How do I use FTP from a command line?

This page contains all information about how to connect to and utilize FTP from a command-line interface, such as the Linux shell or MS-DOS.

Note: FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is not secure transmission, which means that anyone intercepting your connection could access any data passed over it, including your account and password. We highly recommend using SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) for more secure communication.

Connect using FTP

With the help of using FTP, to connect to another computer, you need to type FTP and hit Enter at the Linux shell, MS-DOS prompt or command line. You can use the open command in order to connect to the FTP server after you are in FTP, as demonstrated in the example below.

You would replace example.com with the domain name or IP address of the location where you are connecting in the example above. An instance would be open 192.168.1.12

Note: The open command connects to the FTP server with the help of using TCP port 21 by default. If you need to connect to a different TCP port, insert the port number after the domain name or IP address in the open command.

You will see a username and password prompt on the screen once you have connected. Then, on the basis of your rights, the server makes it capable of browsing, transmitting, or receiving files once these credentials are entered. Additionally, some servers may allow anonymous logins via a guest account or an e-mail address.

Send and receive a file in FTP

Use the get command to download files from the server to your machine, as illustrated in the instance below. You would obtain the file myfile.htm in this case.

Tip

You can use mget and wildcards if you wish to get numerous files. For instance, you can type mget *.htm in order to get all files with the extension.htm. At the end, you can disable prompt with the help of typing prompt if you don-t want to be prompted each time a file is transmitted.

In order to transmit a file to another connected computer, you need to use the send command, as demonstrated in the example below. We are delivering myfile.htm to the current directory in this example.

It's critical to keep in mind that the files you transfer must be in your local working directory. In other words, the file must be saved in the directory where the FTP command was entered. Use the LCD command in order to change to the local directory where your files are kept. To change the local directory to the Windows directory on Windows, type lcd c:windows.

FTP commands

Each of the following commands may or may not work on the basis of your FTP version as well as the operating system. Are the commands available to you can be found by typing -help or a? The following is a list of FTP commands found in the Windows command-line FTP command.