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I am trying to access my Windows laptop from my Mac. I am using Filezilla and FTP/SFTP. I am not sure if Filezilla only works with remote servers. Right now I am using the username, password, public IP address, and port 22 with Filezilla, but it is failing. Should I use the private IP address since I am on the same network (i.e 192.168.1.5)?
Cody Rutscher
Posted 2018-08-30T00:54:40.667
Reputation: 79
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To connect to windows from another computer (e.g., your mac), then windows has to be running some type of server -- for remote file copy, that would be (insecure) ftp or (secure) sftp/scp. The latter is recommended, and is implemented via an OpenSSH server that would have to be installed on Windows, and then a use a remote sftp/scp client from the other computer: such as WinSCP (windows) or command-line sftp/scp (mac/linux, or windows via cygwin/etc), or a gui like CyberDuck for mac, etc.
Windows used to require installation of the OpenSSH server via Cygwin (e.g., Swan (http://www.starlig.ht/)), but now Windows (depending on your version) may include an OpenSSH server already, see one of these how-to's to see if it works for you (sorry, I can't verify which steps will work for you, as it depends on what MS is currently releasing & what version you have -- fwiw, I always install cygwin (via swan) & just use that, but I'm a linux user & that works best for me):
If those steps become out of date or don't work for getting the sshd server installed for you (so your ssh client (sftp/scp) can connect), then the google search terms you're looking for is "how to install openssh server on windows".
Update: It should have been noted earlier that Mac OS comes with an ssh server by default, but it's just not running by default. Since with sftp/scp you can both get & put files, you could also just enable the sshd (stands for ssh daemon, aka ssh server) server on Mac, and then use your Windows PC via WinSCP to copy files back & forth between the two computers.
michael
Posted 2018-08-30T00:54:40.667
Reputation: 879
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Is this along the right lines?https://winscp.net/eng/docs/guide_windows_openssh_server
– Cody Rutscher – 2018-09-10T07:13:36.840yes, that's the same link which is included above -- give it a shot? ymmv – michael – 2018-09-10T11:06:18.107
So does OpenSSH basically turn the Windows machine into a "server"? Also, do you mind upvoting my question. I am trying to get my account reinstated. – Cody Rutscher – 2018-09-10T11:11:20.780
The term "server" is overloaded. (Ignore that some computers are called "servers" for a moment.) Most communication between two programs on the internet is (1) initiated by one program, and then (2) the work is done by a second program (which returns the result to the first). The program initiating the request is the "client", and the program completing the work is the "server". Also, every client & server need to speak a common language, or "protocol". E.g., your browser is an http "client" that talks to an http "server". In this case, the protocol is sftp/scp; windows runs the server. – michael – 2018-09-11T03:41:35.437
It should have been noted earlier that mac comes with an ssh server by default, but it's just not running by default. Since with sftp/scp you can both get & put files, you could also just enable the sshd (stands for ssh daemon, aka ssh server) server on Mac, and then use your Windows PC via WinSCP to copy files back & forth between the two computers. (I'll add this to the answer.) Then the role of client & server are reversed, but the result is the same. – michael – 2018-09-11T03:43:44.403
How do I enable the ssh daemon? – Cody Rutscher – 2018-09-11T03:53:01.140
1The IP to use it the server's IP (and it needs to have some FTP server software running, of course). SFTP is safer than plain old FTP, Forklift supports it, so there's no reason not to use it. – None – 2018-08-30T01:00:21.317
But this is a Windows Laptop. Will it still work with that? And do I need to specify ports? – Cody Rutscher – 2018-08-30T01:01:35.580
FTP/SFTP are "protocols", independent from OSes and any "FTP client" should work, from any OS. Yes, usually you need to specify a port. The question is: Have you already set up the server (in Windows)? That is the starting point, not the client. – None – 2018-08-30T01:09:13.693
I am not sure. I have Forklift up and a display asking for credentials (i.e. protocol, server, username, password, port, path, etc.) – Cody Rutscher – 2018-08-30T01:10:53.753
Well, if you're not sure than you didn't. You're now trying to build a house starting by the roof ;) No, start by the foundations: Install and configure your SFTP server in Windows. Then use the same settings for the client that can be any. Forklift is fine (but it can't connect to non-existing servers). – None – 2018-08-30T01:16:26.520
Where do I go to install and configure the SFTP server on Windows? Would it be easier to chat about this? – Cody Rutscher – 2018-08-30T01:18:49.217
You're asking for a software recommendation and that is off-topic. At best, I can suggest Filezilla for Windows (free, with GUI, easy to use) but that is already outside of the scope of superuser. – None – 2018-08-30T01:21:24.993
Ok lets assume I have Filezilla. Now will I be able to connect the two machines (i.e. Forklift and Filezilla)? – Cody Rutscher – 2018-08-30T01:22:38.417
1Yes, that's your goal, isn't it? Look, I'm starting to feel you don't even know what you want let alone how to accomplish it. Is it FTP/SFTP right for you? I don't know, maybe this is an X-Y problem. What is the purpose of connecting the two machines or, in other words, what exactly do you want to do? – None – 2018-08-30T01:28:16.233
I want to move a specific file from my Mac to my PC. I realize now that I can literally just use a USB drive, but for the sake of learning I thought I would figure out how to do it with FTP/SFTP. – Cody Rutscher – 2018-08-30T01:42:10.470
Yes, for 1 file using a USB stick is probably the easiest way :) but, yes, FTP/SFTP can be used for that, as well as so many other ways, too much to enumerate. Start here: https://www.lifewire.com/ftp-defined-2654479 and https://www.wired.com/2010/02/ftp_for_beginners/ (it works for local or remote servers the same way, different IPs though, of course)
– None – 2018-08-30T01:48:25.853Ok. So if my machine that I am trying to connect to is on my same LAN, then I just use the internal IP address to connect to it? – Cody Rutscher – 2018-08-30T02:08:51.440
Correct. That said, please understand this is not a forum and comments are for clarification and to improve the question itself. – None – 2018-08-30T02:10:41.900
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If the two machines are on the same local network, the built-in network file sharing is likely the best way to do this. https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/easily-share-files-windows-7-8-mac-os-x/
– Moshe Katz – 2018-08-30T04:01:11.640