Replying here, not because I know the answer, but since I'm wondering about the same myself

All I could find -- https://www.bttr-software.de/freesoft/fileman1.htm ....I didn't look through them all (2 pages), but maybe....

Breadbox Ensemble (PC/GEOS) has an FTP tool included (File Transfer).
Looks a bit like Norton Commander (two windows).

Edit: Screenshot attached

Jo22 wrote on 2023-10-30, 23:23:

Breadbox Ensemble (PC/GEOS) has an FTP tool included (File Transfer).
Looks a bit like Norton Commander (two windows).

Edit: Screenshot attached

This is promising, but I read over at winworld that it requires 386+ to run this. Don't know if this is true or not, may try it, but the 286 system also has EGA, so almost need a textmode type program.

lowlytech wrote on 2023-10-30, 23:44:

Jo22 wrote on 2023-10-30, 23:23:

Breadbox Ensemble (PC/GEOS) has an FTP tool included (File Transfer).
Looks a bit like Norton Commander (two windows).

Edit: Screenshot attached

This is promising, but I read over at winworld that it requires 386+ to run this. Don't know if this is true or not, may try it, but the 286 system also has EGA, so almost need a textmode type program.

Makes sense, I heard about this, too. Breadbox has had dropped pre-386 support. Officially, I mean, which maybe isn't necessarily a technical thing.

Previous versions had dropped 8086 or PC/XT support for performance reasons, but could still run if forced (also by installing a NEC processor).

Anyway, I haven't tried the later versions on anything below a 486, so I can't confirm.
The icon says "8086", so I assume it's still using 16-Bit Real-Mode code.

If that's really the case, at least an 80286 might be able to run it. With the help of EMU386, maybe.

giantclam wrote on 2023-10-30, 23:10:

All I could find -- https://www.bttr-software.de/freesoft/fileman1.htm ....I didn't look through them all (2 pages), but maybe....

Some neat programs I will have to check out, but looks like a few like XDOS has file transfer options for serial/LPT ports. Wonder how hard that would be to adapt to ftp protocol? I am using a packet driver in DOS with mTCP for basic connectivity now.

Jo22 wrote on 2023-10-30, 23:56:

Makes sense, I heard about this, too. Breadbox has had dropped pre-386 support. Officially, I mean, which maybe isn't necessaril […]
Show full quote

lowlytech wrote on 2023-10-30, 23:44:

Jo22 wrote on 2023-10-30, 23:23:

Breadbox Ensemble (PC/GEOS) has an FTP tool included (File Transfer).
Looks a bit like Norton Commander (two windows).

Edit: Screenshot attached

This is promising, but I read over at winworld that it requires 386+ to run this. Don't know if this is true or not, may try it, but the 286 system also has EGA, so almost need a textmode type program.

Makes sense, I heard about this, too. Breadbox has had dropped pre-386 support. Officially, I mean, which maybe isn't necessarily a technical thing.

Previous versions had dropped 8086 or PC/XT support for performance reasons, but could still run if forced (also by installing a NEC processor).

Anyway, I haven't tried the later versions on anything below a 486, so I can't confirm.
The icon says "8086", so I assume it's still using 16-Bit Real-Mode code.

If that's really the case, at least an 80286 might be able to run it. With the help of EMU386, maybe.

Worth a shot I would say. Also thanks for the tip on EMU386, hadn't heard of that utility before.

I thought later versions of Commander did FTP.

BitWrangler wrote on 2023-10-31, 00:27:

I thought later versions of Commander did FTP.

I downloaded Norton Commander 5.0 (DOS) and if there was an FTP option I wasn't smart enough to find it.

I can't find crap about it now either, maybe it's the link mode or command line ftp in terminal emulator that ppl were erroneously referring to as FTP.

lowlytech wrote on 2023-10-30, 20:21:

I have looked a bit and haven't came up with anything. Was looking for an FTP client to run in DOS 5.0 that would work on a 286 that has an interface similar to dosshell or norton commander. Does such a thing exist? All I can seem to find is command line clients for DOS.

Fir this reason exactly I ended up running the ftp server on the retro machines, managing transfers from a modern client on my daily driver

I forget if DOS Navigator supports FTP. Could be worth a try, it's an open source Norton Commander clone.

Garrett W wrote on 2023-10-31, 11:05:

I forget if DOS Navigator supports FTP. Could be worth a try, it's an open source Norton Commander clone.

Thanks for the lead. This program looks well thought out. It has a built in terminal, but I only see transfers via dial up modem. I guess we would use Zmodem for transfers. Heck this even has tetris built in under one of the menus.

One idea would be to connect to my server via smb in dos with mapped drive, but that eats up tons of conv. memory from what I remembered.

konc wrote on 2023-10-31, 10:55:

lowlytech wrote on 2023-10-30, 20:21:

I have looked a bit and haven't came up with anything. Was looking for an FTP client to run in DOS 5.0 that would work on a 286 that has an interface similar to dosshell or norton commander. Does such a thing exist? All I can seem to find is command line clients for DOS.

Fir this reason exactly I ended up running the ftp server on the retro machines, managing transfers from a modern client on my daily driver

Yeah very good point, but the overall retro experience is so much better when your the client. If I had Win3.1 I would just go with WS_FTP. Guess by the time FTP was common enough everyone programmed clients for Windows maybe.

konc wrote on 2023-10-31, 10:55:

Fir this reason exactly I ended up running the ftp server on the retro machines, managing transfers from a modern client on my daily driver

I do exactly the same:
- mTCP FTPServ on retropc
- FlashFXP (or whatever client one likes) on modern PC

ofcourse this works in case you just want to transfer files on retropc, if you actually want to browse FTP sites then I would also like to know the answer 😀

ps.
I have found an AWESOME free ftp server for modern windows , it works with every pc/amiga/riscpc/mac-68k that I have tried (old ftp clients don't always like the new servers, I've had severe issues with filezilla and riscpc/mac-68k for example)
Quick ‘n Easy FTP Server -> http://www.pablosoftwaresolutions.com/html/qu … erver_lite.html

lowlytech wrote on 2023-10-31, 11:34:

Yeah very good point, but the overall retro experience is so much better when your the client. If I had Win3.1 I would just go with WS_FTP. Guess by the time FTP was common enough everyone programmed clients for Windows maybe.

Yah it was more like, by the time most ppl had internet it was dialup through windows, so windows internet apps were in the majority. Stuff like Arachne browser is actually an anachronism, it appeared a couple of years after everyone was using windows browsers.