Talk:FAQ

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Purpose of FAQ[edit]

The FAQ is to provide answers to common questions, not to ask questions. CodeSquid 13:39, 25 July 2007 (CEST)

Documentation needed on which FTP commands are supported[edit]

For example, I need to know if FZS supports the STOU command, but I have found no such list or discussion.

You could use the HELP command to get a list of all known commands. --CodeSquid 20:53, 28 September 2007 (CEST)

How to use behind a firewall[edit]

Filezilla 3.0.1 appears not to provide any support for FTP proxies. A FAQ should be answered as to why an official release doesn't support this feature.

FileZilla server and dynamic IP address[edit]

In the chapter that talks about the server behind a firewall, it tells "you can also choose to retrieve the ip address from a website". Can anybody describe what content expects FileZilla server from the external website? Some concrete syntax to recognize the correct IP string? (the external website can show various IP informations)


try use dyndns service.

Regarding a passive-mode FTP server behind a firewall[edit]

When the client requests PASV mode, the server responds back with a PORT command, such as, "227 Entering Passive Mode (127,0,0,1,78,52)". In order for passive mode to work properly, the passive mode response needs to contain the FTP server's PRIVATE IP address. Your "passive mode settings" window suggests this should be the external/public IP address. The private IP address assists the firewall's nat proxy in maintaining the connection across network address translation. Many FTP NAT proxies will drop the 227 passive mode response, if the public IP address is sent in the 227 message.

FAQ page locked[edit]

The FAQ page is locked, this prevents friendly people helping keep it up to date, eg (see General FAQ #3)

FileZilla 3 has now been released for all platforms on 2007-10-17 (version FileZilla 3.0.2). Current version is now 3.0.4.1 (2007-11-27).

I want to add a FAQ[edit]

FAQ: I am having trouble transferring log files. I get an error "550 can't access file." on both the server interface and the FTP client.

Answer: Often log files are locked for writing by the process that they are logging. In order to transfer this type of file, open the Server Options, go to the Miscellaneous node, and select "Allow downloading of files which are open for writing by another process"

It probably isn't a FAQ, but the FAQ is the only server documentation you have so far.

Fulfills the AQ part of FAQ, but certainly not the F one. Seen this question for the first time now. --CodeSquid 02:25, 22 November 2007 (CET)

Better overview for FAQ[edit]

Hi, it's the first time I visit this FAQ. The first thing I noticed is that there is no index. I think an Index would give an better overview, and I don't need to search for informations in the details of the FAQ-text. regards Antonio.

Robert07's comments on the FAQ[edit]

  • Thanks so much to the dev team and all the support folks for making a wonderful piece of software complete with forums and wiki!
  • FileZilla Client FAQ question #5 is about where settings are stored. From my own experience just now, in WinXP there are several .xml files and they're located under %USERPROFILE%\Application Data\FileZilla, not under the directory FileZilla installs into. And for me that's a problem because it complicates automated installs and uninstalls.
  • General FAQ question #3 is about what "FileZilla 3" is. It says that it is in Beta. But I saw nothing through the download process saying that v3 is in beta and I don't see links to v2 anywhere. Also, the standard help-shortcut (F1) doesn't bring up any help and, a little ironically, under the "Help" pull down menu there is no help. And there are no .hlp or .chm help files included that I can find. So it does "feel" like it's still in beta in that sense.

jargon's comments on the FAQ[edit]

  • FileZilla Client FAQ doesn't seem to indicate any viable means to back up and furthermore restore the settings data for the client software. Jargon 09:13, 5 April 2010 (UTC)

Aliases: FAQ answers the "explanation" in FZ server[edit]

Time and again I tried to follow the explanation in the product e.g. 0.9.25 beta and never managed to get it to work (it suggests you use c:\pub\somedir). Putting in an alias of /FOO created the link folder just fine. Thankyou FAQ.


The FAQ's example did not work for me either. I puzzled about it and ended up putting the full path to the folder in for the alias (e.g. if user home is 'C:\ftproot\user\', shared directory is 'D:\data\stuff\', alias would be 'C:\ftproot\user\stuff'). This allowed me to see the alias directories properly in the various FTP clients that I use. Then I realized the bigger problem; I was using FileZilla FTP Server 0.9.29 beta. Upgrading to FileZilla FTP Server 0.9.34 allows the previously mentioned method or the one in the FAQ to work properly. OS used in this example is Server 2003 R2 SP2. Hope it helps.


