FTP: Accessing servers in the browser – how it works

You can also access FTP servers directly in your browser without installing any special software

Access FTP servers in the browser without logging in

Almost all current browsers have an integrated FTP client. This means that you can also access stored content via the HTTP protocol in the browser on your computer or laptop.

• However, you only need to adhere to a certain syntax in the URL if you want to access a server. You can recognize the address of an FTP server by the prefix “ftp://” instead of the usual “http://” or “https://”

• If you do not need authentication, a URL looks like this, for example: “ftp://SERVER_ADRESSE:PORT”.

• In most cases, however, you do not need to specify a port as this is automatically set to the default port “21”.

• In these cases, it is sufficient to enter the exact server address after the code “ftp://” in your address line.

In the browser: Access FTP server with authentication

Many FTP servers require you to log in with a user name and password. You must enter both in the address line:

• In this case, first enter your user name and then your password before the actual server address. Separate the two entries with a colon. Then separate this insertion from the server address with an “@”.

• A call looks like this, for example: “ftp://USER:PASSWORD@SERVER_ADDRESS:PORT”.

• After logging in, you can then navigate the server’s directory tree and download files.