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Choose the transfer method first
All four methods can move data to your computer, but they solve different problems. The VPS must be reachable over SSH for scp, SFTP, and rsync. You need the VPS username, hostname or IP address, SSH port, and either the correct password or private key. A DigitalOcean Droplet, for example, normally accepts SSH/SFTP connections on port 22 unless you changed its configuration.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match| Method | Best use | Folder handling | Interface | Main requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| scp | One file or a simple one-time copy | Recursive copy with -r |
Command line | SSH access and readable remote paths |
| SFTP | Browsing a VPS and selecting particular files | Recursive download depends on the client | Command line or graphical client | An SSH/SFTP account |
| rsync | Large folders or repeated downloads | Native recursive synchronization | Command line | Rsync available at both ends plus SSH |
| FileZilla | Drag-and-drop transfers | Select a remote folder and choose Download | Graphical interface | Local FileZilla installation and SSH key or password |
| wget | A public or otherwise reachable HTTP(S) archive | Usually downloads one archive file | Command line | A valid URL |
For a game server, scp is convenient for grabbing one saved world or configuration file. SFTP is easier when you need to inspect several directories first. Rsync is the practical choice for a large world, mod collection, log archive, or backup that you will pull down more than once.
Prepare the VPS and your computer
Collect the connection details
- Username: the account that owns or can read the files. A path visible to
rootmay be inaccessible to an unprivileged account. - Host: the VPS hostname or public IP address.
- SSH port: port 22 is the usual default; use the custom port if the server was hardened.
- Authentication: the private key paired with the VPS account, or the account password if password authentication is enabled.
- Remote path: the full path to the file or directory. Confirm spelling and capitalization on the Linux filesystem.
- Local destination: an existing folder such as
~/Downloads/.
Test a normal SSH login before attempting a transfer. If SSH itself cannot connect, changing the copy command will not solve the underlying network, firewall, username, port, or authentication problem.
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Check that the account can read the source
On the VPS, inspect the item with ls -l and check each parent directory. The account needs read permission on a file and execute (search) permission on every directory in its path. If the files belong to another account, ask an administrator to grant the least access needed or create an archive in a directory your transfer account can read. Avoid routinely transferring as root when a limited account is sufficient.
Make the local destination explicit
A destination ending in a slash, such as ~/Downloads/, means “place the downloaded item inside this directory.” Use a new, clearly named directory for a large transfer so that existing game saves or configuration files are not accidentally mixed with it.
Download one file with scp
Run scp on your local computer, not in a shell logged into the VPS. The remote operand follows the form user@host:path.
scp user@VPS_HOST:/remote/path/report.pdf ~/Downloads/Replace every placeholder with your values. For example, a game-server save might be addressed as [email protected]:/srv/game/world.zip; do not copy that example address unless it is actually your server.
Use a private key and a non-default port
scp -i ~/.ssh/vps_key -P 2222 user@VPS_HOST:/remote/path/report.pdf ~/Downloads/-i selects the private key file. -P (uppercase P) selects the SSH port. Keep the key path private and make sure it is the key authorized for the specified VPS account. The command may ask you to accept the host key the first time; verify the fingerprint through your provider or administrator before accepting it.
Handle spaces and shell characters in paths
Quote the remote path when it contains spaces or characters interpreted by your local shell. A robust pattern is:
scp 'user@VPS_HOST:/srv/game server/backups/world 1.zip' ~/Downloads/Quoting protects the local command line; it does not grant permission to read the file. If a path contains a literal apostrophe, use a shell-appropriate quoting method or rename the file temporarily.
Know what scp does not do
Scp copies the requested bytes; it does not browse the VPS, choose files interactively, or synchronize only changed portions of a directory. For a single file, that simplicity is an advantage. For a large tree that changes daily, use rsync instead.
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Download a complete folder with scp
Add -r to recursively copy a directory and everything below it:
scp -r user@VPS_HOST:/remote/path/project ~/Downloads/This creates a project directory inside ~/Downloads/. The remote account must be able to read every file and traverse every subdirectory. One unreadable log, save, or cache file can cause errors during the recursive walk.
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When recursive scp is a good fit
- A small or medium folder needs to be copied once.
- You want the shortest command and do not need a file browser.
- The folder contains ordinary files and the transfer can be repeated from the beginning if interrupted.
When to choose another method
Use SFTP if you need to inspect the remote tree and select only certain items. Use rsync if the folder is large, the connection may be interrupted, or you expect to download it repeatedly. Rsync can avoid retransmitting data that is already present locally.
