Using FTP with FileZilla

To connect to another PC using FileZilla, make sure the remote PC is properly configured to accept connections. Here are the necessary preliminary steps:

Install an FTP server on the remote PC:

• If you are connecting to a remote computer, that computer needs to have an FTP, SFTP, or FTPS server installed and configured.

  • On Windows systems, you can use software like FileZilla Server, WinSCP, or IIS (Internet Information Services).

  • On Linux systems, you can use software like vsftpd, ProFTPD, or OpenSSH for SFTP.

Configure the FTP server:

• Create users: Set up user accounts on the FTP server with appropriate permissions to access the necessary folders and files.

• Configure permissions: Ensure that users have the appropriate permissions to read, write, and execute files as needed.

• Configure ports: The standard port for FTP is 21, for SFTP it is 22, and for FTPS it can be 990 or 21 depending on the configuration.

Configure the firewall and router:

• Ensure that the firewall on the remote PC allows connections to the ports configured for the FTP server.

• If the remote PC is behind a router, configure port forwarding on the router to direct requests to the FTP port of the remote PC.

Obtain the IP address of the remote PC:

• You will need the public IP address of the remote PC if you are accessing it from a different network, or the private IP address if you are on the same local network.

  • You can find the public IP address by searching "what is my IP" in a web browser on the remote PC.

  • The private IP address can be found using the ipconfig command on Windows or ifconfig/ip a on Linux in the terminal.

Download and install FileZilla:

• Download: Go to the official FileZilla website and download the version corresponding to your operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux).

• Installation: Follow the instructions to install FileZilla on your computer.

Configure an FTP connection in FileZilla:

Open FileZilla: Start the FileZilla application after installation.

Quick Connect:

• At the top of the FileZilla window, you will see fields to enter your server information:

  • Host: Enter the FTP server address (e.g., ftp.example.com).

  • Username: Enter your FTP username.

  • Password: Enter your FTP password.

  • Port: Typically, this is port 21 unless your service provider has given you another.

• Click Quickconnect to connect to the server.

Using the Site Manager:

• To save the server settings for future connections:

  • Click on File > Site Manager.

  • Click New Site and name your site.

  • Fill in the fields with the server information (host, port, login type, user, password).

  • Click Connect to start the connection.

Navigate and transfer files:

File Browser:

• On the left side of FileZilla, you will see the local files and folders on your computer.

• On the right side, you will see the files and folders on the FTP server.

Transfer Files:

• To upload a file from your computer to the server, select the file on the left side and drag it to the right side.

• To download a file from the server to your computer, select the file on the right side and drag it to the left side.

• You can also right-click on the files and select Upload or Download as needed.

Finish the connection:

• Once you have finished transferring files, it is advisable to disconnect safely.

  • Go to Server > Disconnect or simply close FileZilla.