I have a request to create a tutorial on using FTP, specifically using FTP to upload and install a WordPress plugin. Please note these steps apply for a WordPress.ORG blog, you don't have FTP access if you are using WordPress.COM (Here's the official WordPress explanation of the difference.)
If you look at the entire process of installing a plugin, then break it up into "phases", it would look like this:
- Download, install and set-up an FTP program
- Download and unzip the plugin
- Upload the plugin to your site, and activate it in Wordpress
This post will look at the first phase of the process, downloading, installing and setting-up and FTP program. I'm assuming a Windows system here.
FTP stand for "file transfer protocol", and before the world wide web took off in popularity, people were sharing computer files via FTP. FTPplanet's Beginner's Guide covers a lot of good information in simple, easy-to-understand language: http://www.ftpplanet.com/ftpresources/basics.htm
There are several low-cost FTP programs that you can try out for free including Cute FTP, Filezilla, and WS_FTP I'm illustrating this tutorial with WS_FTP, the the basic concepts apply across the board.
Go to http://www.wsftp.com/products/ws_ftp_home/try/ and complete the free trial form
Submit, and click Download
If you download alot of stuff, you'll already know that its important to pay attention to just where your download file is going to end up. Saving to the Desktop is a simple approach. Some people keep a folder on the Desktop for downloads. I can also see merits in installing to an external device, such as a thumb drive. Whatever works for you, the point is just be aware of where the file is, so you can find it again.
After you've selected the place you want to put the downloaded file, click Save, and the download will begin.
Don't close the "Download complete" dialogue box. Completing the download is the first step. The program's installation files are transferred to your computer, but the program in not actually installed. Click run to begin the installation.
The program's installation wizard will start. Click next and let it do its thing.
When the installation is completed, click finish.
After you start WS_FTP, the first task is to set up your first FTP site. The connection wizard makes it fairly easy. First enter a recognizable name for your site. Click Next.
Now enter the FTP server address. For some servers it will be ftp.mysite.com for other servers it will simply be mysite.com (Sites hosted on GoDaddy seem to like it without the "ftp".) Other servers will require a numerical address that you will need to obtain from your hosting company. Try both ftp.mysite.com and mysite.com (without the ftp) before contacting your hosting company. Click Next.
Enter your hosting account username and password. (Note that if you are using GoDaddy, your host account username and password are probably different from you GoDaddy customer account username and password.) Click Next.
Leave the "Connect to this site" box checked, then click Finish, and WS_FTP will proceed to connect to your site's host server.
Remember those three "phases" that started this post? You've just completed Phase 1, downloading, installing and setting-up an FTP program.
The next phase would be downloading and unzipping the plugin that you want to install. Jumping ahead, and assuming you already have the plugin, take a look at WS_FTP's information window.
On the left hand side is a panel displaying the files and folders on your own computer. On the right hand side is a panel displaying the files and folders on your hosting server.
You move up and down the folders in both panels the same way you would in Windows My Computer or File Explorer.
To upload a file or folder from your own computer to the hosting server, you find and select that file or folder and click the green arrow pointing towards the right hosting server panel.
To download a file or folder from the hosting server to your own computer, you find and select that file or folder in the right hand panel, and click the green arrow pointing towards the left My Computer panel.
I'll cover Phase 2 and Phase 3 in the next few days.
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