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| ====== WinSCP Technical Requirements ====== | ====== WinSCP Technical Requirements ====== | ||
| - | ===== Server requirements ===== | ||
| - | Using WinSCP, it is possible to connect to a SSH (Secure SHell) server with SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) or SCP (Secure Copy Protocol) service, mainly to UNIX machines. SFTP is a standard part of SSH2 package. SCP is a standard part of SSH1 package. Both protocols can be run even on the latter SSH version. WinSCP supports both SSH1 and SSH2. For authentication, the user can use username and password or public key (RSA or DSA). Other supported means of authorization include TIS, Cryptocard and Keyboard-interactive. | ||
| - | &screenshot(advanced) | + | ===== Server Requirements ===== |
| + | Using WinSCP, you can connect to an [[SSH]] (Secure Shell) server with [[SFTP]] (SSH File Transfer Protocol) or [[SCP]] (Secure Copy Protocol) service, to an [[FTP]] (File Transfer Protocol) server, HTTP server with WebDAV service or store system with [[S3]] protocol support. | ||
| - | To generate a public key file, use the [[&puttygenhelp|PuTTYgen]] application. Also read how to use the [[&pageanthelp|Pageant]] application for public key authentication. (PuTTY's SSH authentication agent). You can find links to download these programs in the [[&download|Download]] section. The installation package of WinSCP already includes these applications. | + | SFTP is a standard file transfer protocol supported by most SSH servers. SCP is legacy protocol, supported mostly by OpenSSH and some other servers. For authentication, you can use user name and password or [[public key]]. Other authorization types include Keyboard-interactive, and Kerberos. |
| - | The user can specify his/her encryption algorithm preferences. Options are: AES (SSH2-only), Blowfish, 3DES and DES (SSH1-only). It is possible to enable compression. A connection can be established through a Proxy (HTTP, SOCKS 4/5 or Telnet). | + | For FTP, both the basic unencrypted variant and [[ftps|FTPS]] are supported. Compressed transfers (Zlib) are not supported. |
| - | ===== SFTP requirements ===== | + | For WebDAV, both the basic unencrypted variant and WebDAVS are supported. Compressed transfers (Zlib) are not supported. |
| - | For SFTP, the only requirement beyond the server requirements above is to run SFTP on the server. It is best to run it as a SSH2 subsystem. If you select SFTP-only on the login screen and the SFTP subsystem is not found, WinSCP will try to find the SFTP server in some common directories (/usr/lib/sftp-server, /usr/local/lib/sftp-server, etc.). This way, it is possible to use SFTP even with SS1, which does not support subsystems. | + | |
| - | ===== SCP requirements ===== | + | ===== [[sftp]] SFTP Requirements ===== |
| - | To transfer files, scp1 is used (it is called from within scp). If only scp2 is allowed on your server, check the "Use scp2 with scp1 compatibility" option on the "SCP" tab in the login dialog. | + | For SFTP, the only requirement beyond the server requirements above is to run SFTP on the server. Most SSH servers include SFTP server. |
| - | For correct functionality, it is necessary to satisfy a few conditions. The BASH shell is recommended for working with WinSCP. If your default shell doesn't work with WinSCP, you can specify another shell on the "SCP" tab in the Login dialog. Typing the full path (e.g. "/bin/bash") is recommended. | + | ===== [[scp]] SCP Requirements ===== |
| + | As the SCP protocol implements file transfers only, WinSCP must use other means to implement the additional functionality (like directory listing). WinSCP uses Unix-like shell commands to do that. This in turn means that when using the SCP protocol, it can connect to servers that run Unix-like or its emulation only. | ||
| - | &screenshot(shell) | + | To transfer files, ''scp1'' is used (it is called from within ''scp''). If only ''scp2'' is allowed on your server, check the //[[ui_login_scp#other_options|Use scp2 with scp1 compatibility]]// option on the //[[ui_login_scp|SCP/Shell page]]// on the Advanced Site Settings dialog. |
| - | For its operation, WinSCP needs several commands: alias, cd, chgrp, chmod, chown, echo, groups, ls, mkdir, mv, pwd, scp, rm, ln, unalias and unset. These commands have to be placed in the path and user must have sufficient permissions to execute them. WinSCP expects "standard" behaviour of these commands. You can avoid needing these commands by not using some of WinSCP functions (mkdir, chown, ln, etc.) or by changing some configuration options (alias, groups, unalias and unset). | + | For correct functionality, you must do the following. The ''bash'' shell is recommended for working with WinSCP. If your default shell doesn't work with WinSCP, you can make WinSCP use [[ui_login_scp#shell|other shell]]. |
| - | Just after estabilishing the connection with server, all aliases on the above commands are cleared. This is done to avoid unexpected behaviour (e.g. alias "rm" to "rm -i"). If there are no aliases influencing command behaviour, this feature can be disabled on the "SCP" tab in the Login dialog. This setting speeds up the login process. | + | For its operation, WinSCP needs several commands: ''cd'', ''chgrp'', ''chmod'', ''chown'', ''echo'', ''groups'', ''ls'', ''mkdir'', ''mv'', ''pwd'', ''scp'', ''rm'', ''ln'', ''unalias'' and ''unset''. These commands have to be placed in the path and the user must have sufficient permissions to execute them. WinSCP expects "standard" behavior of these commands. You can avoid needing these commands by not using some of the WinSCP functions (''mkdir'', ''chown'', ''ln'', etc.) or by changing some configuration options (''groups'', ''unalias'' and ''unset''). |
