FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is the easiest way to upload large or multiple files to your {HOST_BRAND} hosting account. To use FTP, you need an FTP client — a program that handles file transfers. Popular FTP clients include FileZilla, SmartFTP, CuteFTP, and Total Commander. You can use any of them, but we recommend FileZilla, as it is free, easy to use, and works perfectly with {HOST_BRAND}. (Download FileZilla client here: https://filezilla-project.org/)
Step 1: FTP Information Required for FTP Clients
Before connecting, you will need some basic information. Log in to your {HOST_BRAND} Control Panel and go to Files > FTP Accounts to find this information. Here’s what you need:
- Hostname/Server: Usually your domain or subdomain, but it can also be your server’s IP address.
- Username: Your FTP login name. Your first/default FTP account typically uses the same username as your {HOST_BRAND} Control Panel login.
- Password: Initially, this matches your Control Panel password, but you can change it in the FTP Accounts section.
- Port: Most FTP clients use port 21 by default, which is also the standard for FTP transfers.
When you log in with your default account, you’ll be connected to the www/ directory. This is where all your website folders are located.
Step 2: Create FTP Accounts with Restricted Access (Optional)
If you want to give someone limited access—for example, a coworker working on a single site—you can create a new FTP account and restrict it to a specific folder.
For example, if you want to grant a new FTP user access to the directory /www/example.com, simply enter /www/example.com as the access path. The new account will only be able to work within this folder and its subfolders and will not have access to higher-level directories such as /www/.
This is a great way to let collaborators work safely without exposing all your files.
Step 3: Connect Using an FTP Client
- Open your FTP client (we recommend FileZilla).
- Enter your hostname, username, password, and port.
- Click Connect.
You should now see your server files in the FTP client, and you can start uploading your website files to the appropriate directories.
Using FTP with Dreamweaver
If you’re using Dreamweaver to manage your website, there’s one extra step. In addition to your FTP credentials, you’ll need to set the Host Directory.
The Host Directory tells Dreamweaver where to upload your files relative to the directory your FTP account connects to. For example:
- If your default FTP account connects to www/
- And your website is in www/example.com/
Then your Host Directory in Dreamweaver should be: example.com/
This ensures your website files are uploaded to the correct folder on {HOST_BRAND} servers.
Tip: Always double-check the folder path before uploading files to avoid overwriting other sites or folders.