USING WS_FTP95 LE ON A WINDOWS COMPUTER
WS_FTP95 LE is a Windows program used to transfer files between
two computers or file servers. Note that this program can be used only for non-secure file
transfer. For
information about secure file transfer, click here.
File transfer, also called "uploading" and "downloading" files,
requires three steps:
- Connect to a remote computer or file server
- Navigate to the appropriate directories on the local and remote computers
- Select the file(s) to
be transferred and initiate the transfer
Connecting to a Remote Computer
- Click on the Start button and select Programs, then Internet Tools,
then WS_FTP LE .
Note: If you don't have WS_FTP LE installed on your computer, you can download a free copy from the Smith software site.
- The Session Properties window will appear. (Note that
the initial field contents may vary from what is shown below if the program has been
used before on your computer.)

- Enter your connection information as follows:
- In the Profile Name field, enter the
name of the host computer you are trying to connect to. Example: sophia.smith.edu
- In the Server name field, enter the
same thing you entered in the Profile Name field. Example: sophia.smith.edu
- In the Host Type field, select Unix (standard) from the drop-down
menu.
- In the User ID and Password fields, enter your account username and password.
- Make sure the Anonymous checkbox is
unchecked. You
may choose to either check or uncheck Save Pwd.
- Leave the Account and Comment fields blank.
- In the Profile Name field, enter the
name of the host computer you are trying to connect to. Example: sophia.smith.edu
- When you're done, the window should look something like this:
- Click the OK button to make the connection.
- If the connection is successful, the file transfer window will appear showing the contents
of a directory on your C: drive (Local System) on the left and a directory on the remote
computer (Remote System) on the right.
(Note that "directory" is another name for "folder".)

At the bottom of the window, click on the Binary radio button, and put a check in the Auto checkbox.
Navigating to the Appropriate Directories
- Notice the current directories in the Remote System and Local System windows.
- If the current directories are incorrect (that is, they do not show you the files you
want to transfer and the location you wish to transfer them into), you can use any of the
following methods to change your location:
- Click on the ChgDir button
to enter the full path to a different directory.
Example: h:/mywebprojects/
- Double-click on any directory folder to move one level deeper into
the directory structure.
- Double-click on the green up-pointing arrow at the top of the
directory listing to navigate one level up in the directory structure.
- Click on the ChgDir button
to enter the full path to a different directory.
Selecting and Transferring Files
- Once you are in the right location, highlight the file(s) you wish to transfer.
- Use the arrow buttons in the area between the Remote System and Local System windows
to initiate the transfer:
- To transfer files from the remote system to your local system, click
on the left-pointing arrow.
- To transfer files from your local system to the remote system, click
on the right-pointing arrow.
- To transfer files from the remote system to your local system, click
on the left-pointing arrow.
- The status box at the bottom of the WS_FTP window will display progress messages as the file transfer proceeds.














