What is FTP/SFTP and How to Use It to Upload Your Website Print

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard method for moving files between a computer and a web server. Think of it as a digital bridge that allows you to upload your website's content (like code, images, and documents) to your hosting account or download files from it.

SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) is its modern, secure counterpart. It does the same job but encrypts all the data—including your password—making it the highly recommended option for managing your files safely.

What You'll Need to Get Started

Before you can connect, you'll need two things:

1. An FTP Client This is a software application you install on your computer. It provides an easy-to-use interface for managing your files. There are many excellent, free options available, including:

• FileZilla: A popular and reliable choice for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
• Cyberduck: A user-friendly option for Mac and Windows.

2. Your Connection Credentials To connect to your server, you need four key pieces of information. You can find these details within the Control Panel provided with your hosting account.

• Host: The address of your server (e.g., ftp.yourdomain.com or an IP address).
• Username: Your unique FTP or Control Panel username.
• Password: The password associated with that username.
• Port: This directs the connection to the correct service. Use Port 22 for SFTP (recommended) or Port 21 for standard FTP.

Step-by-Step: How to Connect

Once you have your credentials and have installed an FTP client, connecting is simple.

1. Open Your FTP Client: Launch the application on your computer.
2. Enter Your Credentials: Locate the connection bar, which is typically at the top of the application window. Carefully enter your Host, Username, Password, and Port number.
3. Click Connect: The client will attempt to connect to the server. The first time you connect using SFTP, you may see a security prompt asking you to trust the server's key—this is normal.

Uploading and Managing Your Files

Most FTP clients use a two-pane interface that is easy to understand:

• The left pane shows the files and folders on your Local Computer.
• The right pane shows the files and folders on the Remote Server (your hosting account).

To upload your website, navigate to the correct folder on your server in the right pane. This is almost always named public_html. All your public website files must be placed inside this directory to be visible online.

To transfer files, simply drag and drop them from the left (your computer) to the right (your server). You can also download files by dragging them from right to left.

A Note on Security

For your protection, we strongly recommend always using SFTP (Port 22) instead of standard FTP. It provides an essential layer of encryption to keep your login details and data secure. For this same reason, anonymous FTP (logging in without a password) is disabled on professional hosting environments to prevent unauthorized access.

If you have trouble finding your credentials or connecting to your server, our support team is ready to assist you.