Allow remote access to files on my computer... FTP?

There are Free FTP servers available. I have used CuteFTP and Serv-U.

You run the server, choose a starting folder for the downloads, set up a user or two, give them passwords and they can use ftp with no additional software, just windows FTP commands to login and transfer files. In some versions of windows, you can log in to the FTP server from the browser and right click and transfer the files from there. If the browser doesn't work, though it is a lot like command line DOS to get files downloaded.

If you have heavy duty security like a firewall running, you will have to adjust settings to open up the FTP ports.

A strategy you can use is to open the ports or stop the firewall and run the server only during a window of time so your family/friends can get the files and then close it all up when you're done. Maybe you want them to run the server and you push the files to their computer instead of them pulling them from you?

If the files are not too big and you don't transfer very often, you can just attach them to e-mails.

Another way is to use space that you get from your ISP. Included in the price of many Internet services is some space for a personal webpage. That space can be used as a file dump where you can deposit your files and they can log in and withdraw them. Go to you ISP's website and look for website or personal website. You just have to share passwords to uploadn and download with your family. Check their provider as well, they may have more space available or you can use both provider accounts space to increase the space available to everyone.

There are some websites that give you a little space for free or for a limited time and then sell you bigger space and/or more time, but you would have to decide if it is worth it, or if the free stuff they provide is enough for your purposes.

FTP is certainly the simplest way to do this. There is one important prerequisite though. Your computer must have a static and public IP address i.e your ISP must have assigned an IP address to your computer eg.211.90.8.9 which is visible to everyone else on the internet. (Probably you would want to talk to your ISP about this to get more info).

If the above is in place , then you can download any of the free FTP servers available on the net (I prefer FileZilla from filezilla.com). Installing an ftp server is pretty easy. Basically you designate a folder on your drive as the ftp folder which people can access. Also you can set usernames and pwds for people who can access the FTP site. You may set read/write permissions for each user etc. Thats it.

Its a very bad idea to open up your computer to the Internet for the sharing of files. There's lots of ways you CAN do this but I'm very surprised to be the first here to mention that its really not a very good idea to do so. Especially with Microsoft Software out of the box. Good chance your computer will be owned by someone else within 20 minutes of putting it on the Internet. And that's not my statistic.... Yes there are secure ways to do this, unless you have an IT person available who's real good at security I really wouldn't recommend any of them.

Find a outside service, through yahoo for instance, where you can setup a site, control access and control what gets put up there. You share what you want to share and your computer stays comfortably behind a firewall or two...

My two cents...

XP Pro has FTP you can load from Add/Remove Windows Components in the Control Panel, in the Web Publishing section. Use www.ipchicken.com to find you IP address. This would be one way to do it on the cheap. There is a little more to it, but this would get you started.

This is what i do and its bloody easy.

go to www.hamachi.cc

download the client

Create your own online server using hamchi.

Dont check the box "disable windows vulnerabilities"

Basically hamchi sets up a lan connection over the internet. One user creates a server that is password protected and VERY secure, other users connect to this server and you can use this for many things. I know of people who have set it up so that they can access their home printer from their laptop with wirless internet even. If you dont check the box that i told you not too it allows you to share files over hamchi in the usual way you do over a lan. EASY!

Yes FTP is a good way to do this...

1. Find out your IP (http://www.whatismyip.com)/

2. Install "Internet Information Services" (IIS) on your computer.

http://www.webwizguide.com/asp/tutorials/installin...

3. This is free, and add a new FTP service.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/Windo...

All free and easy steps to follow.

Remember that your ip may change everytime you connect/disconnect and you'll need to tell your family the changed IP...

a) turn your PC into a webserver (risky, you have to run some sort of IIS client, have some sort of firewall to plug all security holes, keep up to date with MS patches, etc)

b) get a website and upload the files there for members to download

c) get remote control software, like "real vnc" (vnc = virtual network computing). i use VNC and love it. and it's free! you connect via IP address and it can be (and should be) password-protected.

d) run WINMX or some other sort of peer-to-peer file-sharing software. i'm not real familiar with it, but you may be able to share out one directory and password-protect it.

probably the easiest way is to make a little website only you and your family are ever likely to visit (unless you make it happening of course), and have them bookmark it, you can then provide links to the files you upload to your ISP server