What's the fastest way to transfer large files between computers

[c627627]

Between say, Home and Office.

I never could figure out how to use FTP.

Any links to how-tos?

Is it secure to transfer files like that?

[mtnbikerjerry]

Between say, Home and Office.

I never could figure out how to use FTP.

Any links to how-tos?

Is it secure to transfer files like that?


Depends on what you are transfering. If you work in the government, you may want to consider Secure FTP or SFTP with SSH v 2.

Open SSH Server for example allows you to use Secure FTP with SSHv2 (SSH is secure socket shell)

To run Open SSH Server (Free SSH because most companies charge an arm and leg for it) you will need to download the free copy of cygwin which allows you to run linux/unix apps inside of Windows. Open SSH is unix/linux based.

Here is a link for cygwin, and tells you what options to install:

http://tech.erdelynet.com/cygwin-sshd.html

Now to connect from home you will need a secure client such as File Zilla or Winscp 3.66.

The links for File Zilla and WinSCP3:

http://filezilla.sourceforge.net/

The bad part about File Zilla, is that you cannot use created SSHv2 PKI keys such as Global Scape Secure FTP 2.0, you would have to use the program called Paegant which is on the Putty download website. Allows you to keep active keys in background. File Zilla does not point to a directory as WinSCP does.

http://winscp.sourceforge.net/eng/ Good program, but has virtual directory issues in VMWare Workstation if you choose to run OpenSSH SFTP server. Hard directories are listed. If you do not use VmWare and run a regular non VmWare SFTP server, you will be fine.


If you want to run remote desktop management (such as tight VNC and tight VNC server) under an encrypted session, you will need to have a terminal program to establish this connection, which is called PUTTY that connects to the OPEN SSH server.

Putty and Paegant Links:

http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/download.html

Tight VNC link:
http://www.tightvnc.com/

Guild FTP is a good regular non-secure (clear text password) program. There are howto guides on their website for this.

Basic Setup for Guild FTP

http://www.guildftpd.com/html/frm-basic-setup.htm



I have since avoided non-secure ftp programs (Bullet Proof and Guild FTP) and switched to using SFTP with SSHv2 and compression. Since SSL is a pain to configure with certificates and having to use passv ports. Using SFTP may be a little slower, but my data is secure for that I can use Public Key Infrastructure. (RSA 1024bit encryption private keys to authenicate my connection to my SSH server that is running SFTP) The whole FTP session is encrypted, even my remote desktop connection with only having to open one port on my router, port 22. You can change the SSH port in the sshd_confg file to something else.

Hope this helps.

[c627627]

Thank you very much. I'll save your post, it'll come in handy for secure transfers.

What about personal, unimportant files, I assume regular FTP software is used for such transfers. I'd like to connect a notebook through a telephone modem and use it to test file transfer between it and my cable internet computer.

I've had trouble figuring out FTP programs and some of the instructions that I've read did not help.

I do have Globalscape's CuteFTP.

[jajmon]

I'd like to connect a notebook through a telephone modem and use it to test file transfer between it and my cable internet computer.


Fast transfer via dial-up? - you may be better off burning your 'personal' data or saving to a usb pen drive and transporting it home.

[Como]

ye, phone line tansfers are a waste of time...better off saving to a floppy.

[c627627]

You misunderstood. I was going to test it in my own home by being connected like that in order to figure out how to do it between computers at different locations both using high speed internet.

[mtnbikerjerry]

ye, phone line tansfers are a waste of time...better off saving to a floppy.


No offense to both of you Como and Jajmon, but when you simply test out or (Caps so that you can see the main purpose)

SIMULATE REMOTE CONNECTIONS.... CAN BE DONE WITH A DAIL UP CONNECTION FROM ONE MACHINE AS YOU DISCONNECT IT FROM A ROUTER.

using dail up is a good way to see if you have certain FTP access permissions from remote. Or if you have a highspeed connection at work, then you can try this.

Simulating as a remote user is the best way if you do not feel like driving to your friends house that has a highspeed connection etc. You cannot do this with a LAN ethernet or dail up connection at the same time, as your PC will default locally through the LAN unless you disable it. Sometimes not the case if you have buggy network drivers.



Did anyone not catch this?? DAIL UP TO SIMUATE A REMOTE CONNECTION, not to actually use or transfer.

IF YOU ACTUALLY USED it, you can use it with TIGHT VNC over SSH v2 and using Tight VNC with the highest compression with 8 bit color 800x600. 1.35dev has a file transfer service built in. See the Tight VNC site for more details.

Or did the two of just assume he would only be making dail up transfers??

NEVER ASSUME, and read the post completely.

You all caught dail up, and that is all, not what he is doing with the dail up.

Oh dail up is bad, broadband good. That is all you saw.

Read....

[mtnbikerjerry]

Thank you very much. I'll save your post, it'll come in handy for secure transfers.

What about personal, unimportant files, I assume regular FTP software is used for such transfers. I'd like to connect a notebook through a telephone modem and use it to test file transfer between it and my cable internet computer.

I've had trouble figuring out FTP programs and some of the instructions that I've read did not help.

I do have Globalscape's CuteFTP.


For those that misunderstood you c627627 I apologize.

I use a flash drive to keep my remote sftp client programs (FileZilla, WINSCP3 etc) PKI hash encrypted passphrase keys and PUTTY terminal programs on as well as Tight VNC Viewer.

Then I physically disconnect my other machine at home from my LAN router, and just use a dail up connection to connect out and remotely to my SFTP server. IP Address x.x.x.x port number etc input with WINSCP or FileZilla. Then I plug in my USB Flash Drive with all my "remote utilities"

I did this in all as a testbed as I had problems with certain PKI keys generated from Globalscape FTP Secure server as I had to convert them into recognizable PUTTY keys.


At work what I discovered was a draconian firewall, where I could only connect to certain ports allowed via an IP Access list on the Cisco Router and PIX firewall. I was still able to see what I needed to see and upload and download, but for security reasons I wanted other ports.


Ports 21/22 and 80 I was only allowed to connect to. I have found a way to redirect remotely and still keep different ports for SSH instead of the default port 22. There are instruction guides for both PUTTY, SSH etc on how to enable redirection.

As for CUTE FTP, it is a decent client but does not support secure ftp, you would need the professional version of that. As a basic FTP Server Program, Guild FTP Server is free, and the newly released CUTE FTP Server for home use is not. There are other programs out there. Bullet Proof which is now under new ownership, has a decent FTP Server program. WS_FTP, ServU etc.

If you want a free FTP Server program for your FTP client to connect to, go grab GUILD FTP Server.

BTW c627627 I see you are a member at Winbeta.org = )

J