---
title: "FTP Input and SFTP Input"
slug: "ftp-input-and-sftp-input"
description: "Information about the FTP Input and SFTP Input modules."
updated: 2026-04-13T14:37:44Z
published: 2026-04-13T14:37:44Z
canonical: "kb.lasernetgroup.com/ftp-input-and-sftp-input"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.lasernetgroup.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# FTP Input and SFTP Input

**Applies to:** Lasernet Core 11

Used for retrieving files from FTP, FTPS, and SFTP servers at specified time intervals. Lasernet Core can retrieve multiple files per connection.

## FTP

Add an FTP Input module to add a connection to an FTP server.

Enter the address of the server into the **Host** field. Add the server port number into the **Port** field (default is 21). If a username and password is required, enter it in the corresponding fields (defaults to anonymous logon if no credentials are specified). Click **Determine Settings** to validate against the specified host and retrieve information for supported ports, transfer modes, protocols, SSL types and Clear Control Channel (active/not active).

![Conection properties for an FTP input](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/ftp input.png)

### **Connection**

| **Host** | URL for FTP. Protocol type or remote path should not be included as part of URL. |
| --- | --- |
| **Port** | Specify the port number used by the FTP server. Default value is 21. |
| **Timeout** | If the connection cannot be established before the timeout limit it will fail. Default timeout is 30 seconds. |
| **Username and password** | If user authentication is required, enter a username and password, otherwise anonymous logon will be used by default. |
| **Remote path** | The remote path on the FTP server where files need to be uploaded to (if different from the default log in directory of the FTP server). Click the **Browse** button to select, create or delete a folder on the remote host. |
| **Filename/mask** | Wildcards are supported for selecting one or more files to retrieve. |
| **Transfer mode** | Active mode, passive mode and extended passive mode are supported. In **active mode**, the FTP client opens a dynamic port, sends the FTP server the dynamic port number on which it is listening over the control stream and waits for a connection from the FTP server. When the FTP server initiates the data connection to the FTP client, it binds the source port to port 20 on the FTP server. In **passive mode**, the FTP server opens a dynamic port, sends the FTP client the server's IP address to connect to and the port on which it is listening over the control stream and waits for a connection from the FTP client. In this case, the FTP client binds the source port of the connection to a dynamic port. In **extended passive mode**, the FTP server operates exactly the same as passive mode, however it only transmits the port number (not broken into high and low bytes) and the client is to assume that it connects to the same IP address that was originally connected to. |

## FTPS

Add an FTP Input module, configure it as described above, and then enable **Auth SSL**, **Auth TLS** or **Implicit SSL/TLS** on the **Security** tab.

Enter the FTPS server’s port number into the **Port** field (default is 21).

![A screenshot of a computer AI-generated content may be incorrect.](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/ftp-input-and-sftp-input-image-jnpxb38d.png)

| **Secure Socket Layer** | FTPS (SSL/TLS) is available in two incompatible modes. If using explicit FTPS, the client connects to the normal FTP port and explicitly switches into secure (**SSL/TLS**) mode with **AUTH TLS**, whereas **Implicit SSL** is an older style service that assumes SSL/TLS mode right from the start of the connection (and normally listens on TCP port 990, rather than 21). If a **verifiable server SSL certificate** is required, it must be activated. Ensure that certificate is not expired, and the signature is valid. Using **Clear Control Channel** enables the Firewall to open the correct ports. |
| --- | --- |
| **Requirements** | **SubjectDN:** Identifies the DN of the server’s certificate **SubjectCN:** The certificate owner’s common name **IssuerDN:** Identifies the CA that issued the certificate **IssuerCN:** The certificate issuer’s common name |
| **Best Practices / Ciphers** | Click **Best Practices** to use the default cipher algorithm provided by the server. Click **Ciphers** to select specific algorithms to allow. Select ciphers in the “available” list then click **Allow** to move them to the “allowed” list. Their order in the “allowed list” specifies their order of preference; use **Move Up** and **Move Down** to change algorithm order. Ciphers provide encryption, authentication, and data integrity checks in file transfer. > [!NOTE] > Note > > If you click **Ciphers** but do not explicitly allow any, all available ciphers are allowed. You can disallow connections with servers having keys smaller than **512 bits**, **1024 bits** or **2048 bits**. You can choose to **Secure Renegotiation (as per RFC 5746)**. |

## FTP and FTPS Options

![A screenshot of a computer AI-generated content may be incorrect.](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/ftp-input-and-sftp-input-image-pj8o9kt3.png)

| **FEAT** | Select **FEAT** if you need to ask the server for additional commands that it supports outside the basic FTP protocol defined in RFC 959. > [!NOTE] > Note > > Not all servers respond according to the RFC 959 standard. |
| --- | --- |

## SFTP

Add an SFTP Input module to add a connection to an SFTP server. The SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) communicates over a cryptographically protected connection.

Enter the SFTP server’s port number into the **Port** field on the **Connection** tab (default is 22).

![Connection properties for an SFTP input](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/sftp input.png)

The SFTP protocol has almost identical settings to the FTP protocol, except for the following parameters:

| **Transfer mode** | Not available for SFTP. |
| --- | --- |
| **Fingerprint** | Before establishing a connection, the SFTP server sends an encrypted fingerprint of its public host keys to ensure that the SFTP connection will be exchanging data with the correct server. Once you have established a connection to an SFTP server and are sure that it is the correct server, you should save the fingerprint information locally. This enables you to check the fingerprint information against the data you have saved every time you establish a new connection to ensure that no one is between you and the server. > [!TIP] > Tip > > To achieve a higher level of connection security protection, consider arranging to receive the SFTP server fingerprint before Lasernet Core connects to the server for the first time. Arrange to receive the fingerprint in two halves, with each half sent through a different communication channel (for example, first half sent through email, second half sent through a communication app). After reconstructing the fingerprint, you can check that fingerprint against the one that the SFTP server provides when Lasernet Core connects to it for the first time (and all subsequent times). |
| **Security** tab | Contains optional **Private Key** and accompanying **Password** setting. Contains a **Cipher** list, which controls the cipher used for the connection. Ciphers provide encryption, authentication, and data integrity checks in file transfer. If no cipher is selected, a cipher is automatically negotiated when establishing the connection. If a cipher is selected but the other party to the connection does not support it, the connection will fail. |

## JobInfos

The FTP module sets some JobInfos when creating a Job.

| **MatchedMask** | The file mask matched. |
| --- | --- |
| **Filepath** | The URL for the file without the filename. |
| **Filename** | The name of the file without URL. |
| **FullFilename** | Name of the file including URL and filename. |
| **Filesize** | Size of the file. |
| **Extension** | Extension of the file. |
| **FilenameWithoutExt** | Name of the file without URL and without extension. |

## Test Connection

Click **Test Connection** to check whether Lasernet Core can successfully connect to the FTP, FTPS, or SFTP server.