If you would like to map an FTP or SFTP server as a local drive, we’ve got great news: SFTP NET Drive Free is free software that can map an FTP/SFTP server to a local drive letter which can be accessed just like a normal Windows drive.
‘SFTP Net Drive Free’ will install drivers on your system that enable mounting FTP/SFTP as a local drive. It is very simple to use: all you have to do is enter your server and authentication info and it will log in and mount the remote server as local drive.
The pro version adds support for advanced features, but the free version is fully functional.
How it works:
Install the program and run. In the free version, skip the ‘profile’ field (otherwise the program will barrage you with taunts about profiles being a feature of the ‘pro’ version) but fill in all the others, including a desired drive letter (if any) and click ‘Connect’.
What I like about it:
- It is simple and it works
- Easy to use: you will be connected in seconds. No complex settings; a simple GUI.
The verdict:
‘SFTP Net Drive Free’ delivers what it promises. It may be preferable to using other similar programs (such as NetDrive) on account of its simplicity.
Note that although your mapped drive will act very similar to a ‘normal’ Windows folder, many features will not apply to it (e.g. no symbolic links, no indexing, etc.). It may also be somewhat slow, which also depends on your internet connection. My attempt to sync a folder using FreeFileSync was frustratingly slow, and I ended up aborting (however, syncing with a remote FTP folder has always been challenging in my experience, even when using my favorite FTP client WINSCP). But all of these issues are to be expected, and it will provide the main function, which is to mount an FTP/SFTP server as a drive in Windows Explorer.
Get it here (Windows). More info here.
Samer Kurdi
