How to Connect to an FTP Server from the Finder in OS X Leopard

With OS X Leopard, you no longer need a separate FTP (file transfer protocol) client to connect, upload and download to an FTP server. Thanks to the UNIX-based system of Mac OS X, you can FTP directly from the Finder.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. 

   Go to the Finder and click “Go” in the Finder menu, then select “Connect to Server.” This will bring up the Connect to Server dialog box.

2. 
   Entering the FTP server address

   Enter the address of the FTP server you want to connect to, using the FTP URL--for example, ftp://server_name.domain. If you are connecting to a public FTP server, the server will connect and log in using “user/anonymous” login and password. If the server requires a user name and password, you will see a prompt in a Finder window requesting your user name and password.

3. 
   A public FTP server being browsed in Icon view

   Enter your user name and password and hit “Return.” The FTP server will open in a Finder window and can be browsed using Icon, List, Column or Preview mode on your Mac.

4. 
   Dragging an FTP file to the desktop

   Download a file by simply dragging and dropping the file to your desktop or the directory where you want to use to download the file. To upload a file to an FTP server, simply drag and drop the file to the directory you want to upload the file to on the server.

5. 
   Dissconnect the FTP server by dragging its icon to the Trash.

   Drag the FTP server icon on your desktop to the trash when you are finished with uploading or downloading your files to the FTP server. The FTP server disconnects in the same way you remove any other server or eject a CD or DVD.