How to Use FTP How to Use FTP FTP, or File Transfer Protocol, lets users download files from another computer system on the Internet, or on a local network.
Users can also transfer their own files to other computer systems.
Some common uses of FTP include getting software from public sites and transferring work or school assignments completed at home. Downloading files often requires some knowledge of compression techniques. After downloading a compressed file, the user needs a software utility to uncompress the file. Some popular compression utilities include pkzip, sit, and binhex. Many of these programs are available at public FTP sites.