IT Admin

FileZilla is a free FTP Client, and one that I have found very easy to use. FTP stand for file transfer protocol. A FTP client is used when one needs to upload files, such as a website to the server. FTP Clients are fast and more stable then using the free upload feature found within many hosting companies.

You need to Download and Install FileZilla at http://filezilla-project.org. You want to download the FileZilla Client. Once download simple double click to install and follow the on screen instruction. It is very straight forward and should go quickly.

When using an FTP client you will need a few pieces of information about your server. First, you will need the URL which is pretty easy to get. The URL is simply the web address you type into the browser window to visit your site. Such as www.frenchsquared.com.

You will also need the user name and password for your FTP Access. This can be obtained by contacting your web hosting company. If you use Godaddy simply go to godaddy.com, log in, and then go to Hosting & Servers / My Hosting Account. Once you find your hosting account click on manage account.  Next, you want to click on the settings bar and select Manage FTP Users. From here you will see the Primary FTP User and you can set or change the password. You also have the ability to create a new FTP User. It is a very good idea to create a separate FTP user for you web developer, or webmaster. Do not worry if you do not use Godaddy all hosting companies are relatively the same. Just look for a way to manage FTP Users. If you have to much trouble simply call the hosting company and ask for them to help you locate the FTP Settings.

Once you have the URL, FTP User and Password you are ready to go. Open FileZilla and look at the top of the window and you should notice the text fields for the Address, User and Password. Do not worry about the Port: FileZilla will find this for you. Simply input your information and click the Quick Connect button. After a few seconds you screen should fill with folders similar to the screenshot.

Congratulations, you have just connected to your server. If you get an error it is probably because the user name or password is incorrect.

Now that you have connected your server with your computer you can move files around. The FileZilla window id is divided in half with the right side being the Local Site or your computer. On the left is the Remote Site or your server. On the Remote side navigate to your www folder and open it by double clicking on the folder. The folders are in alphabetical order so you should simply need to scroll down. The www folder is where most hosting companies keep all the files needed for you website. Keep in mind that if you are using Godaddy you will not have a www folder. Godaddy stores all files in the root folder, which means if you are using Godaddy you are good to go.

On the right side of the screen you can navigate around your computer. I believe FileZilla will open to your C: Drive. You will need to navigate around to find where the files are stored on your server. If you need to move up a directory double click on the top folder labeled “..” Anytime you see a blank folder or a “..“ it is used to navigate upwards.

Once you find the files you wish to upload simple double click the file, or right click and select upload. If you wish to upload an entire folder you simple right click and select upload. After the file is uploaded you are all set. The file is live and can be accessed from anywhere. It should be mentioned that if you are uploading a site you created remember that you need to have the main or home page called index. Whenever, you visit a website by typing in the www.whatever.com the browser will always look for the file called index or home. If neither of these file exist you will get an error code.

Good luck and Happy FTPing.