I could FTP to my Directv Tivo using the Windows XP program "FileZilla".
When the N800 is connected to my computer via USB, how can you FTP?

there is no FTP server running on the 770/n800. when connected via usb, open my computer and browse to the device. any card in the nokia should show up in windows. you will not have access to the internal filesystem to make changes that way. you will only be able to access what you have stored on your card.

When the N800 is connected via USB, the internal and external memory cards will appear as Windows mass storage devices, i.e., they'll appear as additional disk drives within Windows File Explorer.

If you still would like to transfer files wirelessly for whatever reason, you can always install dropbear ssh server/client. With it you can then do encrypted copies, if in Windows, with a program such as WinSCP, or command line scp from any other machine that has ssh/scp installed. Make sure you follow the instructions thoroughly while installing dropbear or ssh though. You MUST make sure you've changed root and user passwords.

R.
==

umm not sure about that. I ssh to my N800 all the time (as root) and have not had to change any passwords. In fact, I don't even recall making a password.

You don't have to change the root password, it's merely advised as a precaution since the root password is well known and by adding Dropbear (I prefer Open SSH) you are providing external access to your device at which point a well known root password becomes a very bad thing.

I must admit I haven't bothered changing my root password though - the chance of someone connecting to my device with malicious intent is so extremely remote (but still possible).

I know you don't have to change your root and user passwords, per sé, but you are running the risk of having your N800 exploited, whether you think the possibility is remote or not.

It's as bad as setting your bluetooth passcodes to 0000.

It takes two seconds to change a password. Why not make your tablet as secure as you can?

R.
==

read up on ssh. use key based two-factor authentication for root level work, dont allow root login via ssh when a password is used. see the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file. use ssh2 and dsa encryption

ssh-keygen -t dsa (accept all defaults)

change

PermitRootLogin yes

to

PermitRootLogin without-password

in /etc/ssh/sshd_config.

On my desktop systems i restrict ssh, but on the networks i use this thing on, hacking is simply not something i'm worried about.

a lot of FTP programs let you browse/get/put files by ssh.

gnome (on linux) lets you connect to ssh servers in the 'connect to sever' dialog. then you can just open up the n800 as if it where a local disk