Navigating Remote Servers

Language:

The file manager provides an integrated access point to files, applications, FTP sites, Windows shares, WebDav servers, and SSH servers.

Accessing a Remote Server

You can use the file manager to access a remote server, regardless of whether it is an FTP site, a Windows share, a WebDav server, or an SSH server.

To access a remote server, choose File → Connect to Server. You can also access this dialog from the menubar by choosing Places → Connect to Server.

To connect to a remote server, start by choosing the service type, then type the server address. If required, you can provide the following optional information.

Remote Server Information	Description
Port	Port to connect to on the server. This setting must be used if you are not using the default port. You would normally leave this blank.
Folder	Folder to open upon connecting to a server.
User Name	The user name of the account used to connect to the server. This value is supplied with the connection information. The user name information is not appropriate for a public FTP connection.
Name to use for connection	The designation of the connection as it will appear in the file manager.
Share	Name of the desired Windows share. This setting is only applicable to Windows shares.
Domain name	Windows domain. This setting is only applicable to Windows shares.

If the server information is provided in the form of a URI, or if you require a specialized connection, choose Custom Location as the service type.

Once you have filled in the information, click Connect. On successful connection, the contents of the site are displayed and you can drag and drop files to and from the remote server.

Accessing Network Places

If your system is configured to access places on a network, you can use the file manager to access network places.

To access network places, open File Manager and choose Places → Network, or choose Go → Network in a browser window. The accessible networks are displayed in a window. Double-click the network that you want to access.

To access UNIX shares, double-click the Unix Network (NFS) object. A list of the UNIX shares available is displayed in the File Manager window.

To access Windows shares, double-click the Windows Network (SMB) object. A list of the Windows shares available is displayed in the File Manager window.

Accessing Special URI Locations

The file manager has certain special URI locations that enable you to access particular functions from the file manager. These locations are intended for advanced users. In most cases, an easier method of accessing the function or location exists.

You can use the special URI location, network:///, with the file manager to display network locations to which you can connect if your system is configured to access locations on a network. To access a network location, double-click the network location. You can also use this URI to add network locations to your system. See also Accessing Network Places.