FTP Explorer is a file transfer protocol client program that can be downloaded for free and installed on your home computer. Once installed, it provides an interface for moving files back and forth between your home computer and your Oakton servercc folder (your "H: drive"). The interface looks and performs very similarly to Windows Explorer, the Windows' file management program. In fact, these two Explorers (and Window MyComputer) can easily work in conjunction with one another.

While using a web browser for file transfer can be handy, that method may not allow you transfer files from outside the Oakton firewall and it can be difficult, if not impossible to get to other directories. FTP Explorer, once installed and configured, will get around such restrictions.
 

Downloading the program:
1. Use your web browser to go to www.FTPX.com 2.Fill out the free educator license key (link at bottom of page) 3. Click on the Download link.
4. On the Unknown File type dialog box, click on the  Save File... button. The Save As dialog window will open.   This is a zip file that you'll need to expand once it's downloaded. If you like a nice, neat hard drive, you may want to create a special directory to put the file in.  5. Make note of the file name (likely either ftpx.zip or ftpx1010.zip), select a directory to save it in, and click OK.
6. Start Windows Explorer.
7. Go to the directory you selected to save to and find the file you just downloaded.  The file size should be a little over 650K. If it's much less than that, refresh your window. If it's still less than that, you may wish to re-download.  8. Double click on the file name.   The FTPX file is not self-extracting. If you do not have Winzip installed on your computer, you may not be able to "unzip" the file.   Instructions for Downloading and installing WinZip are available here.
If you do have winZip installed, Winzip should launch and automatically list the contents of the FTPX file. 9. With WinZip running, click on Winzip's Extract button (extract1.gif)
10. The Extract dialogue window will appear. Here you can accept the suggested folder to place the FTPX files or name another by clicking on the New Folder button. The default folder will be whatever you downloaded the zip file to.    Remember: you're still just "unzipping" the files-- not installing-- so the folder choice isn't that critical. Just make a note of where you put them so you can find them later.  11. When satisfied with a folder choice, click the Extract button.
To Install FTPX:
1. Exit all programs except Windows Explorer and log off the Internet
2. Go to Windows Explorer and find the folder to which you extracted the FTPX files. 3. Double click on the file "Setup.exe"
4. The setup process will begin and the initial setup screen will appear Click on the Next button (setup1.gif)
5. The Destination Directory dialog window will appear. It will suggest installing the program to a folder it may create under your Program Files folder. This is the best place but you may choose another if you have a good reason.  After deciding on a destination directory, click the Next button
6. If you don't already have a folder named like the installation program's suggestion, it will ask you to OK creating it. Click Yes.
7. The final setup screen should appear. You may select whether you wish icons on the desktop/menu and whether you wish FTPX to launch automatically when you use an FTP link on a web page (probably a good idea).  After you make your selections, click the Finish button.
8. You will be asked to restart your computer. Click Yes.
Setting up an FTP connection Before you can use FTPX to transfer files, you must set up the connection information.
1. Log in to your ISP 2. Launch FTPX
3. The Connection Dialog window may come up on its own-- if not, click on FTPX's Tools menu and select Connect.
4. To FTP to your Oakton home directory, fill in the information (you may have to type over information already there) as shown in the illustration at right. The illustration shows information for any registered Oakton user (students and employees) who needs to get to their home directory (what would be H: on campus). 5. Replace <your login name>  with your own login ID; use your Oakton password in the password field.   Depending on where you are FTP'ing from, you may need to input additional information. See the help files within the FTPX program for details. 6. After you fill in the fields, click the Add button and this profile will remain on the list.
7. To FTP to the Oakton Samples directory, fill in the information (you may have to type over information already there) as shown in the illustration at right. The illustration shows information for any registered Oakton user (students and employees) who needs to get to Samples (what would be F: on campus). 8. Replace <your login name>  with your own login ID; use your Oakton password in the password field.   Depending on where you are FTP'ing from, you may need to input additional information. See the help files within the FTPX program for details. 9. After you fill in the fields, click the Add button and this profile will remain on the list.
To establish an FTP connection from now on, you simply need to click on Tools menu then select Connect, pick the from the list and click on the Connect button (upper right of the window).

 
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