How to Connect to Servers with GNOME Files

GNOME Files, also known as Nautilus, can browse folders on remote computers and network storage. Open Other Locations, enter the server’s URI, select Connect, and provide credentials if requested. The protocol prefix matters: GNOME documents ssh:// for SSH access and ftp:// for FTP. They are different protocols; ftp:// does not mean SFTP. See the GNOME Files server connection guide for its supported address formats.

The interface images below show common connection controls. Exact layout, labels, and available protocols can vary by GNOME release and by the GVfs components installed with a Linux distribution.

Connect to a server in GNOME Files

1. Open Other Locations. Launch Files and select Other Locations in the sidebar. The Networks area can show devices that advertise file sharing on your local network, but it may not list every server.
2. Enter the server URI. In Connect to Server, type an address in the form scheme://server/path. Use the hostname or IP address your administrator provided. Add a share or directory path when the server requires one. For a nonstandard port, place :port after the hostname. Do not put your password in the URI.



3. Select Connect and sign in. GNOME Files opens the remote location and asks for credentials when needed. Enter the account the server expects. For an SSH connection, check a first-connection host-key fingerprint against information from the server administrator before trusting it. Save credentials only on a device you control.

When the connection succeeds, the remote folder opens like a location in Files and is added to the sidebar for quick access. Use the eject or disconnect control beside it when you are finished. A Files connection is convenient for browsing and transferring files; it is not necessarily a permanent system mount for every application.

Use the URI for your server protocol

SSH and SFTP

For encrypted file access through an SSH account, use the SSH address format GNOME documents. A custom port and starting folder can be included:

ssh://alex@files.example.net:2222/home/alex

SSH encrypts the connection, including authentication and file data. Use the port supplied by your administrator. If your setup specifically documents an sftp:// URI, follow that server’s instructions; never replace the scheme with ftp:// to try to make an SFTP connection.

FTP

Use FTP only when the server explicitly provides it. For example:

ftp://ftp.example.net/public/

Plain FTP does not encrypt login details or file transfers. Prefer SSH-based file access or a secure protocol when available. Anonymous FTP may allow downloads while blocking uploads or deletion, depending on the server’s permissions.

SMB or Samba shares

For a Windows, Samba, or NAS share, include the share name after the host:

smb://nas.example.net/Shared

Enter the account and, if requested, the Windows workgroup or domain. Confirm the share name’s spelling and capitalization with the server owner; connecting to the server is not the same as having permission to open every share.

WebDAV

Use the full WebDAV path supplied by the service. The GVfs scheme list uses davs:// for WebDAV protected by TLS and dav:// for a non-TLS connection. Choose the secure address when the service supports it:

davs://cloud.example.net/remote.php/dav/files/alex

NFS

GNOME’s server guide also lists NFS addresses, for example nfs://nas.example.net/export. NFS access typically relies on server-side exports, user IDs, and file permissions instead of a password prompt. It is most commonly used on a trusted local network. If your distribution does not provide the needed GVfs backend, use its documented NFS mount method instead.

Troubleshoot a failed connection

• Server not found: check the hostname, DNS, or IP address. If network discovery shows nothing, enter the URI manually; discovery is not a complete inventory.
• Connection refused or timed out: confirm the server is online, the URI uses the right protocol and port, and your network or VPN allows access.
• Unsupported protocol: check the prefix for a typo. GVfs supplies network file-system backends as separate modules, so protocol availability can differ by distribution. The GNOME GIO overview explains this backend model.
• Authentication repeats or a folder is denied: verify the username, domain, share name, and server-side permissions. Ask the administrator whether the account can access that specific path.

For a quick check, compare the URI’s scheme and path with the server’s connection instructions, then try again from Other Locations.