How To Setup an FTP Client

Setting up an FTP Client is easy once you have chosen which ftp client to use. In this ftp tutorial, you will learn how to

1. setup an FTP client
2. use the FTP site manager
3. connect to an FTP server
4. download and upload files using FTP

Caution: Always create full backup of your site before learning how to use FTP

Setting up an FTP Client

To connect to an FTP server and upload your WordPress web site to your hosts server you will need the following FTP details:

1. FTP Address or Hostname: Your website ftp address (usually ftp://yourdomain.com if your URL is http://yourdomain.com)
2. FTP Username & Password: You selected both of these during account creation
3. FTP Port: Try 21 or 22 otherwise check with your host.

List of popular FTP Clients

Below are a list of the more popular Free and Professional FTP Clients.

1. CuteFTP Professional
2. Filezilla Stand alone FTP Software

Choose an FTP client which you feel comfortable with and install it to your computer. If its a firefox addon then this step will be very easy. If you don’t use Firefox then download Filezilla or one of the premium FTP clients.

If in doubt, ask your host for help on setting up an FTP account in cPanel.

Connecting to your server using an FTP Client

If your using Filezilla, click file then site manager and enter your FTP details into the site manager and save them. Next time you need to connect to your server using your FTP client you can simply click connect.

If your using FireFTP like me add your FTP login details to the window next to  the connect button on the top left hand corner.

FTP Site Manager – Filezilla

1. Click New Site then name the new connection to the site you use it for.e.g (WordPresssites.net)
2. Host: Enter the ftp address or hostname for that particular website. Normally you will be able to use your cPanel login username and password with FTP as well or you may have created FTP details in cPanel already for this particular site. Otherwise use your website ftp address (usually ftp://yourdomain.com if your URL is http://yourdomain.com)
3. Enter port number
4. Protocol: FTP
5. Encryption: use plain FTP
6. Login type: Normal
7. Enter you username and password

Click Save or O.K. Now that your FTP details are saved, you can click connect at anytime and access your servers files via FTP.

Transferring Files Using FTP

Uploading

First – in the local site window – bring the directory into view which contains data to be uploaded (e.g. index.html and images/).

Now, navigate to the desired target directory on the server (using the remote server window’s file listings).

To upload the data, select the respective files/directories and drag them from the local to the remote site window. You will notice that the files will be added to the transfer queue at the bottom of the window.

After the upload (transfer) is completed the uploaded files and directories should now be displayed in the server location in the right side of the window.

Note: If you don’t like using drag-and-drop, you can also right click on files/directories and select Upload to upload them – or simply double-click a file entry (this does not work for directories).

When using FireFTP you will be able to simply click on the green arrows to transfer files between your local computer and your server.

Downloading

Downloading files, or complete directories, works essentially the same way as uploading – you just drag the files/directories from the remote site to the local site this time, instead of the other way round.

When using FireFTP you will be able to simply click on the green arrows to download files from your server to your local computer.

Conclusion

The most important part of using FTP is to get the location right so you transfer the right files to the correct location otherwise you may overwrite existing content. This is the reason i always take full backup of my site before using FTP. Your FTP client should warn you before it overwrites existing content.

Setting up an FTP Client isn’t difficult so give it a try if you want to learn how to transfer content to/from your local pc and your server.

Video Tutorial

More FTP Resources

1. FTP for WordPress-How to Transfer Files To/From Your Server/Computer