Encrypted FTP (FTPS) is available for all Box users at Penn State. Unencrypted FTP is not available. FTPS is available to PSU users for transferring files to Box. This tool is designed to be used only for initial bulk uploading and occasional bulk downloading of files from your account. FTP to Box does not support SSO [Single Sign On, or WebAccess] logins, so you will need to create a Box-specific password to supplement your SSO login. Box calls this an external password. Note that you can’t create an external password for a non-person account, so you can only FTP files with a regular Box user account.

To create an external password in Box:

– When you are logged into Box in your browser, near the upper right side of the page, click your name or avatar and select Account settings.

– In the Account tab, in the Authentication section, click Change Password, edit password. This password is separate and different from your regular Box login password, which is your AccessID password. The interface may imply you have an existing password, but just enter your desired password. The external password is used for Box services that do not support WebAccess login.

Box supports FTPS implicit (port 990), and FTPES explicit (port 21), over passive FTP. Box does not support active FTP or SFTP.

The following description is for FileZilla FTP client.

Open FileZilla. In the left pane, navigate to the system from which you are migrating data.
Connect to Box via FTPS:
Host: ftp.box.com
Username: Your primary PSU email address (e.g., xyz123@psu.edu)
Password: The external password you created above.
Port: Use 990 for an implicit encrypted connection (FTPS); this ensures that your password is not sent in clear text as with standard FTP.
Once connected, from the Transfer menu, choose Preserve timestamps of transferred files.
Before transferring files to Box:

Windows: To improve transfer rates, from the Edit menu, select Settings…. Click Transfers and then set maximum simultaneous transfers (maximum setting is 10).
In the right pane (Box), you may want to create a new directory for the files you are copying over.

Mac OSX: To improve transfer rates, from the Filezilla menu, select Settings…. Click Transfers, and then set maximum simultaneous transfers (maximum setting is 10).

In the right pane (Box), you may want to create a new directory for the files you are copying over. Drag the file or folder from the left pane (source) to the appropriate folder in the right pane (Box).

For more about using FTPS with Box, see > community.box.com/t5/How-to-Guides-for-Managing/Using-Box-with-FTP/ta-p/26050