This guide contains simplified description of exchanging files over Internet with WinSCP.

Before starting you should have WinSCP installed.

To exchange files with WinSCP you need a file server to store the files to. If you need to exchange files securely you have to look to SFTP/SSH or at least FTPS server. Otherwise FTP server is enough. You have these options when finding/setting up a server:

• You may already have a suitable server if you have a webhosting;
• You can turn your Windows workstation into a file server. If you want to exchange files securely, setup a SSH/SFTP server. You may try these:
  • copSSH: open source, based on OpenSSH, most commonly used one;
  • freeSSHd: freeware, easy to setup;
• You may also setup a dedicated server for the purpose. This task is out of scope of this topic, however note that all Unix/Linux operating systems include an SSH/SFTP server already (usually OpenSSH).

For actual file exchange, you have two options:

• Use the file server as remote file system, allowing others to upload/manage files as well. See guide to upload files1).
• You can publish the files on Internet, letting others only to download the files2). See guide to upload files to web.

• Guide to uploading files to Internet;
• Troubleshooting.