In today’s digital world, file transfers have become a vital part of everyday life. One way to make file transfers easier is by creating an FTP server. In this tutorial, we will guide you step by step on how to set up an FTP server in Windows 7, create a user account, and access your FTP from inside and outside of your network.
To begin, click on the Start button and type “run.” Click on the Run program and type “CMD” in the command prompt. Type “IP config” and press Enter to find your IP address. Write it down as it will come in handy later.
Next, create a folder in your desktop that your FTP users will access via the FTP site. Name it appropriately, and now you’re ready to install IIS. Click on Start, Control Panel, Programs, and Features, and turn on Windows Features. Checkmark Internet Information Services, FTP server, FTP extensibility, FTP service, web management tools, and world wide web services, and click OK. Once IIS is installed, go to Control Panel Home, Administrative Tools, and Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.
Expand your computer’s route, followed by the site. The default FTP site will be displayed. Right-click on Sites, click Add FTP Site, and name your site. In the physical path, look for the folder you want to share with your users via FTP. Select it and click OK. Next, click Next, select the computer’s IP address, and then select no secure socket layer (SSL) for tutorial purposes. However, this is not recommended in the long run. Under authentication, select basic, and under Allow Access To, select specified users. Type in the Windows username and give appropriate permissions. Click Finish, and you’ve created the new FTP site.
Before accessing your FTP, you must configure the firewall. Click on Start, Control Panel, and Windows Firewall. Allow programs or features through Windows Firewall and checkmark FTP server. Ensure that both checkmarks for private and public are checked, and click OK. If you want to turn off Windows Firewall, click Turn Windows Firewall on or off, then turn it off, and click OK.
Next, create a user who will access your FTP. Click on Start, Control Panel, User Accounts, Manage Another Account, Create a New Account, and name the user. You can also make the user an administrator. Once you have created the user, double-click on the account, create a password, and click Create Password.
In IIS, go to your newly created FTP site and go to FTP Authorization Rules. Right-click and click on Add Allow Rule. Select specified users and type in the name of the user you just created. Give the user permission to read or write and click OK.
To access your FTP locally, type “FTP://” in the address bar and type in the username and password of the user you just created. If you want to access it from outside your network, you need to configure your router to enable port 21.
Log in to your router using your router’s IP address and type in your username and password. Go to applications and gaming, select FTP port 21, and type in the IP address of the computer where you are hosting your FTP site. Save your settings and click continue. On Google, type “what is my IP” and write down your external IP address. In the address bar, type “FTP://” and type in the username and password of the user you just created.
In conclusion, creating an FTP server in Windows 7 is a simple process that can be done in a few steps. Creating a user account, accessing your FTP from inside and outside your network, and configuring your router may seem like a daunting task, but with this step-by-step guide, you can do it with ease.