> No, it definately exists. Under Windows you can use a program called
> "Flash FXP" to transfer directly between 2 FTP-accounts without having
> to pump all the data through your own machine.
You got me thinking, and I figured it out!!!
(I'm excited 'cause I didn't believe it was possible.)
It relies on these facts:
- Data is sent on a different connection than commands.
- A different data connection is made for each transfer.
- PORT not only specifies a port number, but an IP address.
- Data connections can be created by the server (use PORT)
or by the client (use PASV).
As you can tell, FTP is quite unique. However, it's those unique
features that gives it the necessary functionality to achieve
server to server transfers.
Explanation by Example
======================
Let:
Machine 'A' = 131.202.3.6 Machine 'A' is the Sender.
Machine 'B' = 131.202.3.8 Machine 'B' is the Receiver.
Machine 'C' = 24.114.125.24 Machine 'C' is the Client.
A sample session goes like:
- Connect & login to machine 'A' from 'C'.
- Connect & login to machine 'B' from 'C'.
- Change directory and whatever on machine 'A'.
- Change directory and whatever on machine 'B'.
- Setup the server end of the data connection:
- C>A: PASV
- C<A: 227 Entering Passive Mode (131,202,3,6,255,147)
- Establish the data connection:
- C>B: PORT 131,202,3,6,255,147
- C<B: 200 PORT command successful.
- Initiate the transfer:
- C>B: RETR source_filename
- C>A: STOR dest_filename
- C<A: 226 Binary Transfer complete.
- C<B: 226 Binary Transfer complete.
- Do other stuff.
- C>A: QUIT
- C>B: QUIT
- Close connection to machine 'A'.
- Close connection to machine 'B'.
A transfer in the other direction is done by switching to which machine
'RETR' and 'STOR' is sent.
One could even do this with two telnet windows! wow!
ELB
--
Eric L. Brine | Chicken: The egg's way of making more eggs.
[EMAIL PROTECTED] | Do you always hit the nail on the thumb?
ICQ# 4629314 | An optimist thinks thorn bushes have roses.
