FTP is one of the most used utility by bloggers, webmasters and by people who used to upload and download large files from the Internet. More often they use third party FTP software like Smart FTP, Cute FTP etc. But with Vista, you can set up FTP using Network Location feature and so there is no need of installing a third party FTP program.
By setting up the default FTP feature of Vista, you will be able to browse, edit or manage files in the same way you do it in Windows Explorer Interface. You may not be able to change advanced features like changing CHMOD of a file etc.
How to Set Up FTP in Vista?
Follow these simple steps to set up FTP in Vista using the default Network Location Feature.
1) Open My Computer and Right Click on an empty space.
2) Click Add a Network Location
3) You will get a new wizard to add a network location which allows you to create a shortcut to a website, an FTP site, or other network location.
4) Click Next and Click Choose a custom network location.
5) You will be asked to enter the location of the website. Note: when you give the location address for FTP use the following syntax, (FTP://ftp.yoursitename.com)
6) In the next step specify the User Name if you have any otherwise it will log on anonymously.
7) Give a name for this location by which you would like to refer later.
You will receive the message that you have successfully created this network location and click Finish.Now you will have a link for this FTP location in My Computer under Network Location.
Double Click this link and you will be promted for password before log on. The rest is silence as its just like the normal browsing in windows.
Note and Debug:
This feature will work only if FTP Folder View outside of Internet Explorer is enabled.
How to enable FTP Folder View outside of Internet Explorer?
Open Internet Explorer -> Tools -> Internet options -> Advanced
Under the section Browsing, make sure Enable FTP folder View (Outside of Internet Explorer) is checked and Click Ok.
gud tip buddy…
How do you update files in Vista once you do this?
@ourtnfamilytree, Once you have done this, it acts more like windows explorer..You can copy, paste or edit in the usual way that you do in Windows…
Goodbye ftpNow…
Hello,
This is not working for me. I cannot copy, paste, or move folders. Could this have anything to do with my security software? Appreciate any help on this.
Thanks.
M
@ Melissa, Check if you are logging in with enough rights as admin. If you want access, you can change the CHMOD values of these files to give access to you. But you cannot change the CHMOD values through this method and you can use regular stand alone FTP to do that.
Followed procedure above. No able to connect. Are any firewall settings that need to be changed?
Slick-est!
Thank you
Hey, This is the best and cool technique. No more headache of FTP programs…..
hi
tanx for advice but one problem with mine,
i have set it up and all but it keeps saying that
“windows cannot access this folder. make sure you have typed the file name correctly and that you have permission to access the folder.
details:
the server name or address could not be resolved.
i would greatly appreciate some help from anyone, tanx
xx
this is excelent. thanks this really helped me a lot
How to undo please?
I have set a user name and completed the whole installation processing. The ftp has been successfully created on the “My computer”. When I link the ftp, there is no dialogue box ask the password, but shown that Windows cannot link up the ftp folder, which said that the name and the location of the ftp folder are unknown, and I have no permission to access the folder.
I am sure the info is correct as I have set up several time on WinXP. In addition, the wrong ftp setting are still on the computer and cannt be deleted.
Please help me!
Many times ftp username has to be full address.
i.e. username=abc, domain=xyz.com
So username should be abc@xyz.com
Try it….
as if the ftp setting is successfully installed, which will show as “abc@xyz.com”. However, the ftp function on my Vista seems block to connect the ftp server.
@onon, Did you enable FTP Folder View outside of Internet Explorer? See the Note section at the end of article for more on how to do it.
I have followed the above setting, but the ftp is still cannot connected. I have istalled “Norton Internet Security”, is it block some network setting? How can I check this?
Hey, followed procedure and all went well first time. Everything is working great. Thanks for the article.
you are the best. thanks a lot
onon,
Have you tried going to Control Panel -> Programs -> Turn Windows features on or off -> Internet Information Services -> FTP Publishing Services… and turning them on?
Hi,
Thank for this tip… I just want to know i had created a small site for our church and im using http://www.dot.tk how can i upload my microsoft frontpage site that i made…
Hope to hear from your soon.
Thanks
Melvvin
@Melvin, You have to upload all the contents to public_html but I would suggest you getting help from the web host to guide you.
I am going to migrate all outlook express messages to window mail. But I found two problems.
1. the outlook express folder with its subfolders cannot free from “read only”. Such folder is always as “read only” no matter any setting.
2. I want to setup the window mail at D drive. But an error is always occured while the “window mail” is migrated from “C” drive to “D” drive. I have closed all application while coping or reloading.
Thanks a lot for any comment.
Worked great first time. Able to cut and paste just fine. Thanks.
DM
Worked 2 time. Able to cut and paste just fine.
Thx
I have tried all of the above and still i cannot even connect to my FTP site???
Any ideas guys?
Error Code: 502 Proxy Error. The password was not allowed. The password might have been changed or typed incorrectly. Try typing the password again. If the problem continues, contact the administrator for the remote server and report the problem.
Error above
@Kevin, there are many reasons why some may get this error message. Can you confirm, if you are able to access the ftp site through some third party applications like smartftp?
Also just to confirm, did you give the site name as ftp://ftp.sitename.com and not as http://sitename.com as 502 is more likely to come when the extensions are wrong (In technical terms when the protocol varies between the one you had mentioned and the actual one).
Nice tip
All is working but when i try to delete a file it keeps there. any clues why?