Filezilla

Category: File transfer software
Price: Free
License: GNU GPL

FileZilla is open-source, free (GNU General Public License -- a.k.a., "the GPL") software that allows you to transfer files from one computer to another computer using the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or the Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP). Of course, the ohe other computer must to be running an FTP or SFTP server for this to work.

FileZilla is designed for Windows 95, 98, Me, NT, 2000, and XP and can be downloaded from the project's SourceForge.net project page http://sourceforge.net/projects/filezilla/.

Where might you use FileZilla? You could use it to download files from an FTP site. Similarly, you could use it to upload files to your web server account at your ISP or web-hosting company.

Filezilla can handle multiple transfer threads at the same time. This is especially helpful if you are tranferring a lot of little files. It also has a nice keep-alive function that will keep your FTP connection open and available. Since most web hosts will close the connection after a couple of minutes of no activity, this will solve no end of frustration if you are making a bunch of little tweaks and changes on your site.

As usual for most FTP programs these days, FileZilla has an optional setting called "passive." This setting is required if your computer is behind a router or firewall, which I hope yours is.

FTP was originally designed to require two separate connections, one from the client (your machine) and the other originating from the Server. One connection was to be used for data and the other for control communications between the two computers. Of course, routers and firewalls will block the connection attempt that originates at the server from getting your computer. The "Passive" setting tells both computers to put all communications through the communications "port" opened by the client computer.

One very interesting feature that I like is that Filezilla can run multiple instances -- multiple copies of Filezilla can run at the same time.

With Filezilla, I ftp to one site to upload files to that ftp server. While that is going, I can start another copy of Filezilla and connect to another ftp server. I can even use Filezilla to connect as two users to the ftp serverr, as long as the ftp server itself doesn't limit the login.