| #ffffff;" /> | | | | a username and a password. An FTP client is a piece |
| Do you want a website but don’t know | | | | of software that’s sole job is to connect to |
| where to start. This article will inform you exactly | | | | server (hosting) space and upload and download |
| what you need. I will try to explain in the simplest | | | | webpages. I would recommend FTP Surfer but there |
| terms so pretty much anyone understand. | | | | are plenty of others and all completely free. You just |
| First thing you will need is a Domain Name. A domain | | | | need to download one and create a profile and add |
| name is the bit that can be seen at the top of a | | | | the settings. |
| webpage. In the very early days of computers and | | | | If you built your website yourself using some kind of |
| networks, they need a way of identifying each | | | | software there should be a way to add these FTP |
| computer. They started by using numbers known as | | | | settings to the publish area of software. Some work |
| IP (internet protocol) numbers. As the numbers of | | | | better than others. The best professional web |
| connections grew a more effective system was | | | | development software like Dreamweaver sometimes |
| needed. In 1985 it was replaced with a simpler and | | | | causes problems when uploading files so you are |
| easier to remember system called the Domain Name | | | | better off getting your own FTP client. |
| System. Rather than having to remember a batch of | | | | Now if you have uploaded your files and you can see |
| numbers like 121.222.300.2, all you had to remember | | | | them all in your directory in your own server space |
| was Now you can buy your own domain from a | | | | on your domain but cannot see them when you type |
| Domain Registration Company. | | | | into a browser what is wrong? You have probably |
| Once you have a domain you are going to need | | | | made the mistake of not naming your home page |
| somewhere to ‘host’ your website. | | | | index.html. Every home page is called index.htm. or |
| Hosting is where you are paying a company to store | | | | index.php depending on what programming language |
| your website on their servers (servers are the | | | | your site is built with. If you have the home page |
| computers that actually run websites). You cannot | | | | called index then you have probably uploaded them |
| have a website live unless you have hosting. Some | | | | to the wrong directory. Check the details that were |
| Domain Companies offer web hosting; others will give | | | | sent to you when you set the hosting account up as |
| you a free Domain Name if you buy one of their | | | | you were probably told what folder to publish the |
| hosting packages. You normally pay yearly for | | | | files in. It could be something like public_html or |
| hosting and it could be as little as £10 a year | | | | mywebsite_html. There may be a few folders in |
| to over £100 per year. You can also host your | | | | your hosting account so it’s important to |
| website yourself by turning you own computer into a | | | | know which one you need to publish your files too. If |
| server, but I am not going into that here. | | | | you’r sure your files are in the right folder but |
| If you buy a domain from one company and hosting | | | | the site is still not coming up call your hosting |
| from another you will need to phone your domain | | | | company up for assistance. It will probably be |
| company and have them point your domain at the | | | | something very simple. Once you have done it right |
| address of your hosting space provided by your | | | | you will be well on your way. It’s just the |
| hosting company. This can get confusing so I will not | | | | first time that will seem strange and unknown. Web |
| go into it here, but if you want to save yourself | | | | developers are using FTP all the time to publish |
| some grief, but the domain and the hosting from the | | | | websites and it becomes second nature to them. As |
| same company. | | | | it will you once you have done it a couple of times. |
| Right, so you have a Domain Name and you have | | | | Good luck with your website. If you managed all of |
| Hosting so what is needed next? Well for one you | | | | the above but can’t find your website |
| will need one or more webpage’s to put up. | | | | through the search engines don’t go ringing |
| Let’s say for that you have a website built | | | | up your web hosting company or web Development |
| by someone and you have all the files in a folder on | | | | Company as it is not their fault. Sites that come up |
| your computer. Well, you will need a way to transfer | | | | on the first 2 or 3 pages have been optimised to do |
| them to your server space (hosting space). When | | | | so. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the process |
| you signed up for you hosting you will have received | | | | of making a website come up in the search engine |
| some hosting access settings, probably named FTP | | | | result pages (SERP’s). This is completely |
| settings. Now FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol | | | | different to web design. Very few web designers |
| and you will need the FTP settings to access your | | | | have SEO skills and only build websites for |
| server space. These settings should have come with | | | | customers’ according to their needs. |