How to setup and access an ftp server in Windows Server 2019 with vb.net code?

Question

How to setup and access an ftp server in Windows Server 2019 with vb.net code?

Bryan 0

I have written an app using webforms in visual studio 2019. I have setup a Windows Server 2019 on a server. With IIS, I am able to access my WebForms.aspx from the internet ok. I made an FTP server website, and also added ftp services to my first website that can access the webforms and run them from other computers. I wanted to allow users to download .exe files from my app. I have tried many code examples, and many configuration examples such as router port forwarding to 21, WebClient, and many other approaches, but noting, works. I can access the server remotely from my laptop, but all of the coding behind buttons, I have tried, it does not access the FTP site for downloading.

Bryan 0

Here are some of the coding I have tried.

Public Sub DownloadFileFromFTP(ftpServer As String, remoteFile As String, localFile As String)

        Dim request1 As New WebClient

        Dim request As Net.FtpWebRequest = CType(WebRequest.Create("ftp://" & ftpServer & "/" & remoteFile), FtpWebRequest)

        request.Method = WebRequestMethods.Ftp.DownloadFile

        Dim response As FtpWebResponse = CType(request.GetResponse(), FtpWebResponse)

        Dim stream As IO.Stream = response.GetResponseStream()

        Dim localFileStream As New FileStream(localFile, FileMode.Create, FileAccess.Write)

        Dim buffer(1024) As Byte

        Dim bytesRead As Integer

        localFileStream.Write(buffer, 0, bytesRead)

    Do While bytesRead = stream.Read(buffer, 0, buffer.Length) > 0

        localFileStream.Write(buffer, 0, bytesRead)

    Loop

    localFileStream.Close()

        stream.Close()

        response.Close()

    End Sub

Private Sub ImageButton8_Click(sender As Object, e As ImageClickEventArgs) Handles ImageButton8.Click

        Dim ftpServer = "192.168.1.157/WIN-1GV74A6MPLP/ChemTechFTP"

        Dim remoteFile = "Convert.exe"

        Dim localFile = "C:\downloads\Convert.exe"

        DownloadFileFromFTP(ftpServer, remoteFile, localFile)

    End Sub

Private Sub FTPDownloadFile(ByVal downloadpath As String, ByVal ftpuri As String, localfile As String)

        Dim request As New WebClient()

        Dim bytes() As Byte = request.DownloadData(ftpuri)

        Try

            Dim DownloadStream As FileStream = IO.File.Create(downloadpath)

            DownloadStream.Write(bytes, 0, bytes.Length)

            DownloadStream.Close()

        Catch ex As Exception

            MsgBox(ex.Message)

            Exit Sub

        End Try

        MsgBox("Process Complete")

    End Sub

Private Sub ImageButton9_Click(sender As Object, e As ImageClickEventArgs) Handles ImageButton9.Click

        Dim downloadpath = "ftp://192.168.1.157/ChemTechFTP"

        Dim ftpuri = "Convert.exe"

        Dim localFile = "C:\Convert.exe"

        DownloadFileFromFTP(downloadpath, ftpuri, localFile)

    End Sub

Private Sub ImageButton11_Click(sender As Object, e As ImageClickEventArgs) Handles ImageButton11.Click

        Dim remoteUri As String = "ftp://192.168.1.157/ChemTechFTP/files/"

        Dim fileName As String = "Convert.exe"

        Dim myWebClient As New WebClient()

        Dim myStringWebResource As String = remoteUri + fileName

        Console.WriteLine("Downloading File ""{0}"" from ""{1}"" ......." + ControlChars.Cr + ControlChars.Cr, fileName, myStringWebResource)

        myWebClient.DownloadFile(myStringWebResource, fileName)

        Console.WriteLine("Successfully Downloaded file ""{0}"" from ""{1}""", fileName, myStringWebResource)

        Console.WriteLine(ControlChars.Cr + "Downloaded file saved in the following file system folder:" + ControlChars.Cr + ControlChars.Tab)

    End Sub

    Private Sub ImageButton12_Click(sender As Object, e As ImageClickEventArgs) Handles ImageButton12.Click

        DownloadFile()

    End Sub

    Sub DownloadFile()

        Dim address As String = "http://192.168.1.157/ChemTechFTP/Convert"

        Dim locadress As String = "C:\dump\Convert"

        Dim download As WebClient

        Try

            download = New WebClient

            download.DownloadFileAsync(New Uri(address), locadress)

            AddHandler download.DownloadFileCompleted, AddressOf FinishDownload

        Catch ex As Exception

            MsgBox(ex.Message)

        End Try

    End Sub

    Sub FinishDownload(sender As Object, e As AsyncCompletedEventArgs)

