Using File Transfer Protocol on the Desktop

Many networks continue to use File Transfer Protocol (FTP) to distribute files internally, and many of the best download sites on the Internet still use FTP as their primary method of file exchange.

To access an FTP site or archive from the Fedora Core 4 desktop, follow these steps:

1.	Choose Places, Connect to Server to open the Connect to Server dialog box.
2.	If the FTP server you want to exchange files with requires a password for login, select FTP (with login) from the Service Type drop-down list. Otherwise, select Public FTP from the list.
3.	If you selected FTP (with login) in step 2, enter your FTP login in the User Name box, as shown in Figure 13.14. If you've been instructed to do so, enter the connection port and the initial path in Port and Folder, respectively. If you haven't been instructed to use a unique port or an initial folder, leave these extra boxes blank. Figure 13.14. To connect to a private FTP site, select FTP (with login) from the Service Type list; then enter your login in the User Name box.
4.	Click Connect to connect to the FTP site.

After you connect to the FTP site, a new icon for the FTP site will appear on your desktop. To access it, just double-click on the icon to display a file manager window listing the files and folders on the FTP site, as shown in Figure 13.15.

Figure 13.15. Double-clicking the desktop icon for the FTP site displays the site's contents in a file manager window.

If you're trying to access a private FTP site, the Authentication Required dialog box will appear, asking you to supply a password for the connection, as shown in Figure 13.16. Enter your password and click OK to open the list of files at the site.

Figure 13.16. When opening files on a private FTP site, you'll be asked to supply a password.

Once you have opened a file manager window displaying files or folders on an FTP site, you can copy to or from the site by copying files just as you normally would using the file manager.

You Can Save Your Password!

If you're connecting to a private FTP site and would like Linux to remember your password for you until you log out of your desktop, check the box labeled Remember Password for This Session when the Authentication Required dialog box is displayed.

If you would like Linux to remember the password for this FTP site from now on, check the box labeled Save Password in Keyring.

Closing an FTP Connection

When you're done with an FTP session and you no longer want its icon to appear on your desktop, close all of the file manager windows that display files on the FTP site; then right-click on the FTP site's desktop icon and choose Unmount from the context menu that appears.