Last Updated on October 22, 2022 by Dave Farquhar
FTP is a useful way to get files to your retro PCs once you put them on your network. You can use a GUI FTP client, but command line FTP isn’t hard and doesn’t require you to install anything additional. Here’s how to use command line FTP.
Setting up your retro DOS box as an FTP server
Here’s how to get an FTP server running on your retro DOS box. I prefer to use the DOS machine as the server and my modern machine as the client, since it’s not a great idea to have an FTP server running all the time.
All modern operating systems still have a command line FTP client. And it provides a true retro experience. FTP was the main way I transferred files on the Internet for much of the 90s.
A GUI FTP client is convenient, but if you can’t use one for whatever reason, command line FTP doesn’t have to be hard to use. You can get by if you can remember a small number of commands.
How to use command line FTP: Three commands
These are three most useful commands you need to remember:
BINARY
Issuing the command BINARY instructs the FTP client and server to transfer files without any translation. This is the most useful file transfer mode but isn’t always the default. So never assume it is. Issue this command before transferring files to avoid corruption.
PUT
Issuing the command PUT instructs the FTP client to upload a file. Simply type PUT (filename) to transfer a file from your local machine to the server.
GET
Issuing the command GET instructs the FTP client to download a file. Simply type GET (filename) to transfer a file from your server to the local machine.
BYE
Issuing the command BYE logs out of the remote FTP server.
Other FTP commands
Here are some other useful command line FTP commands you can use. You won’t use them as often, but knowing them can be helpful.
DELETE
Issuing the command DELETE instructs the FTP client to delete a file. Simply type DELETE (filename) to delete a file on your server.
DIR
Issuing the command DIR lists the files on the remote server.
!
Issuing the command ! drops you to a local command prompt, so you can issue DOS commands on your local machine. Type EXIT to return to your FTP client.
David Farquhar is a computer security professional, entrepreneur, and author. He started his career as a part-time computer technician in 1994, worked his way up to system administrator by 1997, and has specialized in vulnerability management since 2013. He invests in real estate on the side and his hobbies include O gauge trains, baseball cards, and retro computers and video games. A University of Missouri graduate, he holds CISSP and Security+ certifications. He lives in St. Louis with his family.