I also could not get certain directories shared. Please add the following: Under windows, the account used to run the service should have access to the directory being shared. Go to the control panel, service, open the Filezille service and verify the logon account information. By default it will run under an account which may not have access to the directory being shared. Network drives do not seem to work. So instead of Y:\Data\Software, make the shared directory \\Server\Data\Software and then set the alias to say /Software. That works.

<nowiki> the Example Address[edit]

Can someone please put <nowiki>s and <code>s around the example address ftp://root:secretpw@filezilla.sourceforge.net/htdocs/ in the Command Line options section so people aren't tempted to think it's an actual link to... um... command line options documentation? Thanks. --Tometheus 19:57, 30 August 2008 (UTC)

I want to add a FAQ[edit]

OS: Windows - What if the FileZilla Server Interface does not Log on to the Server?

Answer: Make sure the "Application Layer Gateway Service" is enabled and Running. You can find this option by Clicking Start --> Run... --> then type "msconfig" --> select the tab "Services"

Wrong. ALG is known to actively sabotage FTP. Make sure it is disabled and not running. --CodeSquid 22:55, 18 September 2008 (UTC)

OS: Windows How to solve the problem that "at least one shared directory is not a valid local path"?

Answer: Make sure that your first added directory is valid. If the tool added one directory automatically like "<new directory>", it should be removed.

Using FileZilla as default ftp protocol handler[edit]

Suggested FAQ: How do I set up the FileZilla client to be the default program to handle ftp urls?

Is it possible to "select all" on a download?

.HTACCESS FILES[edit]

Can any one point out or edit this to reflect how you can access the .htaccess file once you have created one and logged back in as I cannot see a command on the menus that changes the show system / hidden files

Answer: Select the "Server" menu and tick "Force showing hidden files"

Use the forums[edit]

Use the forums to ask questions. The Wiki is purely to provide solutions. --CodeSquid 08:06, 3 March 2009 (UTC)

Unfortunately, for most people it doesn't provide the simpler ones. Normal people just learning about websites etc are treated with contempt. Where are the answers to their problems? What is going on with this website? There seems to be a kind of arrogance which puts people off.

I agree. You can't just say RTFM any more. I don't treat my users that way, and I don't expect to be treated that way here.
By the way, I'd like to know how to resolve the discrepancy between Siteground.Com's server time and my computer's time when I upload a file. For example, my local time is 11:01 AM. I upload a file which was modified at 10:46 AM. The server reports that it was last modified at 9:01 AM.
I want FileZilla to compensate for the 2-hour difference between my computer's local time and the server's time.
Is there a place I can enter -2 (or +2) to convert 9:01 server time to 11:01? --Ed Poor 15:03, 19 October 2009 (UTC)
Worse, "You have exceeded the maximum number of registration attempts for this session. Please try again later." I didn't realize at first that I had to enter the registration code backwards. Nobody else does this that I've seen. Then I carefully entered the codes, but I still was told I got it wrong.

I tried the forum when I first started using FileZilla last month. A very frustrating experience. The people who were supposed to be "Helping Me" insulted me, gave cryptic answers without actually answering my question, and when I persisted, I got an incorrect answer. I realized that when I finally figured it out by myself. I'll never go back there.

Searching the forum didn't help me, and it's impossible to register to; at least without an email provider that'll abscond with my passport _AND_ having the Pope vouch for me. Anyway not useful, can't ask questions there, and this FAQ is a waste of time. All I want to know is how to make starting the server actually start the server, without having to go through management each boot; there it is installed as a service and yet still have to go through management each time. I would have thought this would be the number one fequently asked question. Crazy.

Vista Bookmarks Path[edit]

On my 64bit Vista the path is

C:\Users\{UserName}\AppData\Roaming\FileZilla


there is a definite need for a basic guide to configuring FZ for the ordinary user.


I have a fundimental question; I want to know if there are client users that are able to establish one connection with this product and push or upload many files for a single folder? if there are, how is this being done, I use to do old FTP DOS scripting with multiple put statements however these products seem to be lock into one to one type file delivery? is there a way to make this a automatic sistuation so when you want to load many files to an end point the client will start the communication and offload the content of the direcoty if needed in one connection?

