This section provides end-users a guide to the steps required to set up your account and get it working.

Private System

These notes are for the benefit of family users of the FTP remote storage service, but may assist others set up their own data backup system.

Services are not available to 3rd parties. 

Request user access

If you have a preferred username and password that you would like to use, let us know. And if you want to backup multiple PC's, then request a separate account for each.

Please provide an estimate of the likely size of your data store for capacity planning. When you connect for the first time, your directory will be empty until you upload files.

Keep a record of your account details

After your account is established, you will be advised:

Address: the name of the host server
Username: your unique username (one for each a/c)
Password: the password for each username

Select FTP Client

The 'FTP Client' is a program which resides on your PC, and enables you to connect and upload/download files to the server. If you want support with your settings, then please use either FileZilla FTP (shareware), or the standard or pro edition of SmartFTP (purchase).

Both support encryption of your username/password when connecting, as well as encryption of data transmission.

SmartFTP has a number of  additional features: you can set up automatic synchronisation so that only files that have changed are uploaded when you do a backup. The Pro Edition can also encrypt data at the server (ie in the unlikely event of a hacker accessing the server, your data cannot be read). With either edition, you can only use SmartFTP on a single PC (unless you buy multiple copies) and this restricts your ability to access data from a PC other than that on which Smart FPT is installed.*

SmartFTP is recommended because of the synchronisation feature which significantly reduces data usage for both yourself and for the person providing server hosting.

FileZilla, being 'free' can be installed on other PC's if you need to access your data from another computer. However, since files are not encrypted 'at server', be aware that files are open to view by the administrator of the host server (ie Phil or Cameron) - you could consider using password protection on certain sensitive files (eg Word, Excel and certain other files, can all have passwords added to them when you create/open the file in their default application).

There is a free version of SmartFTP, which supports SSL encryption (but has nagging popups) - you may want to play with this before making a final purchase decision.

* You could use SmartFTP as your main client for backups, and install FileZilla on other PC's for remote download access, provided you are not using 'Encrypt at Server'.

Configure FTP Client

These notes assume you are using SmartFTP, but the procedure is very similar for FileZilla.

After you have installed your FTP Client, configure your connection:
   - select Favorites/Edit Favorites from the menu bar
   - select Quick Connect
   - right-click in the window pane and select New/Favorite
   - give your connection a friendly name and/or description
   - for Protocol, select FTP over implicit SSL, use Port 990
   - for Host, enter the address your were given (do not preface with http or www)
   - for Login Type, select 'Username and Password'
   - enter your username and password
   - click OK and close the Favorites window

Connect to server

Startup your FTP Client if you have not already done so, and select your Quick connection from the drop down address box, and then click the green =>>.

You should now connect to your directory - to upload files, just use drag-and-drop (use the RH the right-hand window to browse your local files). Depending on your anti-virus, you may get a Warning Block, if so click Allow.

Next time you start SmartFTP, you previous folder browsing will be open - but you are not connected! You need to click the =>> to establish a new connection.

Troubleshooting

If your initial connection fails, check all your settings carefully, and also check that the server status is ON (use 'Status' tab). If you still can't connect, copy the logfile of the connection into notepad, and email this to the administrator for assistance.

If you are still having problems, you may need to enable Port forwarding for Port 990 in your firewall (see About/Technical Notes).

The logfile also records FTP Codes during the connection session - CLICK HERE for a list of codes and their meaning.

SmartFTP Synchronisation

If you are using the FTP facility as a disaster backup for your personal PC files (eg 'My Documents'), you would assume that it is possible to configure to SmartFTP so that it simply updates changes files to the server, and deletes form your server and y files which you have deleted from your personal PC.

Unfortunately, it is not quite that smart, and some intervention is required. The easiest way to achieve what you want is to Pause the Transfer Queue, then drag all the folders you wish to backup from 'My Documents' on the local PC, to the pane for the remote server. This will then add them to the Transfer Queue pending upload.

Now right-click on each folder, and select Properties and then Synchronization and set "One Way With Delete". The click on the Play button in the Transfer Queue to commence the upload. With this setting, SmartFTP will skip unchanged files, overwrite changed files, and delete files from the server if they have been deleted from the local PC.

Provided you upload whole folders (which is easier than trying to work with individual files), this is an acceptable solution.

For notes on how to setup the full FTP storage system, CLICK HERE for Technical Notes.)