How do I use the Files.Warwick files transfer utility (SFTP)?
You can install a file transfer utility (an SFTP program) to access your Files.Warwick space through Windows Explorer or Mac Finder.
Using Files.Warwick through Windows Explorer or Mac Finder allows you to work with your files in a familiar way. For example, you can open a file from your Files.Warwick space directly in a program such as Word, edit it and then save it straight back to Files.Warwick. Using a transfer utility in this way makes it much easier to maintain files and folders as there is no need to open a web browser to work with your files. You can simply have a new drive letter pointing to your Files.Warwick space and then drag and drop files between your PC's (or Mac's) drives and your Files.Warwick space. This works for both personal and shared group spaces within files.Warwick. Any files you copy, move or edit in this way will then immediately be reflected in the web view of your file space, so you can get at the latest version of your files from anywhere you've got a web browser.
Firstly you need to download and install ExpanDrive, the program which connects your Windows or Mac desktop (requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher) to Files.Warwick. (This is the easiest option, but you are free to use any other SFTP application such as FileZilla or WebDrive.)
Download Files.Warwick ExpanDrive Client:
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For Windows (exe file)
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For University Managed Desktops (exe file)
- For Mac (zip file) - This requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher. Please note that there are known problems with ExpanDrive on OS X Lion, where you may experience intermittent disconnections. As soon as a fix becomes available, we will make it available here. (skip to instructions for Mac)
If you are not already signed in as a staff or student, you will be asked to enter your login details first.
Step by step instructions for Windows
Click on the link (above) to download the appropriate ExpanDrive client (you will be asked to sign in, if you are not already).
Double click on the ExpanDriveWarwick.exe file to run it.
You should then see the Files.Warwick setup wizard.
Click on 'Install'.
Once ExpanDrive has installed, click on 'Finish' to close the wizard.
The ExpanDrive window will be displayed.
Type in your usual ITS usercode and password, then click on the 'Connect' button.
The installer will automatically add a new entry for Files.Warwick and will probably chose Drive W or the next available drive on your computer and then next time you log in the drive will automatically be available from Windows Explorer.
To access the SFTP drive to change settings, you can click on the magnet icon in your Windows TaskBar at the bottom right of the screen. Rolling over the magnet will tell you it is Files.Warwick - powered by ExpanDrive. Clicking on it will display the ExpanDrive window as above. Make any changes and click on the 'Connect' button to connect.
Note: If two people are sharing the same computer in a work area, then ExpanDrive will not automatically create an entry for Files.Warwick, so each person will need to install their own entry for Files.Warwick by creating a new drive for it using the ExpanDrive window above.
Step by step instructions for Mac
Please note that there are known problems with ExpanDrive on OS X Lion, where you may experience intermittent disconnections. As soon as a fix becomes available, we will make it available here.
Click on the link (above) to download and unzip the appropriate ExpanDrive client (you will be asked to sign in, if you are not already).
Double click the ExpanDrive folder. You will be asked if you wish to open this application from the internet. Click 'Open'.
The Files.Warwick ExpanDrive window will be displayed. Don't try and connect immediately, instead click on the 'cog' button at the bottom of the window and click 'Edit'.
You should now see the settings dialogue for ExpanDrive.
Type in your usual ITS usercode and password, then click on 'Connect'.
The installer will automatically add a new entry for Files.Warwick and then next time you log in to your computer Files.Warwick will automatically be available from Mac Finder.
Setup for other applications
If you use the ExpanDrive installer provided you will find it already set up to access Files.Warwick, but if you are using another application (or for some reason your ExpanDrive isn't set up correctly) then you should simply need to add a new entry to the server files.warwick.ac.uk, using your ITS login details. If the application you are using supports other protocols such as FTP, you should ensure that SFTP over port 22 is definitely selected. How this is done depends on the application you are using.
Advanced tip: improving transfer speed
If you are often transferring large files over the command line, you can improve speeds by changing to a different encryption cipher. Blowfish is faster than the default, 3-des. How you do this depends on the application you're using, but for commandline sftp you should add the option -c blowfish.
In future the server may try to negotiate the Blowfish cipher by default so that everybody benefits from the speed increase.