| - | Another precondition is that the output of all commands is in English. This mostly concerns aldo sosaThe last necessary condition is the proper output of ls -la command, which is supposed to include file group name! If the group name is absent, it can be temporarily added using the relevant option on the "SCP" tab in the Login dialog. The option causes the execution of the command "alias ls="ls -g"" on startup. | + | Just after establishing the connection with a server, all [[ui_login_scp#other_options|aliases on the above commands are cleared]]. This helps avoid unexpected behavior. |
| - | ===== Using WinSCP with Restricted Shell Enviroments ===== | + | Another precondition is that the output of all commands be in English. This mostly concerns names of months in directory listings (''ls -la''). Because of this, WinSCP [[ui_login_scp#other_options|clears all user variables that govern command output]] after login. If command output also reflects some other server settings, it may be necessary to change this before WinSCP can be used. |
| - | A number of restricted shell enviroments exist for supporting | + | |
| - | scp/sftp only accounts. These systems restrict the user to a small | + | |
| - | subset of commands needed to manipulate files while denying the | + | |
| - | ability to execute arbitrary commands. Some of these enviroments | + | |
| - | create incompatabilities with WinSCP, particularly if using SCP | + | |
| - | instead of SFTP. | + | |
| - | ===== Client Requirements ===== | + | The last necessary condition is the proper output of the ''ls -la'' command, particularly the standard number and ordering of the columns. If the default output does not satisfy the needs of WinSCP you can use //[[ui_login_scp#directory_listing|Listing command]]// option on the //SCP/Shell page// on the Advanced Site Settings dialog to modify it. |
| - | WinSCP should run on any system running Windows 95 or later. | + | |
| + | WinSCP will attempt detect support for the ''%%--full-time%%'' switch of the ''ls'' command. If the detection causes you problems, you can [[ui_login_scp#directory_listing|disable]] it. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===== [[restricted_shell]] Using WinSCP with Restricted Shell Environments ===== | ||
| + | A number of restricted shell environments exist for supporting | ||
| + | SFTP/SCP only accounts. These systems restrict an user to a small | ||
| + | subset of commands needed to manipulate files, while denying an | ||
| + | ability to execute arbitrary commands. Some of these environments | ||
| + | create incompatibilities with WinSCP, particularly if using %%SCP%%. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===== [[remote_environment]] Effect of Remote User Environment on WinSCP Sessions ===== | ||
| + | Most shells nowadays offer options to make the user experience better. Unfortunately many of these options make the shell incompatible with WinSCP. | ||
| + | |||
| + | This mainly affects the SCP protocol. An example is colorized output from the ''ls'' command that includes ANSI color sequences which WinSCP cannot parse. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Also, the SFTP protocol can be affected. A typical example is where some message is | ||
| + | printed from a start-up script. WinSCP (and any other SFTP client) will attempt to parse the message as an SFTP packet, which will obviously fail. | ||
| + | |||
| + | You should configure your start-up scripts to conform to non-interactive sessions (like WinSCP). Some shells call different profile/start-up scripts for interactive and non-interactive sessions. You can also use some environment variables, such as ''TERM'' to distinguish interactive and non-interactive sessions. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===== [[client]] Client Requirements ===== | ||
| + | WinSCP runs on Microsoft Windows XP SP2/Windows Server 2003 SP1 and newer, up to Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022. //The latest beta version// runs on Windows 7/2008 and newer only. &beta WinSCP runs both on client and server editions of Microsoft Windows. We know of no reason why WinSCP should not continue to work on future versions of Microsoft Windows. | ||
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| + | The application //installer// does not run on Windows 7 without SP1/2008 R2 without SP1 and older. If you need to use WinSCP on an older version of Windows, use //Portable executables// download. | ||
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| + | While there is 32-bit version of WinSCP available only, it runs on 64-bit editions of Microsoft Windows. | ||
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| + | On Windows Server, WinSCP runs both in "Server with Desktop Experience" ("Server with a GUI") and "Server Core" installation options. | ||
| + | |||
| + | WinSCP also runs on [[https://www.winehq.org/|Wine]]. See [[https://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?sClass=application&iId=1285|WinSCP entry on Wine AppDB]]. | ||
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| + | WinSCP requires 40–100 MB of free disk space. | ||
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| + | We take care to make WinSCP an ==accessible== application, particularly to visually impaired people. WinSCP can be used on systems with screen readers. | ||