Connect to an FTP Server

There are several different ways to make a connection to an FTP server.

FTP Connection Wizard

The step-by-step guidance of the Connection Wizard [Connect|Connection Wizard] will help you make a connection to an FTP server. For more details refer to topic FTP Connection Wizard.

Address Bar

The Address Bar offers the easiest way to connect to a new FTP server. Simply supply the server address, login, password, and port number, then press Enter or the Go button and the connection attempt will be launched. If the login and password fields are left empty, an anonymous login is assumed.

Fig. Address Bar

Standard FTP URL format is recognized and automatically parsed when pasted in the address box:
ftp://[user ID:password@]\<host name>[:port]/[path name/]

Previously visited sites can be accessed via the drop-down list of the Address Bar.

Quick Connect

Click the Quick Connect button on the Toolbar or use menu [Connect | Quick Connect] to bring up the Quick Connect dialog box. Enter the basic login info in the General tab. If necessary, customize your settings in the Advanced and Security page. Click Connect button to connect.

Fig. Quick Connect Dialog

FTP Site Address Book

For servers that you access frequently, it is recommended to use the FTP Site Address Book (use the toolbar button or use the menu [Connect|Address Book]). Please make a new site profile in the Address Book and provide the necessary details. The Address Book allows you to maintain your favorite sites with a tree view (i.e., you can organize them with folders you define). You can even drag and drop to reposition a site or a folder.

Tip: You can configure TurboFTP to automatically open the Quick Connect dialog or the Address Book each time it runs. Go to [Options | General | Start With] to make a choice.

Recently Visited Sites

Hit the Reconnect button on the toolbar, and you can see the list of recently visited sites from the drop-down menu, from which you can select the one you want to reconnect.

The Connect menu also maintains a list of recently visited servers.

Fig. Using the Reconnect Toolbar Button

Tips: You can specify number of recently visited site in [Options | Advanced].

Clipboard FTP URL Detection

TurboFTP can monitor the clipboard for an FTP URL. Select [Options | Advanced | Monitor clipboard for URL]. For more information, refer to the topic FTP URL Clipboard Monitoring. You can also drag an FTP URL link from a Web page in your browser and drop it in TurboFTP's main window.

Connect to a Secure FTP Server

TurboFTP supports secure FTP over SSL/TLS. When used with a secure FTP server, it offers a high level of connection authenticity, data integrity, and industrial strength 128-bit information encryption, based on the industrial standard SSL (Secure Socket Layer)/TLS(Transport Layer Security), thus providing reliable a secure file transfer capability over an insecure network.

Before you establish a secure FTP connection, you need to specify [Secure Connection Type] in the [Advanced Site Settings | Security] tab. Select implicit SSL, explicit encryption (AUTH SSL), or explicit encryption (AUTH TLS). In explicit encryption, the FTP client needs to send an explicit command ( i.e., "AUTH SSL" or "AUTH TLS") to the FTP server to initiate a secure control connection; while in implicit encryption, the client establishes a secure control connection upon connection with the server. Often the server port for implicit SSL is 990. Ask the server administrator or ISP for information on which secure connection type or secure server port you should use.

Some secure FTP servers require authentication using a client certificate. In this case, you should have been given your certificate, which includes a certificate file and a private key file. Check the checkbox "Use SSL/TLS client certificate" and supply the key file locations. If the private key file is encrypted, supply the password as well.

Fig. Secure Connection Type in [Advanced Site Settings | Security]

Save a Site in Address Book

Using Address Bar or Quick Connect dialog, you can save the selected site profile to Address Book by using the button . Or you can save the current site by using the menu [Connect | Save current site]. You can select in which folder of Address Book to save the site, and enter an alternative title and server description if you like.

Note that the menu [Connect | Save current site] will be greyed out if the current site already exists in Address Book.