Managing files and FTP (File Transfer Protocol) accounts is a fundamental aspect of maintaining a website hosted on a cloud server. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of creating and managing FTP accounts for your domains within cPanel, configuring your FTP client for seamless connections, and effectively utilizing the cPanel File Manager to handle your website's files and directories.

Creating and Managing FTP Accounts

Establishing dedicated FTP accounts provides a secure and organized method for uploading, downloading, and managing your website's files. Follow these steps to create and manage FTP accounts through your cPanel interface:

1. Begin by logging into your WHM (Web Host Manager) control panel.
2. On the left-hand side navigation, locate the ‘Account Information’ heading and select the ‘List Accounts’ function.
3. Identify the domain for which you wish to create an FTP account and click on the associated cPanel logo.
4. Within the cPanel interface, navigate to the ‘Files’ section.
5. Select the ‘FTP Accounts’ icon. Here, you will find options to add a new FTP account by completing the required fields:
   • Login: Define a unique username for this FTP account.
   • Password: Set a strong, secure password for the FTP account.
   • Confirm Password: Re-enter the chosen password to ensure accuracy.
   • Directory: (Optional) Specify a particular directory path if you wish to restrict this FTP account's access to a specific folder within your website's structure.
   • Quota: (Optional) Assign a disk space quota to limit the storage used by this specific FTP account.
6. Finalize the process by selecting ‘Create FTP Account’.

Once created, your new FTP account will appear in a comprehensive list of all active FTP accounts for that domain. From this management area, you have the flexibility to modify the account's password, adjust its disk quota, delete the account entirely, or retrieve its specific configuration settings for FTP client applications.

FTP Client Connection Settings

To connect to your server using an FTP client application, such as FileZilla, Cyberduck, or WinSCP, you will need to input specific connection details. These settings ensure a successful and secure connection to your hosting environment:

Hostname:

Enter either your server's IP address or the domain name that points to your server.

Username:

Use the server's administrator username or the specific FTP account username you created.

Password:

Input the corresponding password for the server administrator or the FTP account.

Port:

The standard port for FTP connections is 21.

Always ensure that your FTP client is configured to use passive mode for better compatibility with various network configurations and firewalls.

Utilizing the File Manager in cPanel

cPanel's File Manager is a powerful web-based tool that allows you to manage your website's files and folders directly from your browser, eliminating the need for an external FTP client for basic tasks. To access it:

Within the cPanel interface for your domain, under the ‘Files’ heading, select the ‘File Manager’ option. This action will open a new window displaying all the files and directories associated with your website.

The primary directory for all your public web content, which is accessible via a web browser, is typically named public_html. All files intended to be part of your live website should be placed within this folder or its subdirectories.

To upload new files, navigate to the desired directory within the File Manager. From the menu bar, select the ‘Upload’ function. A new tab will open, providing an intuitive interface where you can either drag and drop files from your computer directly into the browser window or use the ‘Select File’ button to browse and choose files from your local storage. Beyond uploading, the File Manager also offers robust functionalities such for compressing multiple files or folders into an archive, or extracting content from a compressed file that has already been uploaded to the server, streamlining common file management tasks.