Folder Aliases[edit]

I move that the FAQ on folder aliases be reworded to say instead of

"Let's assume the server's home directory is set to C:\ftproot and you want to make your picture collection in D:\mypictures available as /pictures. Add D:\mypictures to the list of shared folders and select its entry. Next add /pictures in the alias column. Now the server will display the virtual directory pictures right in the root directory and its contents will be those of D:\mypictures. "

it say

"Let's assume the servers home directory is set to C:\ftproot and you want to make your picture collection in D:\mypictures appear in the home directory. Add D:\mypictures to the list of shared folders as you would normally. Now double left click on the space to the right under 'Aliases' or right click and select 'Edit Aliases'. In the window provided enter the name you would like, in this case "mypictures" assuming there is not another folder of the same name in C:\ftproot, IMPORTANT- you must put a '/' before the alias name you are typing otherwise it will not turn up in a FTP client. The folder contents of D:\mypictures will now be displayed in the home directory under the folder name 'mypictures'."

The reason for changing from D:\mypictures available as /pictures is not explained in the faq, which was confusing to me at first as i was trying to use '|' or "the pipe character" as I was trying to share multiple folders from the same drive to the home drive. I would like to also write a small section about how to use the "pipe character" but i will see how my suggestion is taken first..

How do you setup a folder alias to a network path? Say Directory: //SomeMachine/SomeFolder Alias: /Remote?

Too many connections from this IP[edit]

I am getting this error while connecting to the server "Too many connections (8) from this IP." What this mean?

Most ISP limit the number of concurrent connections to their FTP server, in your case it is 8.

Filezilla can limit the number of connections is uses per site, see the "Transfer Settings" tab, or you can limit it for all connections by going to the edit menu and selecting settings.

Select the "Transfers" section and enter a lower number in the "Maximum Simultaneous Transfers" which is lower than the maximum allowed.

How to stop Filezilla Interface from starting with every Windows Log In[edit]

There seems to be no preference dialog for Filezilla; I don't want to log into the filezilla interface everytime I log into Windows, I know Filezilla is running correctly in the background as a service. How to do this needs to be added to the FAQ. Basically, you launch regedit (start:run:regedit) and drill down to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft|WIndows\CurrentVersion\Run and delete the Entry to launch the Filezilla Interface.

If you are running Filezilla on a 64Bit Windows Server, then you will find the registry key at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run instead.

Heh, I'd like the service started to actually run the FTP, and not require management to to toggle 'online' and al-fricken-ready running service.

The FAQ says that Filezilla is free[edit]

<Quote> FileZilla is free open-source software distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License free of charge. Basically this means that everyone, including corporate entities, can use FileZilla, including but not limited to private, educational and commercial use. </Quote>

While the quote from the FAQ above states specifically corporate entities, private, educational and commercial use, does that include Government entities? If so can the FAQ entry be updated to include government entities? Sorry to need specific wording but there is the qualifier of "Basically this means everyone" implies that there are might be some that FileZilla is not free for them to use.

amazing post[edit]

I’ve recently started a blog, the information you provide on this site has helped me tremendously. Thank you for all of your time & work.

Old versions?[edit]

Why is there a cut in sf.net file archive and all version 2.x-setups are missing? --87.156.178.57 21:51, 24 November 2010 (UTC)

Connecting to your FTP server[edit]

I am very new to using FTP servers and one question comes to mind, in the very beginning instruction you state "To connect to an FTP server, enter the address of the server into the host field of the Quickconnect bar (i.e. example.com - see image below)." What are you calling the "address of the server"? I can think of several, but what is the address of the server that you are looking for?

Just downloaded the Mac version and having trouble connecting... Works fine on my windows machine... any tips or tricks I should know about

Security of data[edit]

Why is FileZilla storing my login data unencrypted as plain text in a file on my computer? If I had a troyan on my computer, it could read it and send it to the author of the troyan. Doesn't FileZilla care about security of the user's data?

  Well, since for plain FTP the password and login are sent in the clear as the standard, it's an inherently insecure protocol. Back when firefox stored passwords as plain text, I think they said something along the lines of "we don't have a secure password scrambling implementation yet, so unlike some browsers, we're going to avoid the false sense of security that an insecure "solution" would provide."

Error message when I close Filezilla.[edit]

Every time I close Filezilla, I get an error message that says, " Some files are still being edited or need to be uploaded. If you close Filezilla, your changes will be lost. Do you really want to close Filezilla?"

I get this error message every time I close the program, it doesn't matter if it has been a few minutes or a few hours since I last made changes to my website. Why is it showing this error, and is it important not to close the program? I've never noticed that I lost any changes I made by closing the program in spite of this error message, but am wanting to be sure, and wondering why it exists & never seems to go away. I know that I can tell the program not to show this message anymore, but I don't want to do that until I know for sure that I don't need to be reminded of it...

file transfer log[edit]

I am trying to find a history log for file transfers. I am being told that I transferred the same file two days in a row, but I do not think that I did. I would like to find a log where it shows that I did. The letter service who receives the file apparently does not know how to go about finding it. I have searched filezilla itself, and now this page and have found nothing that will help me.

