Trying to ftp between 2 slackware machines both at13.37.
Have rc.rpc as 751 but when run tftp from second maching TO first I get connected but trying to get/put a small 15 line script ends in timeouts. Ping also times out. ndftp which I am unfamiliar with until now does not connect but is refused by proftpd. Is that the proper server for ncftp?
I haven't set up ftp before so are there some steps I should be sure not to leave out? Thanks in advance 4 UR time/interest.

rc.rpc is part of nfs. tftp (trivial file transfer protocol) and ftp use different protocols and are not interchangeable as clients.

ncftp is an alternative to the standard ftp client and is capable of connecting to the proftpd server.

The first step is to determine why you can not ping the PCs. No response could be due to a firewall if running. How are the two computers connected? Via a switch or directly cabled?

Yes on rpc. But thought that perhaps portmap was involved as it was not running and then discovered Slackware starts it with rc.rpc. That confused me (not hard to do).
It is confusing to me too that tftp will connect and try to get/put and timeout but ncftp will not connect. Perhaps that is due to protocols?
The 2 machines are cable connected via nic cards. No firewall running as I have it running only when connected to Internet, no need otherwise. Will drop network connections when on Internet.

Depending on the age of the ethernet adapters they may or may not have the capability to auto detect straight vs crossover connection. Are the link LEDs illuminated? If not then you will need a crossover cable. If the link lights are illuminated that you will need to verify that connection is configured the same i.e. 10/100/1000 and full vs half duplex via the ethtool utility.

You should be able to connect to the ftp server on the same machine to demonstrate it is working correctly.

Both ethernet port lights are ON.
Both cards are capable of both 10 and 100 base T.
I employed ethtool and all returned features were identical except for PHYAD, Speed, Duplex, Current message level, and Link detected.
On machine 2:
PHYAD: 32
Speed: 10 Mb/s
Duplex: Full
Current message level: 0x00000007 (7)
drv probe link
Link detected: yes

On machine 1:
PHYAD: 1
Speed: 10 Mb/s
Duplex: Half
Current message level: 0x00000007 (7)
drv
Link detected: no

What is meaning of PHYAD and why different?
Why drv "blank" for machine 1 and "probe link" on #2?
I presume "Link detected: no" and speed and duplex might just be causing the problem.
I know I can change speed and duplex but not sure about changing Link detected.
tftp-ing to self on both machines produce a tftp prompt but when I attempt to get /etc/hosts they both time out and leave an empty hosts file.
Does this suggest anything further?
POST SCRIPT:
Tried to set speed and duplex with ethtool -s command. They did not change when I redisplayed the list of features. I then examined mii-tool and attempting to repeat changing speed and duplex got: SIOCGMIIPHY on 'eth0' failed: Invalid argument
Since both boards responded yes to advertising auto-negotiate doesn't that mean that they will negotiate speed and duplex and that setting them is superfluous? OR will the speed/duplex change after reboot?

tftp does not work with the proftp server. Use ftp.

Speed and mode must be matched. If both are set to auto negotiate then they should sync in theory however if your adapters do not auto detect crossover then it will fail.

I'll examine the cable.
Looking to find out what PHYAD means and why values of 1 and 32 so dispersed?
Is it to be expected that after using ethtool to set speed and duplex that it won't change those parameters if the card auto negotiates?

Not sure but I do not think the PHYAD matters.

Kind of thought so too so did a search and got:
PHYAD ,as the name implies is PHY ADDRESS.
In reality it displays the port number on the system/switch for the on which ethtool command is used to query the value.
Example: PHYAD of 23 would mean (port number 23) on the system being queried.

Pulled cable and visually verified it as a cross-over cable which I now recall is what it should be. Remembered had built a cable test box so also checked electrically and verified all 3 of my cross-over cables.

Have you tried configuring the adapters for the same speed and duplex?
Are you able to ping them now?

Recall that when I configured the one card before that it did not change apparently since it was auto-config-ing.
Will try pinging them later tonight if all goes well so I have time.