Practical Linux

Using the ftp Command

Use the ftp (file transfer) command to download files directly to your computer from another computer on the Internet. ftp supports the standard File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and was originally designed to transfer files to and from other networked computers on the Internet.

ftp, found under the /usr/bin directory, has five command-line options and dozens of built-in commands. Use this program from the command line of the console or a terminal window, followed by a name of a remote computer, like this:

# ftp ftp.mcp.com
Connected to ftp.mcp.com.
220 iq-mcp FTP server (Version wu-2.4(4) Sun Dec 21 13:01:32 EST 1997) ready.
Name (ftp.mcp.com:ds):

You can also use an Internet (IP) address to connect to a remote computer, like ...