To use FTP, you first need to set the proper settings to allow Windows Explorer to connect to the FTP server. We'll walk you through the steps below.
FTP through Windows Explorer is only recommended for small file transfers. This is because Windows Explorer has a static buffer size of 4096 bytes that can't be changed, compared to FileZilla's buffer size of 256 KB -- 64X better than that of Windows Explorer. For larger data transfers, we recommend using an FTP client (e.g., FileZilla, WinSCP). If you have more than 50GB data total to transfer, consider using Egnyte's Migration App or some other third-party tool designed to handle larger data migrations.
Windows 10
- Open Control Panel via your start menu and double click on Internet Options.
- Select the Advanced tab at the top and scroll down to Enable FTP folder view (outside of Internet Explorer) and make sure it is checked.
- Scroll down to Use Passive FTP (for Firewall and DSL modem compatibility) and make sure it is checked. Click OK to save these settings.
- Open the File Explorer on Windows.
- Click on This PC from the left navigation panel in Windows Explorer, then click on Computer from the top, after that you will open the ribbon menu, choose Add a network location.
You can also right-click on This PC, then choose Add a network location from the jump-down context menu.
- The Add Network Location Wizard will open; click Next.
- Select the Choose another network location option and click Next.
- Enter the FTP address for your domain, e.g., ftp://ftp-acme.egnyte.com (replace acme with your Egnyte domain name).
- Click Next.
- Make sure Log on anonymously is NOT checked.
- Enter your username (Example: jsmith$acme). The format to enter username and password is egnyteusername$egnytedomainname.
- Click Next.
- Enter a name to call this connection, (Example: Acme FTP). Click Next.
- Make sure Open this network place when I click Finish is checked, and click Finish.
- Enter your password for the Egnyte username you specified in step 10 earlier and check the box to Save password if you're on a trusted computer.
- Click Log On.
You have completed the setup of FTP via Windows Explorer.
In the future, all you will need to do is go to My Network Places, and you will see the FTP connection that you named in step 12.
When you first connect to the FTP site, you’ll be prompted for a password. Select the Save password checkbox if you want Windows to remember that password and connect you directly to the site in the future.