This section provides additional detail of the system setup, as a "Getting Started" guide if you wish to establish your own backup service using an FTP Server on PC.

Establishing an FTP-based storage facility does not require any significant technical skills, it is a case of downloading and configuring programs that are readily available to do the job.

There are four main components required to establish a remote FTP facility:

1) A remote PC which has FTP Server software installed

This can sit behind a router/firewall and the router, and the server then manages remote FTP access to the server machine)

2) A domain name for the server (eg www.myservername.com)

This could be either a purchased domain name, or a free name provided by a DNS service.

3) A DNS entry for your server, so that it can be located by users who want to access the service.

If you use a free dynamic DNS service (such as provide by www.dyndns.com), then you can create a domain name such as www.myservername.dyndns.org

You can use either a small client program (installed on the server PC) to keep the DNS service  advised of your current IP address, or more likely, your router can simply be configured to broadcast the current IP address to the DNS service.

4) An FTP Client program which allows users to upload/download files.

It is possible to setup a FTP service, using SSL encryption and private certificates, without spending any money at all - but you really should consider making a donation to the team at FileZilla. If you use the facility regularly, then you will probably want to subscribe to a ‘permanent’ DNS service and also purchase a more-sophisticated FTP Client at a total cost of about US$70.

Install FileZilla Server Software

Server Software manages the creation of user accounts, their permissions (eg read, write, delete, etc) and manages the connection of remote users to the their data bases.

If you have Internet Information Services running, be sure to 'Stop' the IIS FTP server before proceeding (you can leave IIS web server running if you wish). You can do this by navigating to Control Panel/Performance and Maintenance/Administrative Tools and then clicking on Internet Information Services. Expand the left-directory, until to see the entry for the Default FTP Site and right-click. If this is stopped, there is nothing to do, but if it is running, click on Stop and exit.

Download FileZilla Server and install to your PC.

After you start the installation, you need to make specify some settings. Basically, just use the defaults. If you run into problems, CLICK HERE to visit the user forum and to view default installation settings.

* This is the default, but it is annoying - if you have family members sharing a PC, each is presented with FileZilla Interface when they logon and that's the last thing you want them to play with! Use the 'Manual' option and then just start the interface from Start/Programs

FileZilla Server Interface

The FileZilla Interface provides an administrative console through which you can configure the server settings. This includes the creation of user accounts, and linking each user to their unique folders.

Server address

Use the default 127.0.0.1 and Port 14147 (irrespective of the IP settings of your router or host PC). As you have not set a password yet, leave this empty.

Create user folders

You do this outside of the FileZilla interface.

Create user folders on your hard-drive for each user using Windows Explorer (eg C:\_ftpFolders\username(s)\

Do not enable sharing or any other features in Properties.

Add Users

Now use the Server Interface to add users and passwords, and to connect users to the folders that you created for them. Make settings for each user' rights (eg read, write, etc).

Passive Mode Settings

If you are using a modem router with firewall, then use the custom settings and set an appropriate port range, eg 4000-4100 (you will also need to configure your firewall to Allow these ports).

Use the default setting for 'Retrieve External Address from:'   ie the ip/filezilla address

SSL Connection

SSL ensures that the remote session is encrypted, protecting the username, password and data transmission.

Whilst it is sufficient for users to connect using Implicit SSL, you might as well also enable 'Allow explicit SSL/TSL on normal connections' in case your users try to use this mode. In this case, listen on Port 990.

And don't forget to generate a Certificate so that the SSL connection can succeed.

Firewall Settings

This is a basic guide only, as settings may differ depending on your modem router, anti virus and other PC configuration issues. When setting up port forwarding, you will be asked for the IP address of the particular PC on which the server software is running - the best way to configure this, if your PC uses "automatic IP address' is to leave the PC settings as is, but configure the router to reserve a particular address for the server PC (eg 192.168.0.99) , and then use that address for forwarding.

If your router supports uPnp, and it is enabled, then it may not be necessary to make these settings manually:

• Enable FTP services on ports 20,21

• Enable port 990 (TCP/UDP)

• Enable the port range you selected in custom Passive Mode settings

• If able, Allow FileZilla server.exe in your anti virus/firewall settings

Note - some routers, despite clicking Apply, will still not enable ports unless the router is rebooted! I learnt the hard way after about 4 hours of trying to find out why SSL access would not work.

Domain name and Dynamic DNS Service

If you are new to this, then visit www.dyndns.com and then use the free Home DNS Service. This will allow you to create a free domain name (eg www.myservername.dyndns.org) and allow the DDNS service to manage locating your server on the web.

Note - the free DDNS will be disabled if you do not update your IP address every 30 days. You may subscribe to the paid service to eliminate this risk.

Address forwarding

You need to keep the DDNS service informed of the current IP address of your server PC. You can do this by either configuring DDNS in your router options (if available) or simply download the IP Update software and install to your server PC.

If you want to use IP address forwarding from your router, use the router administration console, and look for an option like 'Dynamic DNS'. After configuring your router, it will look something like this:

The FTP Client Program

This is covered in Setup 

Status Lamps

This accesses a web page on the server PC (you need to enable separate web server software such as Internet Information Services) and then displays the page in an inline frame on the Status page. If the browser is unable to locate the page (eg PC is turned off), then the "Not Found" page is displayed which has white background). Strictly, this is a simple test of PC-status (On/Off) rather than whether the FTP Server is started.