        Try

            If e.Cancelled = False AndAlso e.Error Is Nothing Then

            End If

        Catch ex As Exception

            MsgBox(ex.Message)

        End Try

    End Sub

    Private Sub ImageButton13_Click(sender As Object, e As ImageClickEventArgs) Handles ImageButton13.Click

        Dim FolderBrowserDiaglog1 As New FolderBrowserDialog()

    Dim folderPath As String = "C:\"

    Dim fileName As String = "Convert.exe"

        Dim downloadFile As String = "http://192.168.1.157:21/ChemTech/Convert.exe" ''VLC MEDIA PLAYER

        If FolderBrowserDiaglog1.ShowDialog() = DialogResult.OK Then

            folderPath = FolderBrowserDiaglog1.SelectedPath

        End If

        If My.Computer.Network.IsAvailable Then

            Dim combinePath As String = System.IO.Path.Combine(folderPath, fileName)

            WClient.DownloadFileAsync(New Uri(downloadFile), combinePath)

        End If

    End Sub

    Private Sub WClient_DownloadFileCompleted(sender As Object, e As AsyncCompletedEventArgs) Handles WClient.DownloadFileCompleted

        MessageBox.Show("File Downloaded")

    End Sub

    Private Sub ImageButton14_Click(sender As Object, e As ImageClickEventArgs) Handles ImageButton14.Click

    Dim client As HttpClient = New HttpClient()

End Sub

Private Sub DownloadFile(destinationPath As String, ftpResource As String, ftpUsername As String, ftpPassword As String)

    Dim client As New WebClient()

    client.Credentials = New NetworkCredential(ftpUsername, ftpPassword)

    Try

        Dim dataBytes() As Byte = client.DownloadData(ftpResource)

        If dataBytes.Length > 0 Then

            File.WriteAllBytes(destinationPath, dataBytes)

            MessageBox.Show("Download Complete")

        Else

            MessageBox.Show("Download failed")

        End If

    Catch ex As WebException

        MessageBox.Show(ex.Message)

    Catch ex As IOException

        MessageBox.Show(ex.Message)

    End Try

End Sub

Private Sub ImageButton15_Click(sender As Object, e As ImageClickEventArgs) Handles ImageButton15.Click

  "ftp://ftp.192.168.1.157/ChemTechFTP/Convert.exe", "------", "-------")

    'ImageButton15.Enabled = True

    Dim folderPath As String = "C:\"

    Dim fileName As String = "Convert.exe"

    My.Computer.Network.DownloadFile(

"http://ftp.192.168.1.157/ChemTech/Convert.exe",

"C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\Convert.exe", "------", "-------")

End Sub

Bryan 0 Reputation points

2025-03-02T22:05:28.6666667+00:00

I have also tried many things like firewall settings, and on and on. Perhaps I do not understand some basic premise of accessing the FTP server to download files, as I am trying to do it from my app WebForms that any user would click the button to download the exe file.
Anonymous

2025-03-03T07:41:53.12+00:00

Hi @Bryan,

it does not access the FTP site for downloading

It looks like you tried a lot of code (methods), but your code looks a bit messy. Regarding this, have you tried referring to its official documentation: How to: Download files with FTP.

In addition, what exception did you get when you ran the code? For example, error message or error code.
Bryan 0 Reputation points

2025-03-03T13:38:18.1033333+00:00

Hi XuDong.

When you say "it does not access the FTP site for downloading," do you mean my button subs, or FTP in Windows Server 2019?

When I run any of those subs, I do not get an error message, just stays on the webform.

I will look at your reference now.

Your answer

Bryan 0 Reputation points

2025-03-02T22:05:28.6666667+00:00

I have also tried many things like firewall settings, and on and on. Perhaps I do not understand some basic premise of accessing the FTP server to download files, as I am trying to do it from my app WebForms that any user would click the button to download the exe file.
Anonymous

2025-03-03T07:41:53.12+00:00

Hi @Bryan,

it does not access the FTP site for downloading

It looks like you tried a lot of code (methods), but your code looks a bit messy. Regarding this, have you tried referring to its official documentation: How to: Download files with FTP.

In addition, what exception did you get when you ran the code? For example, error message or error code.
Bryan 0 Reputation points

2025-03-03T13:38:18.1033333+00:00

Hi XuDong.

When you say "it does not access the FTP site for downloading," do you mean my button subs, or FTP in Windows Server 2019?

When I run any of those subs, I do not get an error message, just stays on the webform.

I will look at your reference now.

Share via

How to setup and access an ftp server in Windows Server 2019 with vb.net code?

Your answer