setting up an ftp site on XP Pro (32bit) ... what's the best "free" way?

[lots]

The biggest issue you'll run into most likely will be your upload cap. If you're on cable or DSL, you generally will be able to uplaod between 20 and 40 KB/s at the most. That is not a big amount of bandwidth. Basically all your FTP users will have relativly slow connections to your server, especially if you have many users connected and downloading at the same time.

I don't think you'll notice much of a performance impact other than that. Though you could run the laptop as the server and have a network or USB drive hooked up to it that is actually accessable from the FTP server..

In the end, the easiest thing to do would be to run linux. As it is pretty good at this sort of thing out of the box. I don't know many FTP servers for free in Windows, as I don't generally use FTP anymore (not secure, even with passwords :P). Instead I tend to VPN into my network, or use SSH to send files back and forth..

[tecton3d]

In the end, the easiest thing to do would be to run linux. As it is pretty good at this sort of thing out of the box. I don't know many FTP servers for free in Windows, as I don't generally use FTP anymore (not secure, even with passwords :P). Instead I tend to VPN into my network, or use SSH to send files back and forth..

i guess i've been putting linux off long enough... what do you recommend? Ubuntu?

:beer:

[mcernusca]

Why don't you just purchase a hosting subscription with enough space for your needs?

Setting it up at home will only prove to be a headache for you and the other users because home lines are not stable and generally have a very low upload speeds.

The overhead is not an issue, so if you do it from home do it on a computer you don't use. If you have to restart everyone on the server gets kicked off.

Like I said the easy way is to get a hosting account, be set up in minutes at minimal cost (~$20 / year @ dreamhost.com with a coupon) and you have space for a website for a year too. Maybe put a gallery of all the pictures for everyone to check out.

[tecton3d]

Why don't you just purchase a hosting subscription with enough space for your needs?

Setting it up at home will only prove to be a headache for you and the other users because home lines are not stable and generally have a very low upload speeds.

The overhead is not an issue, so if you do it from home do it on a computer you don't use. If you have to restart everyone on the server gets kicked off.

Like I said the easy way is to get a hosting account, be set up in minutes at minimal cost (~$20 / year @ dreamhost.com with a coupon) and you have space for a website for a year too. Maybe put a gallery of all the pictures for everyone to check out.
where does one come by a coupon for such a site? I'll check into it... but don't know if it'll be feasable considering how much space i'll need (prolly around 200gb's)

honestly, setting up my own ftp site has been on my "to do" list for a while now so i'd rather not just purchase space online... since, in the long run, it'll be cheaper and i'll have expanded storage for my own use via my own lan.

if i run this from my workstation (or even one of my 4 rendernodes), it'll be through my universities websetup which is blistering fast and won't have the long times asssociated with a home wan setup.

thanks

[mcernusca]

You can use the code "MAXDISCOUNT101" for $90 off at checkout time.
The starting plan is 150gb and it grows every month.


If you have the resources to run a stable server (sounds like you might), go ahead.
If using windows I would go with CrossFTP (open source software).

Here is a quick how to guide: http://www.crossftp.com/server_guide.htm
The only thing you need to worry about is opening up a ports and setting up proper rules with your firewalls so it doesn't get blocked.

Also default port for FTP is 21, but if you run this from home switch to some other port because your host may be blocking 21 or give you grief for running an ftp server.

Hope this is enough to get you started.

[imashination]

For windows software, guildftp is a nice easy free ftp server. But as said, your problem will be bandwidth. Youll likely have 0.5mbit upload speed which basically sucks. If you think youll be filling a 200g drive, that would take you literally weeks of non stop transfers

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