Mount ISP's FTP Server as a Drive

If you've ever wanted to access your ISP's FTP server directly through a Windows Drive letter (like R:) for seamless streaming or file access, this guide is for you! This method uses Rclone and WinFsp.

Pre-Requisites & Disclaimer

1. Server Type: The server you want to connect to must be an HTTP server with BDIX compatibility.
2. Disclaimer: This demonstration uses the Link3 FTP Server as an example. You must adjust the URL and Rclone path to match your own setup.
3. Cost: Standard data usage rates from your ISP apply.

Step-by-Step Tutorial

Phase 1: Downloads and Installation (Steps 1-3)

1. Download Rclone:

• Link: https://rclone.org/downloads/
• Action: Download the zip file (e.g., rclone-v1.69.0-windows-amd64.zip).

2. Download WinFsp:

• Link: https://winfsp.dev/rel/
• Action: Download and install the WinFsp .exe file.

3. Extract Rclone:

• Action: Extract the contents of the Rclone zip file to a permanent location (e.g., inside your user folder or a dedicated Portable Apps folder).

Phase 2: Configuration (Steps 4-5)

4. Create the Configuration File:

• Navigate to your Rclone configuration directory: C:\Users\xxxxxx\AppData\Roaming\rclone (replace xxxxxx with your Windows username).
• Create a new text file and rename it to rclone.conf (.conf is the file extension).

5. Add Server Configuration:

• Open the rclone.conf file and add the following three lines. Remember to change the URL to your desired ISP's server if it is not Link3.

[link3ftp]
type = http
url = http://203.76.96.50/ftp/

• Save and close the file.

Phase 3: Mounting the Drive (Steps 6-7)

6. Create the Batch File:

• Create a new text file anywhere you want (like your desktop).
• Name it rclone mount.bat.

7. Add the Mounting Command:

• Open the .bat file and add the command below.

• CRITICAL: You MUST change the path in quotation marks to the exact location of the rclone.exe file you extracted in Step 3.

"C:\Users\Vagabond\Portable Apps\rclone-v1.69.0-windows-amd64\rclone.exe" mount link3ftp: R: --links --no-console

• Customization: You can change R: to any available drive letter you prefer.

8. Run: Double-click the rclone mount.bat file. A console window will briefly appear and then minimize. Your new drive will now be visible in This PC!

Confirmed Working Servers

The following popular BDIX servers have been successfully mounted using this HTTP method:

• Link3 ✅
• Ftpbd ✅
• SamOnline ✅
• Circleftp ✅
• Showtime ✅

For Mobile Users (Android)

• App: Download rclone app from play store.

Alternative: 

• Use this F-Droid app: https://f-droid.org/packages/de.felixnuesse.extract/

• Tap the Plus button.
• Add Name and Site (URL).
• Done. You can use players like VLC to play content directly from the mounted site.