FTP in Windows Explorer

[kevinsbane]

I am trying to use FTP in Windows Explorer, but whenever I try to type in an ftp address in the address bar, it opens up an IE window and tries to connect that way.

Reasons why I do not wish to use a dedicated FTP browser:
1. Clients that do not have FTP browsers do have Windows Explorer and will be using that when ftp'ing, and I want to be able to troubleshoot if they have any problems.
2. Too troublesome to bother with another program. I like to keep things cleaner. If I need constant access to a particular server, I will set up a local FTP folder for that server.

I have googled around and found a setting in Internet Explorer under the advanced browser options called "Enable FTP folder view outside of internet Explorer", but this doesn't do anything. Still worse, at the moment I cannot access ANY ftp sites, as it will open up internet explorer and then it will display a general "cannot connect to server".

When I tried to bind the FTP protocol in the file types, it would only allow me to choose either internet explorer or firefox. Nothing else. Any ideas how I can force windows explorer to take my ftp addresses? I know it works on my desktop, but my laptop (running windows 7 home premium) just refuses to let me.


EDIT: Additional symptom. I am completely unable to get IE to open ANY ftp site. It just will not connect. Firefox can open the FTP just fine.

EDIT 2: Resolved. I needed to do some registry editing. My HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ftp was missing two registry keys; ShellFolder and Source Filter. I copied them over from another computer that had these keys and it started working.

 

[deustroop]

explorer does not ftp so use IE or FF

 

[bruceb]

Since it can be done on your Desktop, but not your Laptop, you need to consider what is different about them. The Laptop has Win7 Home Premium. What is on your Desktop pc ? ? It may be a limitation of Home Premium, as FTP is not really considered needed for home users. This is one reason I always get the top of line version of an OS for my computers. And on my machine (running XP PRO) I use WS_FTP Pro for ftp sites as I prefer it that way.

 

[kevinsbane]

explorer does not ftp so use IE or FF

Windows Explorer is a functional FTP client. IE and FF suck for FTP, as you cannot upload using IE or FF. The primary reason why I want to make sure of this is because the majority of my clients who end up needing ftp will need to upload something to our site. IE and FF do not work for that.

Since it can be done on your Desktop, but not your Laptop, you need to consider what is different about them. The Laptop has Win7 Home Premium. What is on your Desktop pc ? ? It may be a limitation of Home Premium, as FTP is not really considered needed for home users. This is one reason I always get the top of line version of an OS for my computers. And on my machine (running XP PRO) I use WS_FTP Pro for ftp sites as I prefer it that way.

The desktop is a Windows 7 Professional machine. I will investigate this, but seeing as how this is a core functionality in Windows itself, I don't see why it would not work. Looking online, I have not see any limitation based on the version of operating system I have.

 

[MrChad]

Right click on the Network icon in Explorer and select Map Network Drive. Then click Connect to a Web site you can use to store your documents and pictures. Follow the instructions from there. This should let you set up a web folder for your FTP site.

 

[dawks]

Windows Explorer is a functional FTP client. IE and FF suck for FTP, as you cannot upload using IE or FF. The primary reason why I want to make sure of this is because the majority of my clients who end up needing ftp will need to upload something to our site. IE and FF do not work for that.

Uhh first of all, Windows Explorer IS Internet Explorer. They run on pretty much the same code base with a few exceptions here and there. But it will always bounce you to an IE interface. Second IE has always been able to upload. In fact, my colleague just used IE to upload a few 300meg files last week. The downside is, I don't find it to be as reliable as a true FTP client. I like FileZilla since its free, and open source, and works well.

 

[kevinsbane]

Right click on the Network icon in Explorer and select Map Network Drive. Then click Connect to a Web site you can use to store your documents and pictures. Follow the instructions from there. This should let you set up a web folder for your FTP site.

Thanks MrChad, and that is precisely what I do personally. But this is not what I am trying to figure out. I don't want my (barely computer literate) clients trying to do this, with me trying to explain over the phone. Moreover, I don't want to show them how to set up a constant link to our FTP server either.

Uhh first of all, Windows Explorer IS Internet Explorer. They run on pretty much the same code base with a few exceptions here and there. But it will always bounce you to an IE interface.

I wonder why my desktop does not exhibit this behaviour. Regardless of the technical (code) similarity between the two, they are for all intents and purposes different programs to me. When I type in an FTP address in my windows explorer address bar, it does not open up Internet Explorer, but opens it up natively inside my windows explorer window. I can then browse the FTP folder like a normal directory. I do not get an IE interface. Neither do my coworkers in the office. However, when I try on my laptop, this is not the case. This is what I am trying to fix.

Second IE has always been able to upload. In fact, my colleague just used IE to upload a few 300meg files last week. The downside is, I don't find it to be as reliable as a true FTP client. I like FileZilla since its free, and open source, and works well.

