
| method to "passive". And if you're using a proxy | | | | FTP isn't the only way to upload your web pages. |
| server, you'll have to adjust those settings as well. | | | | Many web page creation programs have transferring |
| Files can be transferred with FTP in either ASCII or | | | | built-in. Probably the most common example of this is |
| binary mode. If you use the wrong mode to transfer, | | | | Microsoft Frontpage. If your web host supports |
| you could end up with errors. Your FTP software | | | | Frontpage, you can upload your site from within |
| might automatically determine which method to use | | | | Frontpage itself and you don't need to worry about |
| by looking at the contents of the files you're | | | | how or where to transfer things. Frontpage takes |
| transferring. It's possible that you might have to | | | | care of everything for you. |
| specify the mode manually, however. | | | | Some web hosts also offer online site-builders. These |
| Files that should be sent as ASCII include HTML (and | | | | builders work within your web browser and let you |
| variations like HTM, SHTML, etc.), TXT, ASP, JS, PHP, | | | | layout your web pages. Once your pages are |
| etc. Essentially, any file that you would open with a | | | | finished, they automatically get saved to the |
| text editor should be transferred as ASCII. | | | | appropriate location on your server. |
| Binary mode is used to transfer files such as graphics, | | | | These online site-builders are usually available through |
| compiled programs and media files. | | | | the control panel in your hosting account. |