In this article, we will walk through step-by-step to access FTP server on Windows machine using below two options

1. Accessing FTP server:

• Free open source software called FileZilla
• via Windows command prompt (cmd)

1.1 Installing FileZilla FTP Client and Accessing FTP server

Step 1: Download open source FileZilla software from here

Note: There are two things,

1. one FileZilla server for setting up to host FTP server and
2. another is FileZilla client to access any FTP server from Windows machine

Here, we are downloading the FileZilla client for Windows machine

Step 2: Execute “FileZilla_3.11.0.2_win32-setup.exe” setup file for FileZilla client

That is double-click on “FileZilla_3.11.0.2_win32-setup.exe” setup file from download location

Click “I Agree” in the License Agreement and follow the wizard steps

Step 3: Choose Installation Options

In this demo example, we will choose “Only for me”

Click Next

Step 4: Choose components to be installed along with packages it offers

Click Next

Note: Leave the default values for demo purpose, otherwise we can fine tune for our requirements

Step 5: Browse location to be installed

Click Next

Note: Leave the default values for demo purpose; otherwise we can browse through the location depending on the space availability

Step 6: Finally “Install”

Optionally, you can create shortcuts

Click Install

Step 7: Installation is complete

Click Finish

Now FileZilla FTP client installation or setup is complete. Next step is to access FTP server using user credentials

Let’s do it !!

When we click “Finish” –> then FileZilla client interface opens up showing local directory listing on the Left Hand Side and empty directory listing on the Right Hand Side

Reason for empty directory listing is –> we haven’t connected to any local/remote FTP site. Once we connect to our local FTP server, then we will able to view directory listing of FTP server files under “Remote Site”

Step 8: File Menu –> Site Manager

Enter below credentials in the Site Manager under General tab –> and then click Connect button

Host: 127.0.0.1 or localhost
Port: 21 (optional)
Protocol: FTP
User: SJ
Password: sj@123 (when prompted)

Step 9: Enter password for user SJ i.e.; sj@123 when prompted in the small prompt window

Step 10: Finally FTP server is connected and directories & its files are listed on the “Remote Site” (Right Hand Side)

That’s all; let’s move on to Option B

1.2 via Windows command prompt (cmd)

Step 1: Start windows command prompt in one of the following fashions

• Type cmd in the windows starter –> and then Enter
• Open run window from windows starter –> type cmd –> and then Enter

Using one of the above approaches will bring below screen capture

Step 2: Type below command in the console to connect to local FTP server

ftp localhost

Step 3: Enter user credentials

First, it will prompt for user and then for password in the subsequent step

Enter User & its corresponding Password

User: SJ
Password: sj@123

Finally after entering necessary credentials, ftp server is “Logged on”

Step 3: Directory listing using “ls” command

Let’s try to list files in the FTP server directory using “ls” command

Result:

• FtpPollReadServerLocation
• FtpWriteServerLocation

Step 4: Change directory using “cd” command

Command:
cd FtpPollReadServerLocation
and then listing using “ls” command

That’s all; there are other ways to connect to Local/Remote FTP server to test/verify FTP server connection, apart from the two options we discussed in this article

Related Articles:

• FileZilla Server – Local FTP Server setup on Windows machine
• FileZilla Client – To access FTP Server on Windows machine

References:

• https://filezilla-project.org/download.php?type=client

Happy Coding !!
Happy Learning !!