Command Prompt FTP

WHAT IS IT?

To connect to another computer using FTP at the MS-DOS prompt, command line, or Linux shell type FTP and press Enter.
Once in FTP, use the open command to connect to the FTP server, as shown in the example below.
In the below example, I entered IP address of where you are connecting. An example would be open 192.168.1.124
Once connected, a username and password prompt will appear.
Once these credentials have been entered, the server allows you to browse, send, or receive files, depending on your rights.
Some servers may also allow anonymous logins using guest or an e-mail address.

FTP Commands

Typing -help or a ? will list the commands available to you.
Below is a general description of FTP commands available in the Windows command line FTP command.

Connect using FTP

Step 1

Before connecting to FTP server, we need to configure an FTP server on our local server.
I have already configured an FTP server in IIS (Internet Information Server).
You can find here.
Open Command Prompt.
Type ftp 192.168.0.124
Press Enter.

Type this in command prompt (FTP client)

Step 2

Enter the username and password of FTP server.
Here I configured with an anonymous server.
So enter anonymous in User; and email id or leave it blank in Password > Enter.
You will be logged in to the server.

User: Anonymous

Password: (none)

Step 3

There is another way of connecting to the FTP server.
The anonymous connection allows connecting without username and password.
Type -n before IP to anonymous which does not ask for password and user id.
It has some limitations.

Send and receive a file in FTP:

To get files from the server onto your computer.
Use the get command as shown in the example below.
To send a file, use put command followed by file name.
Eg. put Screenshot_4.jpg > Enter.

get command

put command

To get files from the server onto your computer.
Use the get command as shown in the example below.
To send a file, use put command followed by file name.
Eg. put Screenshot_4.jpg > Enter.

Local Computer

FTP Server

get command

put command

The command for sending or receiving the file over command prompt is case sensitive.
Below images shows that the sending of an image file named "Screenshot_4.jgp".
We tried with the wrong filename and without file extension, it did not work.

"Put" command for transfer fine to FTP server.

Filename is case sensitive and with file extension.

Screenshot_4.jpg (File name)

FTP file lookup in Command prompt and web browser:

Use dir command to see the all the files and folders available in the FTP server.
To change to the directory use cd "Folder name".

The image in left shows the files on FTP server in Command Prompt.
And the image in right shows the same files available in same FTP server but access in a browser.

FTP files in Command Prompt

FTP files in Web Browser

The default current directory is C:\ in FTP client.
To change the local current directory type lcd "Full path".
By doing so we can get and send the file between our local directory to FTP server.

lcd "Local Path" : for changing the current local directory.

Change the transfer mode

In command prompt the default file transfer mode is ASCII.
The files are converted to ascii character and vice versa.
To change the medium type binary in command line > use get or set.
For better transmission we use binary mode.

for changing the transfer medium form ASCII to BINARY

binary :

Closing the connection:

In closing the connection to the FTP server, there are different commands available such as: close/bye/disconnect/exit.

close/bye/dissconnect/exit

To dissconnect FTP server.

We can type ftp > enter > open > ip > user id > password to connect FTP server.

FTP is not an encrypted transmission, which means any data sent over it, including your username and password, could be read by anyone who may intercept your transmission.
If you're wanting a more secure transmission, we suggest using SFTP.

Command Prompt FTP

WHAT IS IT?

To connect to another computer using FTP at the MS-DOS prompt, command line, or Linux shell type FTP and press Enter.

Once in FTP, use the open command to connect to the FTP server, as shown in the example below.

In the below example, I entered IP address of where you are connecting. An example would be open 192.168.1.124

Once connected, a username and password prompt will appear.

Once these credentials have been entered, the server allows you to browse, send, or receive files, depending on your rights.

Some servers may also allow anonymous logins using guest or an e-mail address.

FTP Commands

Typing -help or a ? will list the commands available to you.

Below is a general description of FTP commands available in the Windows command line FTP command.

Connect using FTP

Step 1

Before connecting to FTP server, we need to configure an FTP server on our local server.

I have already configured an FTP server in IIS (Internet Information Server).

You can find here.

Open Command Prompt.

Type ftp 192.168.0.124

Press Enter.

Type this in command prompt (FTP client)

Step 2

Enter the username and password of FTP server.

Here I configured with an anonymous server.

So enter anonymous in User; and email id or leave it blank in Password > Enter.

You will be logged in to the server.

User: Anonymous

Password: (none)

Step 3

There is another way of connecting to the FTP server.

The anonymous connection allows connecting without username and password.

Type -n before IP to anonymous which does not ask for password and user id.

It has some limitations.

Send and receive a file in FTP:

To get files from the server onto your computer.

Use the get command as shown in the example below.

To send a file, use put command followed by file name.

Eg. put Screenshot_4.jpg > Enter.

get command

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put command

To get files from the server onto your computer.

Use the get command as shown in the example below.

To send a file, use put command followed by file name.

Eg. put Screenshot_4.jpg > Enter.

Local Computer

FTP Server

get command

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​

​

​

​

put command

​

​

​

​

​

The command for sending or receiving the file over command prompt is case sensitive.

Below images shows that the sending of an image file named "Screenshot_4.jgp".

We tried with the wrong filename and without file extension, it did not work.

"Put" command for transfer fine to FTP server.

Filename is case sensitive and with file extension.

Screenshot_4.jpg (File name)

FTP file lookup in Command prompt and web browser:

To change to the directory use cd "Folder name".

The image in left shows the files on FTP server in Command Prompt.

And the image in right shows the same files available in same FTP server but access in a browser.

FTP files in Command Prompt

FTP files in Web Browser

The default current directory is C:\ in FTP client.

To change the local current directory type lcd "Full path".

By doing so we can get and send the file between our local directory to FTP server.

lcd "Local Path" : for changing the current local directory.

Change the transfer mode

In command prompt the default file transfer mode is ASCII.