Browse and select files with SFTP
SFTP runs through SSH and presents a remote file-transfer session. Start it locally with:
sftp user@VPS_HOSTAfter authentication, the prompt changes to sftp>. The following sequence checks the remote location, lists files, changes directories, selects a local destination, and downloads items:
sftp> pwd
sftp> ls
sftp> cd /remote/path
sftp> lcd ~/Downloads
sftp> get report.pdf
sftp> get -r project
sftp> byeUnderstand the two working directories
pwd and cd refer to the remote VPS. lcd changes the local computer’s working directory. Keeping those contexts separate prevents the common mistake of looking for a downloaded file on the VPS or placing it in an unexpected local folder.
Use a key or custom port
Most OpenSSH clients accept key and port options when starting SFTP:
sftp -i ~/.ssh/vps_key -P 2222 user@VPS_HOSTIf your client uses a different option syntax, consult that client’s help output. The key must match the account and be in a format the client accepts.
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Download selectively
Use ls and cd to locate a particular save, screenshot, log, or configuration file, then run get filename. Many SFTP clients support get -r directory for recursive downloads, but recursive support is client-dependent. If your client rejects -r, use scp or rsync for the directory rather than deleting or moving remote data to make the command work.
Why SFTP is often safer for manual work
The protocol keeps the transfer inside the authenticated SSH connection, so you do not need to expose a temporary web server or make a private archive public. It also lets you inspect names before selecting them, which reduces the chance of copying the wrong game-world or overwriting a local directory.
Use a graphical SFTP client
FileZilla provides a graphical workflow for the same SFTP service. Install it on your local computer, create an SFTP site, and enter the VPS address, SSH port, username, and authentication details. Port 22 is the default used in DigitalOcean’s Droplet instructions; enter your actual port if it differs.
- Open the site manager and create a new site.
- Choose SFTP – SSH File Transfer Protocol as the protocol.
- Enter the VPS hostname or IP address, SSH port, and username.
- Select the private-key authentication method and choose the key file, or enter a password if the account permits password login.
- Connect and verify the remote path in the Remote site pane.
- Open the local destination in the Local site pane.
- Select a remote file or folder and choose Download, or drag it to the local pane.
FileZilla is free and open source, but its interface cannot bypass Linux permissions. A remote folder that the SFTP account cannot read will still fail, and an unsupported or mismatched private-key format will produce an authentication error.
Fix “no supported authentication methods”
- Confirm that the site is set to SFTP, not plain FTP.
- Check that the username is the account to which the public key was installed.
- Choose the matching private key and verify that the client accepts its format.
- Confirm the SSH port and host address.
- Test the same account with a command-line SSH or SFTP login to distinguish a server problem from a GUI configuration problem.
Use rsync for large or repeated folder downloads
Rsync is designed to synchronize directory trees. Its delta-transfer algorithm sends differences instead of retransmitting unchanged data, which is useful when a game world or backup is downloaded repeatedly.
rsync -az -e ssh user@VPS_HOST:/remote/path/project/ ~/Downloads/project/-a enables archive-style recursive copying and preserves relevant metadata where possible; -z enables compression during transfer; -e ssh specifies SSH transport. Rsync must be available on both the local computer and the VPS.
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rsync -az -e "ssh -i ~/.ssh/vps_key -p 2222" user@VPS_HOST:/remote/path/project/ ~/Downloads/project/The SSH options are inside quotes so rsync passes them to the SSH command as one transport specification.
Understand the trailing slash
In the example, project/ means “copy the contents of project into the local project/ directory.” If you remove the trailing slash and copy ...:/remote/path/project, rsync treats the directory itself as the source and creates or updates a nested project entry under the destination. Decide which layout you want before starting, especially when restoring a game server where an extra directory level can make the server appear to have lost its files.
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Preview before changing anything
Add -n for a dry run:
rsync -azn -e ssh user@VPS_HOST:/remote/path/project/ ~/Downloads/project/Review the proposed file list before running the real transfer. Be particularly cautious with deletion options: a command that mirrors the VPS can remove local files that are not present remotely. Do not add deletion flags until you have confirmed the source, destination, and trailing-slash behavior.
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Rsync is unnecessary for one small file and may not be installed on a minimal VPS. If only SSH is available, scp or SFTP is simpler. For a directory containing millions of tiny files, creating one archive on the VPS can be easier to manage than walking the tree interactively.
Download a public archive with wget
wget retrieves data from a URL that the local computer can reach over HTTP or HTTPS:
wget https://example.com/archive.tar.gzThis is appropriate when a VPS or another server intentionally publishes an archive at that address. It is not a way to address a private Linux path such as /srv/game/world; that path is meaningful only inside the VPS filesystem. Use authenticated SSH, SFTP, scp, or rsync for private files.
Do not start a temporary HTTP server or expose a private archive to the public internet merely to make wget work. That can leak saves, credentials, source code, or player data. An authenticated SSH transfer is the safer default for private VPS content.
