Windows IT Pro is the leading independent community for IT professionals deploying Microsoft Windows server and client applications and technologies.
  
  
  Advanced Search 



How can I map to an FTP server as a drive?

RSS
Subscribe to Windows IT Pro | See More FTP Articles Here | Reprints | Or get the Monthly Online Pass—only $5.95 a month!

A. Its possible to configure a machine to map to a FTP server as a drive (for instance the Microsoft site) providing the machine runs both NetBEUI and TCP/IP. Perform the following:

  1. Perform a NSLOOKUP for the FTP site, e.g.
    nslookup ftp.microsoft.com
    make a note of the IP address
  2. Edit the LMHOSTS file (in %systemroot%\system32\drivers\etc)
  3. Add line
    <ip address> MicrosoftFTP #PRE
    e.g. 207.46.133.140 MicrosoftFTP #PRE
  4. Save the file
  5. Open a CMD.EXE session. Enter command:
    nbtstat -R
    This purges and reloads the name table cache
  6. Type command:
    net view \\MicrosoftFTP
    You should see information on the site
  7. Now map a drive (to share data)
    net use * \\MicrosoftFTP\data /user:anonymous
  8. All done. It will pass a drive letter for the connection

End of Article



Reader Comments
This tip doesn't work for me.
Is there any other thing I miss out?
I need the way to make this tips work, any idea?

Chan Yen Jet August 31, 2000


But what if the FTP server does not run on port 21 ??

Albert Vos October 11, 2000


I tried to use this tip with W2000 (both server and client) but it does not work. Any suggestion?

Enrico Di Cesare February 06, 2001


I tried this too on Windows 2000 Pro, and couldn't get it to work.

John Savill, what am I doing wrong?!

Nanda Holyoak December 10, 2002


It didn't work for me either, I'm on windows 2000 with SP4. Does this tip work on 2000?

Eva Tam July 02, 2004


You need Netuei installed as a network service on the FTP machine for this to work.

Anonymous User March 17, 2005 (Article Rating: )


Oops NETBEUI that is. That has to be installed on the FTP server.

http://www.kandleconsulting.com

Anonymous User March 17, 2005 (Article Rating: )


This solution has nothing to do with FTP. It applies to mapping a drive to ANY server running NetBEUI. The real question should be how to get a mapped drive to reference an ftp address using the FTP protocol, for example, how to map ftp://anonymous@ftp.microsoft.com to a drive letter. Aside from using third party utilities (like WebDrive), I haven't found a way to do this.

Anonymous User March 26, 2005 (Article Rating: )


This isn't FTP. The author is a moron.

Anonymous User April 14, 2005 (Article Rating: )


Use NetDrive from Novell for FTP.

Anonymous User April 21, 2005 (Article Rating: )


 See More Comments  1   2 

You must be a registered user or online subscriber to comment on this article. Please log on before posting a comment. Are you a new visitor? Register now




Top Viewed ArticlesView all articles
What You Need to Know About Microsoft's x64 Server Product Plans

What do Longhorn Server, Windows Compute Cluster Server, and Windows Vista have in common? The x64 platform. ...

Anti-Virus Vendors Prepare for War with Microsoft ... Again

When Microsoft announced its Windows Live OneCare security and PC health product over five years (as MSN OneCare), Symantec, McAfee, and the other consumer-oriented security vendors reacted with stunning vigor. ...

Command Prompt Tricks

One reader shares his tip for setting up the command prompt to reflect a remote path. ...


Windows OSs Whitepapers Why SaaS is the Right Solution for Log Management

Related Events WinConnections and Microsoft® Exchange Connections

Check out our list of Free Email Newsletters!

Windows OSs eBooks Understanding and Leveraging Code Signing Technologies

A Guide to Windows Certification and Public Keys

SQL Server Administration for Oracle DBAs

Related Windows OSs Resources Introducing Left-Brain.com, the online IT bookstore
Looking for books, CDs, toolkits, eBooks? Prime your mind at Left-Brain.com

Discover Windows IT Pro eLearning Series!
Clear & detailed technical information and helpful how-to's, all in our trademark no-nonsense format

Test Drive IT Solutions and Get Free Music Downloads
Solve your toughest IT problems with these free downloads and receive 5 free music downloads!


Windows IT Pro Home Register FAQ for Windows WinInfo News
Europe Edition About Us Contact Us/Customer Service Media Kit Affiliates / Licensing  
SQL Server Magazine Office & SharePoint Pro DevProConnections IT Job Hound ITTV
IT Library Technology Resource Directory Connected Home asp.netPRO Windows SuperSite 
 
 Windows IT Pro is a Division of Penton Media Inc.
 © 2009 Penton Media, Inc. Terms of Use | Privacy Statement | Reprints and Licensing