It was inevitable that our work files would mushroom to sizes far beyond restrictions imposed by most email services. The reason can be summarized in one word: graphics.

Whether you want to send photos, CADD (computer aided drafting & design) files or encyclopedic volumes of scanned documents, you will hit roadblocks when you try to send these as email attachments.

Most email systems reliably allow file attachments of 1-3 megabyte or less. Above that level, service becomes unreliable, or at worst, nonexistent.

Many have been chagrined to find that their large file attachment never arrived at its destination. No error message may have been received other than a very upset human one from the awaiting party.

Companies such as architectural and graphics design firms who routinely send large files have discovered a solution: FTP.

FTP: Solution For Sending Large Files

FTP (File Transmission Protocol) is the method by which large files are sent across the Internet. For example, after I write this article on my local computer, I then upload it to my remote web server using FTP.

Often, when you upload to or download files from a website, you are using FTP. It is a more direct connection between you and the server because it is not routed through email systems at all. You only need email to inform your recipient that your file has been posted and is waiting her to download the file.

You might assume that unless you have an always-on computer with a URL (web address) and web-hosting software, FTP might not be in your future. Wrong-o. There are companies out there including Poingo Personal FTP Webspace who will rent you space on their remote server for a very nominal monthly charge.

How to Use FTP

You can actually transmit files to a remote server using Windows Explorer(tm), however there are more robust applications available. We use Wise-FTP (www.wise-ftp.com), but we have heard that CuteFTP (www.cuteftp.com) is also good.

These dedicated FTP apps will allow you to set up URL, username and password on a one-time basis so that your FTP webspace can be accessed later with one click. Use FTP software to upload your large file to your remote webspace. It it very similar to moving files in Windows Explorer.

You then need to teach your recipient to access the site and download the files.

There are a few ways to do this. For the tech-savvy and trustworthy recipient, teach her what you learned about FTP software and get her up to speed. After you upload a file, send her an email which says, "Go to the site and grab this file:___". You will need to give her the URL, username and password to your webspace, which involves a leap of faith.

Drawback: Anyone with this information can access all of the files you have posted there, and can also inadvertently delete files.

Download Links allow access to authorized files only, not the entire FTP site

Now comes the cool part. Have you ever clicked on a download link? Did you notice that you did not have to supply a username or password in order to download?

Download links are a function of http (hypertext transfer protocol-the way websites communicate with web visitors). The idea is that you gain download-only rights to a file if you know its exact URL, path and filename. No username or password required.

Poingo has developed an application called Personal FTP which puts the power of download links in your hands. It is so easy that you will wonder why you never knew about it before.

You will need a remote webspace and knowledge of the path your webspace provider uses to specifically access your webspace, not to mention the system rights. Or use Poingo FTP Service for a more integrated experience.

Using Poingo Personal-FTP software, you see a "browse" screen which allows you to select files within your local computer or network. When they are selected, click "Upload All" and watch the file transfer progress.

When the upload is complete, Personal-FTP automatically creates a new email and places download links to your files in the new email.

Your recipient either clicks on the link or pastes it into her browser to get a fast, clean download without access to your other posted files.

This is the type of straightforward, elegant solution poingologists love.

Poingo Email Printer and Personal FTP are bundled together. You get both for one bargain-basement price. Learn about all the tricks Poingo Email Printer with Personal FTP can do for you!