Archive a folder before downloading it
If a folder has many files, archive it on the VPS and then transfer one file. This can simplify selection and reduce the number of individual filesystem entries the client must process:
tar -czf archive.tar.gz folder/After the archive is created in a directory readable by your transfer account, download it with scp or SFTP:
scp user@VPS_HOST:/remote/path/archive.tar.gz ~/Downloads/Keep the archive until you have verified that the local copy opens and contains the expected files. Then remove the remote temporary archive if it is no longer needed, using the VPS’s normal administrative process. Archiving is a workflow convenience, not a performance guarantee; it also means you must have enough free space on the VPS for the archive.
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Troubleshoot common failures
“Permission denied”
- Confirm that the username is correct and that the account can read the file.
- Check permissions on every parent directory, not just the file itself.
- If the path belongs to another account, ask an administrator for read access or an administrator-created archive.
- Do not solve a narrow download need by permanently granting broad permissions or using the root account unnecessarily.
“No such file or directory”
- Log in with SFTP and run
pwdandlsto confirm the current remote location. - Use an absolute path beginning with
/when you are unsure which home directory the account uses. - Check capitalization, punctuation, and spaces in the filename.
- Remember that a shell abbreviation such as
~expands to the remote account’s home directory only when interpreted by the remote client; quote unusual paths carefully.
Connection timeout or refusal
- Verify the VPS is running and that the hostname resolves to the expected IP address.
- Check the SSH port in the command and in the VPS firewall or security-group rules.
- Confirm that the SSH service is listening and that your current network is allowed to reach it.
- Try a plain SSH login to separate connectivity issues from transfer syntax.
Authentication errors
- Use the private key paired with the public key installed for that VPS account.
- Check that the key path is correct and that the client supports its format.
- Confirm the username; a valid key for one account does not automatically authenticate another.
- If a GUI reports no supported methods, recheck its SFTP protocol selection, key setting, port, and username.
The transfer stops partway through
For a one-off scp transfer, rerun the command after checking disk space and connectivity. For a large or repeated folder, rsync is better suited because a subsequent run can reconcile differences rather than starting conceptually from a blank destination. SFTP clients may provide resume behavior, but the exact command and support vary by client.
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The downloaded folder is in the wrong place
Inspect the destination argument and whether the source path ended with a slash. With scp, copying a directory to ~/Downloads/ normally creates that directory below Downloads. With rsync, the trailing slash controls whether the directory itself or only its contents are merged into the destination.
Protect the VPS and the downloaded data
- Prefer SSH keys over passwords when your provider supports them. Store the private key securely and never paste it into a chat, script repository, or public support ticket.
- Use a limited transfer account with only the read access it needs.
- Verify the host key or fingerprint on the first connection through a trusted provider console or administrator.
- Use encrypted SSH-based methods for private worlds, player data, source code, and configuration files.
- Check the local destination before downloading so that a similarly named save or configuration is not overwritten.
- Delete temporary archives from the VPS when they are no longer required, especially if they contain secrets or personal data.
- Keep private archives out of public web roots and do not expose an ad-hoc HTTP server just to use wget.
Practical choices for game-server files
One saved world or backup
Use scp with the exact remote path and a local Downloads directory. It is the shortest route when you already know the filename.
A folder you need to inspect first
Use SFTP or a graphical SFTP client. List the remote directory, open the likely save or configuration folder, and download only the selected item. This avoids copying caches, temporary logs, or unrelated server data.
A large world that you pull down every night
Use rsync and retain a stable local destination. Run a dry run while building the command, then schedule the verified command through your normal backup system. Do not add deletion behavior until you have tested the source and destination semantics.
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A directory with a very large number of small files
Create a tar archive in a readable temporary location, download that single archive with scp or SFTP, verify it locally, and remove the temporary remote copy when appropriate.
A deliberately published release archive
Use wget with its HTTPS URL. This is the only case in this guide where a URL, rather than an SSH path, is the source of the download.
A repeatable checklist
- Identify the VPS username, host, SSH port, authentication method, remote path, and local destination.
- Test an SSH login and verify that the account can read the source.
- Choose scp for a one-off copy, SFTP for browsing, rsync for repeated or large folders, a graphical SFTP client for drag-and-drop, or wget only for a reachable URL.
- Quote paths containing spaces or shell metacharacters.
- For rsync, confirm the trailing slash and run a dry run before any destructive option.
- Check the local files after transfer before deleting the VPS copy or a temporary archive.
The decisive distinction is whether you are addressing a private filesystem or a published URL. SSH-based tools authenticate to the VPS and can read its private paths; wget cannot. Once the account, path, port, and destination are correct, selecting the method that matches the job keeps the transfer both simpler and safer.
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