The standard ftp client has a CLI (Command-Line Interface) and so is not very user-friendly. You may have installed a better ftp client with a GUI (Graphical User Interface). If so, then the method of use will be different. The following instructions are for the CLI client.
If ftp is not on the Applications menu, go to the Start menu, chooose Run, and type ftp in the box and hit Enter. This will pop up a window with the prompt ftp> to indicate that it is waiting for a command. The first command is to connect to the remote host, storm. Type
ftp> open storm.cis.fordham.edu
Log in using your storm username and password. At this point you will be in your home directory. To change to the destination directory where you want to place your files, use the cd (change directory) command. For example, to put the files into your public_html directory, you would type
ftp> cd public_html
You also should change to the directory on your home computer where
the file is located. Do this with the lcd (local change
directory) command. For example, if the file is in directory
c:\javascript, you would type
ftp> lcd c:\javascript
Now, if the file to be transferred is binary (for instance an image file), you need to select binary mode for transfer. Do this with the command
ftp> binary
If the file is plain text, select ascii mode. (This is the default mode when ftp is started, but you might need to select it if you previously selected binary mode.) The command is
ftp> ascii
Now you can transfer the file. Use the put command to upload files from your home computer to the remote host. For example, if the file you want to upload is named project.html, you would type
ftp> put project.html
This transfers the file from the selected directory on the local host to the selected directory on the remote host.
To download a file, use the get command.
A GUI ftp client typically pops up a dialog box with your computer (the local host) in one window and the destination computer (the remote host) in the other. Specify connection to the remote host as storm.cis.fordham.edu and connect using your storm username and password. On the local host side of the dialog box, select the file you want to upload. On the remote host side, select the directory where you want to put the file. (Typically this is public_html.) Click on Upload to transfer the file to its destination directory.
Unfortunately, CIMS sometimes blocks ftp access at the firewall between Fordham and the Internet. If this is happening, ftp will time out after a long wait to connect. You will then need to use an alternative method.