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TheFreeSite.com: Free FTP and File Transfer Utilities
Do you download a lot of programs from the Web? Then you should check out our roundup of the Web's best free FTP programs (and other file transfer utilities) below.
"FTP" stands for File Transfer Protocol. Simply put, it is a way to copy files to and from FTP servers elsewhere on a network. And it's the most common method for downloading files onto your computer (and uploading files to Web sites).
Some people do all their downloading through their Web browsers. Indeed, for casual downloaders, your browser may be all the software you need.
But if you download a lot of files, you should check out the FTP and other file transfer programs we list below. They provide a much superior method for downloading software. They provide many handy features that can make your downloading time much more efficient. For example, some of these programs let you "tag" various files that you'd like to download while you're surfing. After you've finished a surfing session, they'll automatically go out and retrieve the files for you and then shut down your connection. Other programs will automatically reconnect and resume a failed download for you. (There are few things more annoying than losing your connection after you've downloaded 19 megabytes of a 20 meg file!)
Please send us E-mail if you're aware of any similar free programs that we haven't listed below, or if you find dead or expired links. All listings on this site copyrighted, 2006 by TheFreeSite.com.
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 FTP Commander
A basic, easy-to-use freeware FTP client. Offers all the functions of the Web's most popular FTP client, WS_FTP, except that this is unconditionally free. You can delete, rename and copy files, as well as create and delete directories on the FTP server. FTP Commander is freeware; unlike the second FTP client listed here, FTP Navigator, (which is shareware).
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RootFTP
Here's a free, speedy FTP client that features a multi-threaded transfer engine and a nice interface. RootFTP offers a highly configurable layout, as well as easy access to advanced FTP tools. (For Windows).
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 Net Vampire
(Note: this program is no longer freeware, but a free 30-day trial is available). If you surf around a lot and spot files here and there that you'd like to download, then you need this useful program. Just drop-and-drop the URLs to Net Vampire and you can do all your downloading in one batch. Net Vampire resumes broken connections and restarts downloads. It's also specially designed to deal successfully with noisy servers and unreliable links. It also offers features such as a built-in search engine, true site testing and support for many proxy types. New version adds more features, including an on-the-fly ZIP viewer and a multi-lingual user interface, which supports 14 languages.
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NetAnts
Fed up with waiting forever to download files? Here's a helpful free download manager that is designed to maximize your throughput by making multiple FTP or HTTP connections, (each of which downloads a separate part of a single big file). NetAnts offers lots of features and is available in many languages. (For Windows).
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BitTorrent
A free, open-source peer-to-peer program, BitTorrent has become a big hit with people looking to rapidly download massive multimedia files (such as movies). What makes BitTorrent unique is that, the more popular a file is, the faster it downloads to your computer (as the program uses every downloader's upstream bandwidth). (For Windows, Mac, and Linux).
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SmartFTP
A solid freeware FTP client, SmartFTP offers loads of handy features, including a Windows Explorer-like interface, drag & drop support and resumption of broken transfers. (For Windows). Free for personal, as well as educational and non-profit usage.
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AceFTP
One of the Web's most popular freeware FTP clients, this easy-to-use program offers advanced features and gives you the ability to open several FTP sites at once and execute multiple file transfers concurrently. AceFTP resumes broken transfers and lets you preview files with its integrated viewer. (For Windows).
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FTP Explorer
(Note: this program is no longer free). Here's a powerful, fully featured FTP client that offers a Windows Explorer-like interface and is easy to use. (For Windows).
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