# How Do I Link my Domain to my FTP



## teamhex

I have the Domain "www.teamhexonline.com". Its not currently being hosted so I figured I could use it in some other way. Is it possible to use it to link people to my FTP server? That way you type in the address and it will take them to my home FTP server?


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## Homenet

Yes, you need to add an A record for the domain to point to the ip address that your FTP site is hosted on.


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## teamhex

Homenet said:


> Yes, you need to add an A record for the domain to point to the ip address that your FTP site is hosted on.



Whats an A record and how do I accomplish through GoDaddy.com?


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## ROFLcopter

What an A record is.
Are you hosting your site through Go-Daddy?


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## teamhex

ROFLcopter said:


> What an A record is.
> Are you hosting your site through Go-Daddy?



Its not being hosted I just own the domain. I don't want to host it, I just want to be able to link people to my FTP, lol. I don't know if its possible. I should know more about this stuff, but I haven't really got into servers or anything yet. I could always just write my IP down and give it to my friends, but it will change after a month or so and its just much easier. From what I think I know I need something DNS related to do this? and by that I guess I would need hosting?


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## ROFLcopter

So what does go daddy have to do with anything? Is the computer you're going to be used as a file server? If you're just going to use it as a file server, all you need to do is share the files.


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## teamhex

ROFLcopter said:


> So what does go daddy have to do with anything? Is the computer you're going to be used as a file server? If you're just going to use it as a file server, all you need to do is share the files.



Its running Filezilla ftp right now. I want to type in teamhexonline.com instead of my ftp://IP address when I access it from work. They block everything at work, and sometimes Id like to listen to music at work, maybe download a movie off my PC at home to play. Pictures, ect ect. Godaddy comes into play because I bought it through them, have a big set of options on there site, and I also had a month of hosting with them.


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## ROFLcopter

So basically when a friend types "www.teamhexonline.com" you want them to see your files. In order to use the "www.teamhexonline.com" method you need to host your own site. Other than that you would need to use your ftp client to get the files. 

I don't know if you have to register it but you can just download Apache and just host the files from there.


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## teamhex

ROFLcopter said:


> So basically when a friend types "www.teamhexonline.com" you want them to see your files. In order to use the "www.teamhexonline.com" method you need to host your own site. Other than that you would need to use your ftp client to get the files.
> 
> I don't know if you have to register it but you can just download Apache and just host the files from there.


Basically yes, but there would be accounts and passwords. 
So basically I can host my domain with apache? Seems like the smart thing to do. So I can run the FTP and the Web hosting on one box? Its just going to be a dinky little media center computer setup. It would be nice to be able to shut it off when I want too. Paying for hosting just seems like a waste to me.
Also am I going to have to install Windows Server? Or can I just use XP Pro?


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## ROFLcopter

Xp pro will work. I was able to install Apache on an old laptop running xp pro. I don't how you would be able to put a user name and password on it tho. 

Just download the newest version of Apache. Once you have it installed and you get the service running you're going to have to do some configuration. 

You may have to do some research tho as I can only tell you basic setup.


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## ROFLcopter

http://www.connectedhomemag.com/HomeOffice/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=24756
Hope this helps.


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## teamhex

Well the users and pass' should be on my FTP server right? So when I host can I make my page have like a link to the FTP? Maybe it could pop open an explorer window and prompt for a password? That would work great for me, that way when the HTTP is up the FTP is up, kinda hand in hand.


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## ROFLcopter

Is "www.teamhexonline.com" hosted on go-daddy's server or is it on yours.


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## teamhex

ROFLcopter said:


> Is "www.teamhexonline.com" hosted on go-daddy's server or is it on yours.



Its godaddys servers when I hosted, im not paying for it. So im assuming they have some BS advertising on it right?


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## tlarkin

You have to set up DNS for this to work.  Also, don't use FTP as it is not secure, use SFTP instead.


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## teamhex

tlarkin said:


> You have to set up DNS for this to work.  Also, don't use FTP as it is not secure, use SFTP instead.



I doubt anyone's going to hack it, theres nothing on that pc anyways.
Whats different about it then regular FTP?


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## tlarkin

teamhex said:


> I doubt anyone's going to hack it, theres nothing on that pc anyways.
> Whats different about it then regular FTP?



Sends passwords encrypted instead of in clear text.


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## teamhex

tlarkin said:


> Sends passwords encrypted instead of in clear text.



Lol, I see, well that sounds secure.


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