Your Server

Can Windows XP host an FTP server?

I have a computer that I would like to use as a dedicated FTP server. It would just be for storing files, it wouldn't run anything. Is there a way to do this with Windows XP Professional (fully updated)? What about an address (assuming I can do this)? Would it be ftp:\\mycustomlink.something.link\, or ftp:\\my.ip.ad.dr.es\?

Public Comments

1. yes, check out: http://lifehacker.com/software/home-server/how-to-set-up-a-home-ftp-server-130806.php
2. Windows XP can host an FTP server, yes. I have FileZilla Server running on mine. But you'll need a little know-how to get your computer exposed to the internet. Your ip address isn't the address to your computer, it's the address to your router. It's a little complex, but some routers allow a computer to be put into the "demilitarized" zone. This just means exposing the computer to the outside of the firewall, giving it no protection. Just make sure you have EXCELLENT Anti-virus and Firewall setup on your computer before you do that. DISCLAIMER: Exposing your computer to the outside of your router's firewall can leave you open to the most vicious attacks. Make sure you don't give out your IP address to anyone you don't trust, and especially don't post it on the internet. You'll also need to forward port 21 to your computer that you'll install the server on. This involves assigning your computer as static ip within the network. If you're not sure how to do this, find your router at portfoward.com and follow the instructions. Once you are able to access your computer from the outside, you should be able to set up your FTP server. To recap: 1. Your ip address goes to your router 2. Your router needs to assign a static internal IP (i.e. 192.168.1.10) to your computer and forward port 21 3. you need to expose your computer to the internet and ensure the best virus protection with smart firewall 4. Setup FileZilla FTP Server 5. Setup a user 6. Test