I have not found IE to be as simple to use as windows explorer for FTP. In any case, I have not found the way to upload using Internet Explorer. If it is available, then it is some hidden option. Again, the reason I want to be able to do this is not because I cannot use FTP in another manner; it is because it is (by far) the simplest way to get a client to upload a file to our ftp when trying to explain it over the phone. I want to have the same capabilities just in case there is something wrong, so I can try it out for myself.

For example, to explain how to use FTP through windows explorer, it's very simple:

1. Open my computer.
2. Type in the ftp address at the top.
3. Enter your login and password that I give you.
4. Copy and paste your files to the folder. (or drag and drop into explorer)

Is it as reliable? No. But my clients at least know what kind of interface they're dealing with. I really do not want to get them to download something to install and/or get into the system settings.

 

[bruceb]

In reality, using a simple FPT client, like FileZilla would be very easy for your clients to learn. Once the FTP address, Login and Password are saved, they just click on the desktop icon, select the correct site, hit connect, login and then do the upload. It would actually be easier than teaching them to do it via the web browser.

 

[kevinsbane]

In reality, using a simple FPT client, like FileZilla would be very easy for your clients to learn. Once the FTP address, Login and Password are saved, they just click on the desktop icon, select the correct site, hit connect, login and then do the upload. It would actually be easier than teaching them to do it via the web browser.

That's why I'm not teaching them to use a web browser for FTP. And trust me that Filezilla, although intuitive to use for you and me, will cause no end in headaches for me as I try to teach them and guide them through a GUI that is bombarding them with lots of information they do not need. Over the phone, no less. Windows explorer can do FTP, it can do it simply, and best of all it looks exactly like what you would expect from a directory on your computer. And it already works with their current software setup.

My problem is on my side; I want to be able to connect the same way as they do, so I can make sure that if they do encounter a problem, I can identify whether it's because they're doing it wrong or if there's a problem with the FTP itself. My laptop cannot do it for some odd reason, though it seems every other computer I have access to can do it properly.

 

[bruceb]

If the Win 7 Home Premium just can't connect thru FTP then see link as you may need to adjust the firewall settings.

http://www.sevenforums.com/network-sharing/14235-win7-firewall-wont-allow-ssh-ftp.html

In order to pass windows firewall with SSH FTP or whatever you need to do the following.

1. set an outgoing rule with the path of the .exe your want to to use.
IE C:\Program Files (x86)\MobaSSHServer\MobaSSH_Server_Home_1.53

2. set an incoming rule with the same path.

3. open the static port the app uses.
IE Telnet and SSH are port 22. .. FTP uses Ports 21 and 22

4. If you want to connect from the outside world you will have to set your router to forward the port to the computer that hosts the .exe

5. if your host network and internet connections are configured with DHCP ( the default setting for most Non-Work networks) you need give you computer a static ip in your router settings. You will also need to get a DNS name for your home network so you can find it from the outside world ( dyndns.com is free).

Also try adding the ftp destination to the Trusted Sites list in
the web browser you are using. That may be all you need to do.

 

[kevinsbane]

Hm. Isn't that for hosting an FTP server? I am not hosting an FTP server, nor does my FTP not work. I can access FTP through firefox on my laptop, but IE refuses to work; windows explorer opens up IE to open ftp, and that (obviously) doesn't work either.

 

[kevinsbane]

I poked around a little more and have a more serious symptom. As suggested MrChad pointed out, I can map a network drive to an FTP folder that acts like a local directory. However, when I try to do this, I get an error: it tells me that "The folder you entered does not appear to be valid. Please choose another." This message occurs instantly as well; Windows does not even seem to bother trying to resolve the address. This is rather confusing, especially seeing as how my firefox is currently connected to the FTP server.

What is going on?? It is as if Windows has stopped recognizing the FTP protocol entirely. Firefox still does it...


EDIT: RESOLVED
Figured it out. Had to do some registry editing. I wonder why it was doing what it was doing. I removed and reinstalled IE, and it managed to get FTP working for IE again. However, after accessing an FTP site, going to "Page -> open FTP site in windows explorer", it told me the "This FTP site cannot be opened in Windows Explorer." After googling that, it lead me to venture into the registry. I compared the registry values for my desktop and laptop, and my laptop was missing two registry keys. I copied the keys over manually, and now it works.

 

[ViRGE]

Unfortunately I don't have the answer to this problem (I've never encountered it before), but I did want to respond to a couple of things.

1) First and foremost kevinsbane is absolutely right about Windows Explorer supporting FTP, so please stop telling him it can't. MS just doesn't advertise the feature and you have to explicitly use it.

2) Windows Explorer is not IE. IE and Explorer were given the Siamese twins treatment in Vista. Windows Explorer can still call upon Trident (the IE rendering engine) in certain situations, but otherwise they're very different programs.

 

[deustroop]

yes I bad there
WE does ftp
no 1 tol me.

 

[Danarskistein]

Thank you so much.