FTP Uploading

FTP: ftp://photoproonline.ipiphotonet.com

Our FTP (File Transfer Protocol) site is ideal for sending large files or large orders to our lab over the web. This feature will be especially helpful to professional photographers, those with high resolution cameras, and those with lots of images to print at once.

We suggest that you use the FTP service rather than the Digital DropBox if your total order will consist of 20MB or more. The Digital DropBox is ideal for smaller orders and smaller file sizes, one time users, and those less experienced with computers. Transferring files via FTP is not a complicated process, but it may be more comfortable for those with some experience with a windows format and the Internet.


Getting Started

Setting up Your Account

We will need to set up an FTP account in your name. This is done at no charge. To set up an account, you will first need to provide us with a user name and password that you'd like to use to access the FTP site. Please email your request to photodropbox@photoproonline.com or call 1-866-395-9121 and ask to speak to a lab manager. We will establish your account and send you an email notification when it is ready to use. This is generally done within 24 hours.

**Please Note: When suggesting your user name and password, keep in mind that they will be case sensitive, have a maximum of 20 characters, and may not use any spaces.

Accessing the Site

Once we have established your account, you can go to ftp://photoproonline.ipiphotonet.com and log in. The site will prompt you for your user name and password.

Your browser may not be set to display FTP sites. To find out, open Internet Explorer, go to Tools, Internet Options. In that box, click on the Advanced Tab. Then scroll down, looking for "Enable folder view for FTP sites." Make sure that box is checked. Once it is checked, click Apply for the changes to take effect before you close the window.


Using the FTP Site

Transferring Files

While it is possible to use a web browser to transfer files to and from an FTP site, it is easier to use a program designed to do so. These programs are called FTP "clients." There are many available on the web. Three that we suggest are Ace FTP, Cute FTP, and FTP Explorer. (See the links below.) All FTP clients are built on the concept of "drag and drop," highlighting the files you want and moving them to another location on the screen. When saving them to the FTP site, you may organize them however you wish in folders. Remember to keep track of your file names so that you can give clear instructions to the lab.

Notifying the Photo Pro Lab

Once you have saved all of your files to the site, send an email to photodropbox@photoproonline.com.

Your email should include your full name, your phone number (important!), and your printing instructions for each file. Be as specific as possible; include size, surface (glossy/matte), and quantity for each file, using the file name. This will help our staff print your order correctly.

If you have questions, feel free to call us at 1-866-395-9121 and ask for the lab.


New to FTP?

  • A good explanation of how FTP works is here.
  • FTPplanet.com has FAQ's, tutorials, and an FTP client called WS_FTP.
  • TheFreeSite.com has several FTP clients for downloading under Free Software.