FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol and is another method of website file management. cPanel comes complete with an FTP server that is pre-configured and easy to use.
To begin using FTP, you need to create a user account. Once the account is created, you can log into your website with an FTP client such as FileZilla or WinSCP.
When entering your FTP login information to your FTP client, remember to enter the username as firstname.lastname@example.org where example.com is meant for your domain name. Requiring that the login information be entered in this way allows your server to have multiple FTP accounts across multiple websites.
Add an FTP Account
Adding an FTP account will allow access to the domain’s folder on the server’s hard disk.
To create an FTP account:
• Enter a username.
• In the Password box, type the account’s password.
° Remember that a secure password should be used. A secure password does not contain dictionary words and includes letters, numbers, and symbols.
° For help generating a strong password, click the Generate Password button.
• Retype the password in the Password (Again) box.
• Specify a directory you wish to access via FTP.
° The Directory field defines the default directory and the top level of directory access that will be granted to the new account. In other words, an account with a Directory assignment of /$dir will not be allowed to access the / (root) directory; however, it will be able to access all of its sub-folders.
• Set the disk space quota. The Quota field determines how much disk space will be allocated to the FTP account.
If you have trouble uploading files via FTP, you may need to adjust the quota to allow more disk space for your account.
Note: You will not be able to exceed the disk space quota allocated by your hosting plan; if you are currently using the maximum disk space allowed by your plan, you may need to upgrade your hosting account or delete old or unused files.
Upon creation, the new account should be displayed in the list below. This list contains 4 functions for existing accounts. You can:
• Change a password.
• Adjust a quota.
• Delete an account.
• Configure an FTP client.
To search through several FTP accounts, enter a keyword in the Search box. cPanel will show only the accounts that contain the keyword.
Configure an FTP Client
When an FTP client is configured using cPanel, a script will be downloaded to your computer. When this script is run, the FTP client will automatically be opened, configured, and connected to your FTP server. To configure an FTP account, use the appropriate link under the Account Management heading.
Remember: The FTP client needs to be installed on your computer before you download and run the script file.
To configure an FTP client:
• Select the appropriate FTP client. The options include, FileZilla, WinSCP, and Cyberduck. cPanel only supports these 3 FTP clients for auto-configuration. Other clients can be used; however, you must configure the client yourself.
• Click the appropriate FTP or SFTP configuration link.
° We recommended that you use SFTP for a secure file transfer.
° SFTP stands for Secure File Transfer Protocol and uses SSL encryption for all of its operations.
• Open and run the configuration script file that has been downloaded to your computer.
The FTP client should automatically open, configure itself, and connect to your FTP server. There, you will be free to manage your website’s content. If you encounter problems when trying to automatically configure your FTP client, make sure your client is properly installed on your computer. If problems persist, consult your FTP client’s documentation.
Note: If you experience problems logging into your FTP account, consult the Manual Settings shown on the FTP Accounts screen to ensure that you are using the correct data to log in.
Remember: If the FTP client you wish to use is not listed, it cannot be automatically configured. In this scenario, you must configure your FTP client yourself. Consult your FTP client’s documentation for more information.
Raw Access Log Downloads Using FTP
If you need to see who has accessed your site via FTP, you can view this information in the raw access log files for your website. At the bottom of the FTP Accounts page, click one of the links to view the log file. The information will be downloaded in a raw text file.