If you are working with multiple LINUX and Windows machines at the same time, then there is a chance that you are using WinSCP. From its main page:
WinSCP is an open source free SFTP client and FTP client for Windows. Legacy SCP protocol is also supported. Its main function is safe copying of files between a local and a remote computer.
WinSCP provides the simplest tool to achieve secure file transferring, as it only consists of a single executable file! So why would I suggest an alternative to WinSCP?
On every deployment of our software (in the office), I use WinSCP to transfer files across several servers (some of the files can be up to 2 GB in size). It is a pain to transfer these big files. WinSCP somehow slows down my machine so much (high CPU usage) that I can’t use my computer for other tasks properly.
If you don’t believe me, try transferring a 3 GB file from your Windows machine to another server using WinSCP. Not to mention that it actually takes around 15-20 minutes to complete the task itself.
After searching for an alternative, I found BitVise Tunnelier as probably the best free alternative to WinSCP.
Bitvise Tunnelier in action
Why BitVise Tunnelier is better than WinSCP:
- Tunnelier is quicker than WinSCP when transferring a large file. It took Tunnelier 5 minutes compared to 15 minutes in WinSCP when transferring a 3 GB file.
- Tunnelier has a lower CPU usage than WinSCP. I couldn’t feel any slowdown when using Tunnelier compared to WinSCP
- Tunnelier also has xterm Terminals a la PuTTy.
- It’s free, like WinSCP
If you require simplicity, WinSCP is still your best choice. However, BitVise Tunnelier proves that it can transfer large file quicker (saving you so much time, especially on a production/client environment) and has a very low overhead on the CPU usage.
Check out and Download BitVise Tunnelier!
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
i don’t have any thing against freewares but some of it really sucks ,
and for me i prefer cute FTP
ameos last blog post..Social Networks Stress
Oh :O I didn’t know CuteFTP can now support transferring files on a secure shell environment. Haven’t used CuteFTP for years
Too bad it’s the Professional version though (which I’m sure is not free?)
But I can’t edit files using Tunnelier. In WinSCP I can click a file and it will open in whatever program I have associated with that filetype, so I can edit a php file in SciTE or Notepad++, then click save, and it will save straight to the remote server.
Still I want an alternative to WinSCP because, although it would automatically reconnect if I saved my password, it warns against saving your password. Guessing, it seems Tunnelier stores the password for the duration of the session – it doesn’t save it permanently, but it keeps it ready to automatically reconnect.
My host automatically disconnects SFTP connections at irregular intervals, but usually between 2 seconds(!) and 2 minutes, regardless of whether there is activity or not. Why do they do that? They would prefer I use insecure FTP?
Do you know if:
- I can make Tunnelier edit files? (I like that it uses less CPU and is faster.)
- I can make WinSCP store passwords for the session?
- FileZilla will ever be able to support Secure FTP?
Hi Jonathon,
I’m not sure either how to make Tunnelier edit files. There may be some settings on the application to assign a default editing program? At the moment I’m only using it when I want to transfer a large file (which will take a substantial amount on the CPU)
As for WinSCP, you’ll probably have to set-up a “secure passwordless SSH connection”. Lots of guides available on this if you are interested on the net (Google)
At the moment FileZilla only supports an FTP connection
Hopefully they will, in the future as I’ve been using FileZilla too.
please can you help me with tunnelier password
thisis my email justsanja@yahoo.com