Connecting to FTP or SFTP Servers with WinSCP

Introduction

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) are standard network protocols used for transferring files between a client and a server. WinSCP is a free, open-source SFTP and FTP client for Windows. In this lesson, we will guide you through the process of using WinSCP to connect to an FTP or SFTP server.

Requirements

• A computer running Windows
• Network connectivity between your computer and the server
• The server’s IP address or hostname
• Server login credentials (username and password) or a private key file for SSH-based connections (SFTP)
• WinSCP installed on your computer

Step 1: Download and Install WinSCP

1. Navigate to the WinSCP download page at https://winscp.net/eng/download.php.
2. Click on the “Download WinSCP” button.
3. Choose the installation package suitable for your Windows version and download it.
4. Run the downloaded installer and follow the on-screen prompts to install WinSCP on your system.

Step 2: Open WinSCP

1. Once installed, open WinSCP, and the ‘Login’ window should appear automatically.
2. If it doesn’t, you can find WinSCP in your ‘Start’ menu or on your desktop.

Step 3: Session Configuration

1. In the ‘Login’ window, you’ll see ‘Session’ pane on the left side.
2. For ‘File protocol’, select ‘FTP’ or ‘SFTP’ based on the server you are connecting to.
3. Enter the server’s hostname or IP address in the ‘Host name’ field.
4. Input the port number (default is 21 for FTP and 22 for SFTP).
5. Provide the ‘User name’ and, if applicable, the ‘Password’. For SFTP, if you’re using a private key, leave the password field empty for now.

Step 4: Advanced Settings for SFTP

1. If you are using SFTP with a private key, click on ‘Advanced…’.
2. Go to ‘SSH > Authentication’.
3. Under ‘Private key file’, click on the ‘…’ button to browse and select your private key file (with a .ppk extension).
4. If your key file is not in .ppk format, use PuTTYgen to convert it to the required format before this step.

Step 5: Save the Session (Optional)

1. Back in the ‘Login’ window, you can save this session for future use.
2. Enter a name for the session in the ‘Saved Sessions’ field.
3. Click ‘Save’.

Step 6: Connect to the Server

1. Click on ‘Login’ to connect to the server.
2. If using a password, you’ll be prompted to enter it now if you haven’t already.
3. For SFTP connections with a key file, you’ll be asked for the key passphrase if one was set.

Step 7: Accepting the Host Key (First-time Connection)

1. The first time you connect to an SFTP server, WinSCP will ask you to accept the server’s host key.
2. Verify the key’s fingerprint with your server administrator.
3. Click ‘Yes’ to add the key to the cache and continue with the connection.

Step 8: Transferring Files

1. Once connected, the WinSCP interface will show two main panels: the left panel displays your local files, and the right panel displays files on the server.
2. To transfer files, simply drag and drop them between the panels or use the ‘F5’ key to copy from the local panel to the server or ‘F5’ key to receive files from the server.

Conclusion

You should now be connected to your FTP or SFTP server and be able to transfer files back and forth using WinSCP. This tool is not only robust but also ensures secure file transfers, especially when using SFTP with SSH keys.

Best Practices

• Always verify the host key on your first connection to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks.
• Use key-based authentication for SFTP when possible, as it is more secure than password authentication.
• Regularly update WinSCP to the latest version for new features and security patches.

By following these steps, you can easily and securely manage files on your FTP or SFTP servers using WinSCP.