How to Set Up and Use an FTP Server in a Windows 11 VM

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is a standard network protocol used to transfer files between clients and servers. Setting up an FTP server in a Virtual Machine (VM) on a Windows host can help keep your main operating system secure and provide a controlled environment for file transfers. This guide will walk you through the steps to set up an FTP server using IIS (Internet Information Services) on a Windows 11 VM and then demonstrate how to use the FTP command line interface to interact with it.

Step 1: Enable IIS and FTP Server Features

1. Open Control Panel:

   • Press Windows + R, type control, and press Enter.

2. Navigate to Programs and Features:

   • Go to Programs > Programs and Features.
   • Click on Turn Windows features on or off in the left pane.

3. Enable IIS and FTP Server:

   • In the Windows Features dialog, expand the Internet Information Services node.
   • Expand FTP Server.
   • Check FTP Service and FTP Extensibility.
   • Ensure Web Management Tools and World Wide Web Services are also checked.

4. Install Features:

   • Click OK and wait for the features to be installed.

Step 2: Configure the FTP Server

1. Open IIS Manager:
   • Press Windows + R, type inetmgr, and press Enter.

1. Add FTP Site:
   • In IIS Manager, expand the node for your computer in the Connections pane.
   • Right-click Sites and select Add FTP Site.

1. FTP Site Details:

   • Site Name: Enter a name for your FTP site.
   • Physical Path: Select the folder you want to use for FTP file storage.
   • Click Next.

2. Binding and SSL Settings:

   • IP Address: Select the IP address of your VM or leave it as All Unassigned.
   • Port: Default is 21.
   • SSL: For a demo, you can choose No SSL.
   • Click Next.

1. Authentication and Authorization:
   • Authentication: Select Basic.
   • Authorization: Choose Specified users and enter your Windows username.
   • Set Permissions to Read and Write if you want to allow both uploading and downloading.
   • Click Finish.

Step 3: Configure Firewall Rules

1. Open Windows Firewall:

   • Press Windows + R, type firewall.cpl, and press Enter.

2. Allow FTP through Firewall:

   • Click on Advanced settings.
   • In the left pane, click Inbound Rules.
   • In the right pane, click New Rule.
   • Select Port and click Next.
   • Choose TCP and specify port 21.
   • Click Next, allow the connection, and complete the rule setup.

Step 4: Access the FTP Server

1. Find VM's IP Address:

   • Open Command Prompt (cmd), type ipconfig, and find the IP address of your VM.

2. Test FTP Connection:

• You may need to turn off the VM's firewall. Do turn on back once testing is done.
• Ensure the VM's network is set to Bridged-Adapter.

Using the FTP Command Line Interface

Let’s explore some hands-on examples using the FTP command line interface. These examples assume you have an FTP server set up and running.

1. Connecting to an FTP Server:

   • Open Command Prompt on your Windows host machine.
   • Connect to the FTP server using its IP address:

    ftp <ftp_server_address>
   

2. Logging In:

   • Enter your username and password:

    Name (ftp_server_address:username): your_username
    Password: your_password
   

3. Listing Files:

   • List the files in the current directory:

    ftp> ls
   

4. Changing Directories:

   • Change to a different directory:

    ftp> cd <directory_name>
   

5. Downloading a File:

   • Download a file from the FTP server:

    ftp> get <file_name>
   

6. Uploading a File:

   • Upload a file to the FTP server:

    ftp> put <file_name>
   

7. Exiting the FTP Session:

   • Exit the FTP session:

    ftp> bye
   

Conclusion

Setting up an FTP server in a Windows 11 VM on your Windows host is a recommended practice for ensuring security and isolation. By following the steps above, you can install and configure an FTP server using IIS on a Windows 11 VM, configure necessary firewall rules, and interact with the server using the FTP command line interface from your Windows host. This setup provides a robust and secure environment for managing file transfers.