Copy files from Linux server to Mac desktop

I have a folder on a Linux server and I have to transfer that file from there to my Mac desktop. I have never done it.

What is the best way to do that? I am trying to use terminal but is there any tool like WinSCP to do that?

5 Answers

1. Install openSSH on the linux server. Assuming a debian based distribution, do this:

   sudo apt-get install ssh

2. Open a terminal and copy the files:

   i. From Linux to Mac (run from the Linux machine):

   scp filename.txt user@remote_server:/Users/YOURNAME/

   ii. From Linux to Mac (run from the Mac):

   scp user@remote_server:/Users/YOURNAME/filename.txt .

The general syntax of the scp command is the following.

1. To copy a file from the local server to the remote one:

   scp FILENAME user@remote_server:/remote/path/FILENAME

2. To copy a file from the remote server to the local one:

   scp user@remote_server:/remote/path/FILENAME /local/path/FILENAME

You can use SSH File Transfer Protocol, sftp from your Mac terminal.

Steps:

1. sftp user@remote_server

Enter the user@remote_server's password:

2. get /remote/path/FILENAME /local/path/FILENAME

Just in case you are not certain about the file name, you can change to the source directory and list the segments in your source directory

3. cd /remote/path
4. ls
5. get FILENAME_2 /local/path/FILENAME_2

WinSCP is a SFTP/SCP/FTP client for Windows.

Similar clients exist for the Mac - good examples are Transmit and Cyberduck.

Transmit and Cyberduck understand FTP, SFTP and WebDAV but it entirely depends how the linux server is set up whether you can access that particular folder with one of those services.

If it's going to be a regular exercise, then have a look at installing OS X FUSE / MacFUSE, see:

• How to mount an SSH filesystem on Mac OS X Lion — Aspiring Polymath

• Options for file sharing via SSH in OS X | MacFixIt - CNET Reviews

• Geek to Live: Mount a file system on your Mac over SSH

Perhaps the easiest and most flexible way to transfer files to your Mac desktop from Linux is using Midnight Commander. To do so network the two machines, install mc on the Linux box, enable Remote Login on the Mac and use Shell login to connect to your Mac in Midnight Commander.

A sample connection string for shell logins looks like:

sh://user@

Use that in Midnight Commander if your Mac has a hostname mbp and is on the local network. For instructions with screenshots visit Copy Files from Linux to macOS Desktop.