SFTP for Windows

Weinberg Web Communications recommends Contribute for editing web pages. Dreamweaver users should consult Updating with Dreamweaver for more information.

SFTP for Windows should only be used when installing Contribute or Dreamweaver 8 (or above) is not an option.

See Web Site Concepts and Definitions for an overview of updating pages on the web.

• Installing SSH/SFTP
• Changing Your Password with SSH
• Uploading and Downloading with SFTP
• Additional Help

Installing SSH/SFTP

1. Visit SSH Secure Shell, Version 3 on the NUIT web site and scroll down to the "The Windows SSH 3 Client Binary." Click on the "Windows SSH installer" and when prompted, save it to your desktop
2. Follow the instructions on the NUIT site to install the software
3. Once you have SSH on your computer, you should be able to find a shortcut to the program on your desktop and/or in your Start Menu

Changing Your Password with SSH

1. Make sure you have a login ID and password that Weinberg Web Communications assigned to you
2. Find the SSH Secure Client program and open it
3. Near the top left of the window that was opened should be an icon that says "Quick Connect." Click on that, and type in the following prompts:
   Host Name: www.wcas.northwestern.edu
   User Name: Your assigned user name here
   When you have done this, click "connect"
4. At the password prompt, type in your password
5. You should now be logged on, and a rectangular blue cursor should indicate where you can type in commands
6. Type passwd and hit enter
7. Type in your current password when prompted. Hit enter
8. When prompted, type in your new password (you will not see the cursor move). Hit enter, and then retype your new password. Hit enter again
9. You have now changed your old temporary password to your new one. Close the program, and don’t forget your password!

Uploading and Downloading with SFTP

1. Find the SSH File Transfer Client program on your machine and open it.
2. Near the top left of the window that was opened should be an icon that says "Quick Connect." Click on that, and type in the following prompts:
   Host Name: "www.wcas.northwestern.edu"
   User Name: Your assigned user name here
   When you have done this, click "connect"
3. At the password prompt, type in your password.
4. You should be logged onto the FTP program now.
5. Depending on the version of SSH you have, first time users of SSH might not have all of the relevant information in the window that they need. Make sure you have:
   • Remote window (the contents of the online folder you just logged onto)
   • Remote menu (a sort of map of where you are on the server). Usually your remote menu is already present when you open the program. If you don’t see your remote menu, search through the icons at the top of the window and find one or that looks like two folders (upon putting your mouse over it, the description should be “show/hide windows.” You might have two of these "show/hide window" icons. Select the one that is directly above your remote window. Doing this should result in a new box with a menu appearing next to your remote window box. You can use this menu to navigate through the Internet structure.
   • Use the text menu and go to "View" and make sure "Show root directory" is checked.
6. To navigate through the Internet structure in order to find the particular folder and its contents you want to work with, follow this path: “/” ? “live” ? your site’s folder name. Once you have clicked into this area, every file that is in your site’s main folder is published on your web site and is able to be edited by you.
7. Downloading: When you are at your site’s main folder, search through the folders in the remote window and find the document(s) you would like to download onto your computer (so you can edit them). Select the documents you would like to download by clicking on one and dragging the icon onto the folder on your computer that you would like it to go to. If you want to simultaneously download multiple files, instead of clicking on an individual one, use your mouse to click and highlight around the area around all of the files you want. CONGRATULATIONS! YOU JUST DOWNLOADED! Now you can edit the files that you’ve downloaded onto your computer. Do this by finding the file(s)/document(s) on your hard drive. It should be exactly where you downloaded it to. When you find the html file, right click on it and select "Edit with Dreamweaver." After you open it and edit it through Dreamweaver, be sure to SAVE it, and then close the Dreamweaver program. (Note: if you downloaded a non-html file, you will have to edit it with other programs)
   
8. Uploading: Whether you have just edited your file(s) or you made a new one on your computer, in order to have it appear on the Internet, you will have to upload it to the server using SSH File Transfer Client (again). Make sure you are still logged onto SSH File Transfer Client, then find and click to the destination you would like your file(s)/folder(s) to end up. Next, on your computer, find the file(s)/folder(s) you would like to upload and drag all of them into the destination folder in the SSH remote window. CONGRATULATIONS! YOU JUST UPLOADED! But…there’s one more thing you have to do. Set your permissions. You can do this by highlighting all of the files and folders you just uploaded, then right click and select “properties.” Under the “permissions:” category, find “permission mask:” and make sure the permission number “775” is typed into the prompt. “775” should correspond to a pattern of checkmarks that tell SSH who gets access to your files. It is important that you set permissions because if you have the wrong one, no one will be able to access your web site or its files but you.

Additional Help

For additional assistance, e-mail web@wcas.northwestern.edu or visit the Contact Us page.