Use and troubleshoot FTP
Configure an FTP client deliberately
Choose the exact protocol, TLS policy, passive mode, transfer type, and certificate behavior instead of accepting vague defaults.
8 minute lesson
Start by selecting FTP, explicit FTPS, or SFTP correctly. Then configure host, port, username, authentication, and certificate or host-key verification.
For FTP or FTPS behind ordinary networks, choose passive or extended passive mode. Use binary transfers unless you have a specific legacy text-conversion requirement.
Test a listing, a small upload to a temporary name, a download, and a rename. Record the final replies so the configuration can be reproduced outside the GUI.
Write the connection profile as explicit facts:
protocol: explicit FTPS
host: files.partner.test
port: 21
TLS: required
certificate validation: required
data mode: EPSV/passive
transfer type: binary“FTP” and “encryption if available” are not precise enough. Opportunistic fallback can expose credentials. Require the agreed protocol and fail closed.
Use a narrow account rooted at the required directory. Prefer a secret manager or protected credential store. For SFTP, pin or verify the SSH host key through a trusted channel; for FTPS, validate the certificate hostname and chain.
Timeouts and retries need command awareness. Retrying a RETR into a temporary file is safer than retrying APPE, DELE, or a rename without first checking remote state.
Reproduce the GUI profile with a command-line client. If the two behave differently, compare the exact TLS mode, passive endpoint, proxy settings, and certificate handling.
Lesson completed