The ftp manual.

The ftp service is the interface to the file transfer protocol. This service provides a connection service to a remote computer along with file manipulation functions including sending and receiving files. It also provides user authentication, unlike rcp. It supports different file types.

To connect with a remote host, you can simply type ftp hostname. The hostname can either be a hostname or an Internet address. If you do not specify a remote host on the command line, you enter ftp command mode. Then you can use the open command to initiate a connection.

By default, when a connection is initiated via ftp, the remote ftp server starts up the login process. You must enter a valid user name and password in order to access the remote system. Once you have been authenticated, you are connected to the remote ftp server and it awaits your commands.

The next table presents any common ftp service commands:

open	Open a connection to specified host.
close	Close current open connection.
quit	Close current open connection and exit ftp.
binary	Change the file representation type to binary.
ascii	Change the file representation type to ascii.
put	Transfer a single file from the local to the remote host.
mput	Transfer multiple files from the local to the remote host.
get	Transfer a single file from the remote to the local host.
mget	Transfer multiple files from the remote to the local host.
cd	Change remote's current working directory (UNIX cd).
lcd	Change the local's current working directory (UNIX cd).
dir	List the remote's current working directory (UNIX ls).
pwd	Print the remote's current working directory (UNIX pwd).
mkdir	Make a new directory on the remote (UNIX mkdir).
rmdir	Delete a directory on the remote (UNIX rmdir).
rename	Change the name of a remote file or directory (UNIX mv).
delete	Delete a remote file (UNIX rm, with one file specified).
mdelete	Delete multiple remote files (UNIX rm, with multiple files).
?	Obtain help about ftp.

Comments: Transferring ASCII text files between UNIX machines is slightly faster with binary type, but using binary type to transfer an ASCII text file between a UNIX and a non-UNIX machine may corrupt the file.