 Actually there is a setting which is rather overlooked.

If you press "ctrl + E" you will see all files currently being edited. Before closing FileZilla, you need to come to this section and then press any one of the buttons supplied there according your need. Once you do this you can close FileZilla without any error messages. (The same setting can be graphically accessed from File->Show files currently being edited...)

Lion 10.7 and Filezilla[edit]

I hace just installed Lion OX 10.7 and now I keep getting error messages with Filezilla (Failed to open "/Torchwood.S04E05.720p.HDTV.X264-DIMENSION.mkv" for writing) can anyone help with this issue

Notification[edit]

How does the server notify the owner of the folder to which files are uploaded that files have arrived. Is there an email sent?

Schedule File Uploads To Server[edit]

Hi, Is there any option to ((Schedule File Uploads To Server)) .

Thanks.

I'm not sure.

(this is an edit to the question...) The Schedule feature would be great for uploads and downloads. My sister in law needs to download about 20 GBytes of family photos, video, and history. However, they have very low monthly caps on their useage, unless they are operating between midnight and 5 AM. (sorry, they live in rural TN) So, while I am sure there are other performance related reasons to have schedules, this one is about money.

(this is an edit to the question...) Howdy, I'm also in very rural area and only have free data between midnight and 5 AM. I always use the queue and enable downloads at midnight. I would really be nice to have a scheduler so as to not have to stay up until midnight.

can not see mp3 files[edit]

How do you see the mp3 files

Connection to my website[edit]

Hi there,

I created my website with WP a month ago and I'd like to save all the files on my computer. So I would like to connect myself to Filezilla, but I cannot recall the different things they ask at the beginning : "host", "username", passeword" and "port". What am I suppose to do please ? Thanks for your help.

what does this mean?[edit]

Response: 530 Sorry, the maximum number of clients (8) for this user are already connected.


Alias confusion and feature request[edit]

Please have more examples and expand the documentation everywhere regarding defining an alias to stress you support/require the Unix path approach and syntax; i.e. there is no concept of drive letters ... using the words UNIX or LINUX mount point will greatly improve the understanding of how to make an alias ...

... having said that regarding the current release, where and how do I formally request the developer to consider expanding the server so that it will allow and use the Windows style path with drive letters ... perhaps a selectable option in configuring the server itself in place of the Unix style of alias mappings ...

Update FAQ[edit]

Since Windows XP is not longer supported on Filezilla could you please update it?

209.221.90.250 15:03, 14 January 2015 (CET)

Moving up Windows7 Directory Tree[edit]

Good afternoon all I run FZ-Server on a Windows7 box and I use FZ-client on a Linux Mint16 box. Suppose I have transferred, Linux to Windows, successfully with the transfer into the directory c:/ZOT/Zibble When restarting the connection later, I am returned to c:/ZOT/Zibble and the .. button tells me that we are now at / which turns out to be c:/ZOT/Zibble. I cannot reach ZOT or c: or Compter, to use Windows-speak. Clearly I am missing something, probably something simple. Thanks for any and all advice and assistance /MouseioN ki

64-bit[edit]

I can't seem to find any answer to: is there any advantage in using the 64-bit client over the 32-bit client? Is this not a "faq"? --160.85.104.70 11:37, 10 June 2016 (CEST)


There are two main advantages of using the 64bit version: Faster speed. Some processor instructions, such as PCLMULQDQ which speed up GCM-based ciphers are only available in the 64bit version. Another benefit is address space. For example if you queue a couple of million files, the 32bit version will eventually crash, whereas the 64bit version will keep on trucking. --CodeSquid (talk) 11:43, 10 June 2016 (CEST)

421 Maximum login limit has been reached.[edit]

what shall i do?? I can't see my FZ server. Please help

Files stopped transferring[edit]

I have uploaded html files to my website using FileZilla for years, including tonight. Then suddenly, after uploading seven files, the revised files stopped transferring. They will not overwrite the old uploaded files. Under "Reason" the only words FileZilla lists are "Transferring" and "Connecting." I tried reconnecting, but that didn't help. How do I fix this?

Transferred files go to...?[edit]

I have recently transferred some files from my website... but I don't know where they go. Is there some settings area to set where transferred files go?