Setting Up FTP and SFTP on iWebVault Hosting

FTP is the standard way to move large amounts of files between your computer and your server. cPanel includes everything you need — main FTP user, additional FTP accounts with limited paths, and secure SFTP (FTP over SSH) for encrypted transfer. This guide walks through setup, client configuration, and the security choices that matter.

FTP vs SFTP — which to use

Plain FTP transmits your username and password unencrypted across the network. Anyone monitoring traffic between you and the server can read it. SFTP encrypts everything via SSH and uses the same credentials as cPanel SSH access. Default to SFTP unless something specifically requires FTPS.

Using your main cPanel account

Your cPanel username and password are also valid FTP/SFTP credentials by default. With these you have full access to your home directory.

• Hostname: yourdomain.com or your server hostname.
• Username: your cPanel username.
• Password: your cPanel password.
• Port: 2222 for SFTP (the iWebVault shared SSH port). 21 for FTP.

For shared hosting where SSH access requires explicit enablement, SFTP may need to be enabled too. cPanel → SSH Access → enable if needed.

Creating additional FTP accounts

For collaborators, developers, or specific upload purposes, create dedicated FTP accounts with restricted paths.

1. cPanel → Files → FTP Accounts.
2. Click Add FTP Account (top of page).
3. Login: a username (gets @yourdomain.com appended).
4. Password: strong unique password.
5. Directory: restrict access to a specific folder. Default public_html/contractor = they can only see and modify that folder. Leave as default / to give full home directory access.
6. Quota: disk usage cap. Set to a reasonable limit so a runaway upload can’t fill your account.
7. Click Create FTP Account.

The account is immediately active. Login becomes username@yourdomain.com with the password you set.

Connecting from FileZilla

FileZilla is free, cross-platform, and the de facto standard.

1. Open FileZilla → File → Site Manager.
2. New Site → give it a name (e.g. “iWebVault prod”).
3. Protocol: select SFTP – SSH File Transfer Protocol.
4. Host: yourdomain.com.
5. Port: 2222.
6. Logon Type: Normal (for password) or Key file (for SSH key auth).
7. User: your cPanel username or the FTP-specific username.
8. Password: your password.
9. Connect.

First connection prompts you to accept the server’s SSH key fingerprint — say yes (and “Always trust” so it doesn’t ask again).

SFTP with SSH key (more secure)

If you’ve set up SSH key authentication (guide here), SFTP can use the same key — no password needed each connection.

1. FileZilla → Site Manager → your site.
2. Logon Type: Key file.
3. Key file: browse to your private key (~/.ssh/id_ed25519 typically).
4. Save and connect.

FileZilla may prompt to convert the key to its own format; let it.

Connecting from other clients

• Cyberduck (Mac/Windows): Open Connection → SFTP → host yourdomain.com, port 2222, username, password/key.
• WinSCP (Windows): New Site → File protocol SFTP → host, port 2222.
• Transmit (Mac): New Server → SFTP, fill in same fields.
• Command line: sftp -P 2222 youruser@yourdomain.com

All use the same connection model — SFTP, port 2222, your cPanel credentials.

Working efficiently in FileZilla

• Two panes: left = your computer, right = server. Drag files between them.
• Queue tab at bottom shows transfers in progress.
• Failed transfers tab shows what didn’t make it — easy to retry.
• Right-click “edit” on a remote file: opens it in your local editor, automatically re-uploads when you save. Great for quick fixes.
• Synchronized browsing: View menu → Synchronized browsing. Navigating in one pane mirrors the other. Useful for site sync workflows.

Setting permissions via FTP client

FileZilla and similar clients let you change file permissions: right-click file → File Permissions. Same numeric values as cPanel:

• Files: 644.
• Folders: 755.
• Sensitive configs: 600.

For bulk permission changes, SSH with chmod -R is faster than clicking through files one at a time in an FTP client.

Disabling FTP entirely (security best practice)

If you only use SFTP, you can disable FTP entirely. Reduces attack surface — port 21 brute-force attempts can’t reach you.

Open a support ticket asking to disable FTP for your account; we configure server-side. SFTP via port 2222 continues to work.

Common FTP/SFTP issues

“Connection refused”. Wrong port (21 vs 2222), wrong protocol (FTP vs SFTP), or firewall blocking you. Try from a different network. If still blocked, your IP may be in CSF deny list — open a ticket.

“Authentication failed”. Username or password wrong. Double-check FTP account format — additional FTP users are username@yourdomain.com, not just username.

“Connection times out after a while”. FTP control connection idle timeout. Enable “Keep alive” in your client settings. FileZilla: Edit → Settings → Connection → “Send FTP keep-alive commands”.

“Slow upload speed”. Many factors. Check your local upload bandwidth (speedtest.net measures upload too). Try fewer concurrent transfers (FileZilla settings → Transfers → max simultaneous transfers, lower to 1-2 for slow connections).

“Files upload but appear empty / corrupted”. Switch transfer mode. FileZilla: Transfer menu → Transfer type → Binary. Auto-mode sometimes wrongly converts file types.

“Can’t see hidden files (.htaccess etc.) in FileZilla”. Server menu → Force showing hidden files. Toggle on.

What’s next

• File Manager for browser-based editing: File Manager guide.
• SSH key authentication: SSH keys.
• Permissions deep dive: File permissions guide.

For one-off fixes use File Manager. For everyday file work, set up FileZilla with SFTP on port 2222 once and forget about it. The speed difference for any meaningful file volume is enormous.