How To Download Firefox Without a Web Browser

24
June 14, 2009 // Web

UPDATE 2/7/2013: Download Chrome Without a Web Browser.

I recently came across an interesting tutorial on how to download FireFox using only the command prompt on Windows XP or Windows Vista, and I have made it a little more user friendly.  This may come in handy in a variety of different situations, or it may just be used in an attempt to convince your friends that you are a hacker. In the quick tutorial below, please note that when I use quotes, it indicates exactly what you should type in, but do not type in the quotes themselves unless explicitly noted.

  1. Go to Start > Run > “cmd” and hit OK. This will load the command prompt.
  2. type “ftp” and hit enter.
  3. type “open releases.mozilla.org” and hit enter.
  4. It will ask for a username, type “anonymous” and hit enter.
  5. It will then ask for a password, type “anonymous” and hit enter.
  6. Open the folder with the latest Windows release of Firefox by typing in:
    “cd pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/latest/win32/en-US” and then enter.
  7. View the contents of the current directory by typing in “ls” and then enter.
  8. Switch to binary file mode by typing in “type image” and then hit enter.
  9. Choose the directory to download firefox to by typing “lcd C:\” (Typing this will save it right to the root directory of the C: Drive.
  10. When you typed in “ls” from step 7, it should have listed a .exe file for you.  As of writing the latest version is Firefox Setup 3.0.11.exe.  In this case, we will type in: get “Firefox Setup 3.0.11.exe” (type in the quotes)
  11. Now go check in your c:/ drive, and you should see the .exe file downloaded.
  12. Type “bye” to exit the FTP mode, and then type “exit” to close out of the Command Prompt.

UPDATE 2/7/2013: Download Chrome Without a Web Browser.

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24 Comments

  1. kotex February 7, 2013 at 5:22 pm

    A great tip, I follow by google and see this. Work like a charm. Thanks very much.

  2. kelly January 13, 2013 at 1:57 am

    woohoo!! It worked!

  3. kelly January 13, 2013 at 1:55 am

    woohoo! It worked! thanks!

  4. blezzie kyna December 28, 2012 at 11:26 pm

    i can’t seem to find that .exe in C: .. i did the instructions perfectly.. but then there’s no .exe… what should i do?

  5. Vijay December 27, 2012 at 4:38 am

    Great post, exactly what I needed.

    Thanks.

  6. Hamza November 27, 2012 at 12:35 pm

    can anyone tell me how to browse websites on cmd if possible ??

  7. sarath October 25, 2012 at 1:29 pm

    i cant use “ls” command in my cmd .
    when i type ls command
    it shows like this

    ftp> cd pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/latest/win32/en-US
    250 Directory successfully changed.
    ftp> ls
    500 Illegal PORT command.
    425 Use PORT or PASV first.
    ftp>

  8. sarath October 25, 2012 at 1:21 pm

    i cant use ls command in cmd .it shows “USE PORT” i am using windows xp os? plz solve my problem…

  9. Ibrahima September 10, 2012 at 12:49 pm

    Holy caw Marvelous…
    Awesome i am glad to stumble upon this .. Thanks so much for sharing!!!

  10. John September 5, 2012 at 11:00 pm

    Worked like a charm on a Vista operating system, thanks!!!!!!!!!!!

  11. Pancake August 30, 2012 at 9:52 pm

    I love this so much. Everything in the tutorial worked perfectly.

  12. viplove August 26, 2012 at 1:31 pm

    Its nice and simple it download very quikly.

  13. souls August 18, 2012 at 4:14 am

    This saved my life

  14. Derf Skren August 17, 2012 at 5:05 am

    Sweet, just what I needed, thanks.

  15. Admin August 8, 2012 at 3:29 pm

    I am getting a ” Failure Writing Network Stream” On the last step…. I wait … and this is the error I get…….. Any Advice?

  16. satpal February 2, 2012 at 12:00 pm

    gr8 job………simple and easy

  17. Theodore January 7, 2012 at 6:44 am

    I appreciate your effort to put up this post. Very great but the ftp://releases.mozilla.org is much easy. Though u have to click through series of directories to get to ur destination. Good post though…thumb up

  18. Austin November 28, 2011 at 6:43 pm

    Thanks a bunch!

  19. Mario October 17, 2011 at 3:28 pm

    mmhh windows and linux file explorers also can browse Mozilla Ftp. Type in the adress bar ” ftp://releases.mozilla.org “, browse the ftp directories and download graphically the EXE or Linux package. Is easier than the console

  20. Peggy October 12, 2011 at 10:37 pm

    Amazingly, I used the information here in conjunction with something I read on another site, and entered

    “start http://releases.mozilla.org” and landed where I needed to be.

    Thanks to all the generous people out there.

  21. Lance September 7, 2011 at 8:32 pm

    “open” is not a command
    That’s the reply I got, and until you install the open command, that is what everyone will get.

  22. Josh August 2, 2011 at 5:37 am

    Excellent, thank you.

  23. shirey July 27, 2011 at 3:19 am

    I received an error “Replace Existing File with Temp File:I/O Error” although Instead of “lcd C:” type “lcd C:UsersUSER_NAMEDesktop“

  24. crickets June 29, 2011 at 5:51 pm

    Some users will receive an error “Replace Existing File with Temp File:I/O Error” when trying to download to the C:\ directory. To fix that just change to a non-protected directory before downloading.

    Instead of “lcd C:\” type “lcd C:\Users\USER_NAME\Desktop” for example.

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