Terminal Newbie Remote Access

[bellis1]

I would like to access files between my ibook 1.2 and imac G5. I have tried it several ways including FTP applications, FTP through Safari, Remote Desktop, and Terminal. I would really like to learn how to use terminal better and feel fairly comfortable with ssh and sftp; however, I can only transfer files and not entire directories. Can you transer entire directories and which should I use, scp or sftp? Is either of them shorter in terms of the amount of syntax I have to type? I mean if I am in the current directory there is less I have to type? Any help would be appreciated especially an example of the correct syntax such as: Joebob_ibook129.81.225.001/~/Music/iTunes/LouisArmstrongAlbum1/ Joeboob_imac@129.81.225.002