Accessing the root directory through Windows Explorer FTP?

Question

How do I navigate to the root directory of a Linux FTP server through Windows Explorer?

In Windows 7 (not sure about Windows XP), you can click the URL bar and type in ftp://user@hostname, which will then ask you for a password, etc. then you'll be able to navigate through your home directory, but I haven't been able to find out a way to go up to simply the root directory (/).

If there is no way to do this, then perhaps someone could recommend me a convenient way to access my Linux FTP server from my Windows machine.

Solution

Answer :

Command line : If you are doing this from the machine with running ftp : ftp 127.0.0.1, enter user name, enter password, 'pwd' for current directory, 'cd ..' will take you back a directory.

Explorer : ftp://user@pass:127.0.0.1 explorer is not as useful as most other ftp interfaces. You will have to make sure that you specify that the user is configured to log into the ftp root as its home directory in the ftp server config. You might find it easier to navigate using programs like wsftp, filezilla or ftpsurfer. You can also mount your ftp as a drive with explorer, nerveless you still need to setup logon directory to root in your server config.

Solution :

You can use tools like Webdrive, Netdrive, Expandrive, Anyclient to mount your ftp as a drive with windows, with those tools you don't need to change your server config, you can specify to mount the root directory on explorer. http://alternativeto.net/software/webdrive/

Alternatives :

Classic ftp client like CuteFTP http://alternativeto.net/software/cuteftp-home/

Comments

[Admin]

When you log into an FTP server, the initial directory is typically set based on the user that logs in. Additional permission for where that user can navigate will also be specified on the server. If you have control of the server, you need to ensure that you have given the user permissions to access the root.

[Admin]

I have access to view the files in the root directory, but I just have no idea how to traverse to the root directory.

[Admin]

for example, if you are doing this from the machine with running ftp: ftp 127.0.0.1, enter user name, enter password, 'pwd' for current directory, 'cd ..' will take you back a directory. You can use 'cd ..' to go all the way back to root. Now remember, the root (/) that we are talking about is whatever you specified as the root of the ftp directory. If you did not specify the root (/) of your file system as the root of your ftp server, you will never be able to get there. Also remember that permissions via the filesystem and permissions via ftp config are two completely different things.

[Admin]

Now if you are doing this from explorer on the client side, it will be much the same as above, but explorer is not as useful as most other ftp interfaces. You will want to make sure that you specify that the user is configured to log into the ftp root as its home directory in the ftp server config. You might find it easier to navigate using programs like wsftp, filezilla or ftpsurfer.

[Admin]

Have you checked you're not chrooted? Do you have an ssh access to your server? Try access to your ftp server with a CLI also and with the "cd .." command.