SFTP working but SCP not

eulaersi · 11-06-2015, 10:24 AM

I need to copy a directory with all its subdirectories to an SFTP server.

I can access the SFTP server by

Code:

sftp -oPort=#### USERNAME@IPADDRESS

But when I want to recursively copy all files, SFTP replies

Code:

put -r /local-dir/ /remote-dir/
put: Invalid flag -r

When looking on the internet, people advises to use SCP (I'm also more familiar with SCP). But this gives an error:

Code:

scp -P #### /local-dir/ USERNAME@IPADDRESS:/remote-dir/
Connection to IPADDRESS closed by remote host.
lost connection

Is this a server issue? I have no control over the server.

If it is, I'm obliged to use SFTP. But then I have the invalid flag -r issue. How can I solve this?

I'm using

Code:

$ ssh -v
OpenSSH_5.3p1, OpenSSL 1.0.1e-fips 11 Feb 2013

Thanks for your help

-- Ivan

TB0ne · 11-06-2015, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eulaersi

I need to copy a directory with all its subdirectories to an SFTP server.
I can access the SFTP server by

Code:

sftp -oPort=#### USERNAME@IPADDRESS

But when I want to recursively copy all files, SFTP replies

Code:

put -r /local-dir/ /remote-dir/
put: Invalid flag -r

Because you're not calling sftp correctly. The -r doesn't go with the put, it goes when you spawn the sftp command, like "sftp -r user@host".

Quote:

When looking on the internet, people advises to use SCP (I'm also more familiar with SCP). But this gives an error:

Code:

scp -P #### /local-dir/ USERNAME@IPADDRESS:/remote-dir/
Connection to IPADDRESS closed by remote host.
lost connection

Is this a server issue? I have no control over the server. If it is, I'm obliged to use SFTP. But then I have the invalid flag -r issue. How can I solve this?

Since you have no control over the server, we can't tell how things are configured on that side of things...could very well be you don't have rights/permissions to access scp, but we can't guess.

berndbausch · 11-06-2015, 05:51 PM

A few random considerations:

Are you sure the port is correct?
Can you log on with ssh?
Have you installed keys?
Does the server allow password authentication?
Use the -v -vv or -vvv options to get debug output.
If you have superuser privileges on the server, increase verbosity there.

chrism01 · 11-08-2015, 10:57 PM

Its possible the server is setup for sftponly eg http://www.serveradminforhire.com/sf...ut-bash-shell/.
Ask the SysAdmin.