Introduction
Using FileZilla as an FTP client is a common way to transfer files to and from a web hosting server. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up FileZilla for FTPS (Explicit SSL/TLS) and SFTP (SSH) connections:
FTPS (SSL/TLS) Connection:
- Download and install FileZilla from the FileZilla project website.
- Open FileZilla and select “Site Manager” from the “File” menu.
- In the Site Manager, click the “New Site” button and give your new site a name (e.g., My Website Name).
Configure the site with the following settings on the “General” tab:
Host: Your server’s hostname or domain name.
Port: 21
Protocol: FTP – File Transfer Protocol.
Encryption: Require explicit FTP over TLS (recommended) or None.
Logon Type: Normal
User: Your cPanel username
Password: Your cPanel password
- Click the “Transfer Settings” tab and set the following options:
- Select the “Passive Transfer Mode” radio button.
- Tick the “Limit number of simultaneous connections” checkbox.
- Set the “Maximum number of connections” to 10.
- Click “OK.”
When you connect for the first time, you may see an “Unknown certificate” prompt. Verify that the certificate’s Subject – Common Name matches the server you are connecting to and click “OK” to confirm. You’ll only see this prompt the first time you connect.
If you’re using your domain name instead of the home server name, you might also need to tick the “Always trust this certificate in future session” checkbox.
SFTP (SSH) Connection:
- Download and install FileZilla from the FileZilla project website.
- Open FileZilla and select “Site Manager” from the “File” menu.
- In the Site Manager, click the “New Site” button and give your new site a name (e.g., My Website Name).
Configure the site with the following settings on the “General” tab:
Host: Your Home Server name or domain name.
Port: 722
Protocol: FTP or SFTP (We recommend using SFTP for better security).
Logon Type: Normal
User: Your cPanel username
Password: Your cPanel password
Click the “Advanced” tab:
- Default local directory: Browse to the directory where you keep the website files for this project.
- Default remote directory: This should be in the form /home/<username>/public_html/, replacing <username> with your cPanel username.
Click the “Transfer Settings” tab and set the following options:
- Select the “Passive Transfer Mode” radio button.
- Tick the “Limit number of simultaneous connections” checkbox.
- Set the “Maximum number of connections” to 10.
- Click “OK.”
Now you have successfully set up FileZilla for both FTPS and SFTP connections, depending on your security preferences. You can use FileZilla to transfer files to and from your web hosting server.
