If you’re a Windows user and need to transfer files to or from a Linux machine, WinSCP is a powerful tool to have in your arsenal. It’s an open-source, free SFTP, SCP, and FTP client for Microsoft Windows that enables secure file transfer between a local and remote computer.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through the steps to connect your Windows system to a Linux server using WinSCP.
Step 1: Install WinSCP
The first step is to get WinSCP installed on your system. It’s quite simple. Head to the official WinSCP downloads page and download the latest version of the software. Once downloaded, follow the installation prompts to install WinSCP on your machine.
Step 2: Launch and Configure WinSCP
After installing, launch WinSCP. The “Login” dialog box will appear. Here is where you’ll enter the details of the Linux server you want to connect to.
Port number: 22 (the default for SFTP)
Username: [your username]
Password: [your password]
Remember to replace the brackets and their content with your actual server details. For the file protocol, you can select SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol).
Step 3: Establish the Connection
Once you’ve entered the details, click on the Login button to establish a connection. For the first connection, WinSCP will ask if you trust the host you’re connecting to. Click on Yes.
If the details were correct, you should be connected to your Linux server. You’ll find the Linux directory on the right side of the interface and your local files on the left. Simply drag and drop files to transfer them.
Conclusion
That’s it! Now you know how to connect to a Linux server from a Windows machine using WinSCP. It’s a simple yet effective tool for managing and transferring files securely. Happy file transferring!