FTP - General FTP Settings

The File Transfer Protocol, or FTP, is a standardized network protocol used to transfer files between a client and a server over a computer network. It functions as a bridge that allows you to connect to remote servers and exchange files seamlessly. It is a reliable method for uploading, downloading, organizing, and managing files on your hosting account.

In this article, we will guide you through locating your FTP accounts, FTP details, and configuring your preferred FTP client to access your hosting server. We will use "public_html" as an example of your document root or site directory. If your website is associated with an addon domain, please refer to the following article for additional instructions: FTP for Addon Domains.

Here are the topics discussed in this article:

• General FTP Information
• How to Locate Your FTP Credentials
• How to Connect Your FTP Client
• Summary

General FTP Information

Here is the information needed by an FTP client.

• Domain name or IP address: This will be used in the Server/Host/Hostname/Address field.
• Username: This should match your cPanel or the FTP account you created.
• Password: Use the password associated with your cPanel or FTP username
• Port: Set this to 21.
• Path/Directory: This is usually blank*.

*Leave this field blank unless you want to automatically load a specific subfolder in FTP. For instance, if you have cPanel, you may wish to automatically load the public_html folder.

How to Locate Your FTP Credentials

You can locate your FTP credentials in your Account Manager or cPanel.

Account Manager

Bluehost has made it easier for you to create and manage your FTP accounts. You just need to log in to your Account Manager and navigate to the FTP Management section.

If you're already logged into your Account Manager, you can use the following link to go to your FTP Management section.

• https://www.bluehost.com/my-account/hosting/details/ftp-access

If you have not logged into your Account Manager yet, here are the steps to access your FTP Management section.

1. Log in to your Bluehost Account Manager.
2. In the left-hand menu, click Websites.
3. Click the Manage button located next to the website you want to manage.

   
    

4. Click the FILES & ACCESS tab.

   
    

5. Click the Manage button under the FTP card.

   
    

6. You will be taken to the FTP Management panel, where you can view all existing FTP accounts.

   
    

7. Click the More Options (vertical ellipsis) icon on the right, then click View.

   
    

8. In the FTP Client Details pop-up window, you will find your FTP account information.

   

cPanel

1. Log in to your Bluehost Account Manager.
2. Click Hosting in the left-hand menu.
3. In the hosting details page, click the cPanel button.

   
    

4. Your cPanel will open in a new tab.

   
    

5. Within cPanel, go to the Files section and click on FTP Accounts.

   
    

6. On the FTP Accounts page, you can do the following:
   • Add a new FTP account
   • View the details of your existing FTP accounts
   • Download your FTP configuration files
7. In the FTP Accounts section, click Configure FTP Client to view your FTP information.

   
    

8. You'll see your FTP account's details.

   
    

9. You can also download the configuration file for your preferred FTP client to automatically set up your FTP connection.
   1. Click on the Configure FTP Client link for your preferred FTP account to download the configuration.

      
       

   2. Click the FTP Configuration File button for your preferred client (CoreFTP for Windows or Cyberduck for Mac).

      
       

   3. Your FTP configuration file is being downloaded. You can import this into your FTP client to set up the connection automatically. See instructions below:

Here is a quick video of the steps above.

How to Connect Your FTP Client

To connect your FTP to your Bluehost hosting account, you can use either the manual settings or the configuration file from your cPanel.

Among the various free FTP programs available to download on the internet for Mac OS X, Windows, or Linux, Bluehost recommends FileZilla. It can be downloaded free of charge from http://www.filezilla-project.org.

Connect Manually to FileZilla

To create a connection in FileZilla, follow these steps:

1. Click File and open the Site Manager.

   
    

2. Click the New Site button.

   
    

3. Enter a name for the new site.

   
    

4. Enter the following settings:
   • Host: Your domain name or server IP address.
   • Port: 21
   • Protocol: FTP - File Transfer Protocol
   • Encryption: Use plain FTP
   • Logon Type: Ask for Password
   • User: Your cPanel or FTP account username

     

5. Click the Transfer Settings tab, then select the Limit number of simultaneous connections checkbox and set the limit to 8.

   
    

6. Click the Connect button.
7. You will be prompted for your password. Enter your password and click OK. 
8. Once you click the Connect button, your FTP client should establish a connection to the server. You can then download and upload files by dragging and dropping them between your local and remote site sections.

Connect Using the Configuration File

With the configuration file you downloaded from cPanel, you can connect to your hosting server using an FTP client.

For CoreFTP (Windows):

1. From your CoreFTP client, click Sites, then choose Site Manager.
2. Next, from the main window, click Import, then choose Core FTP.
3. Upload the configuration file you saved.

For Cyberduck (Mac):

1. Locate and double-click on the configuration file you saved.
2. Cyberduck should automatically open and log into your FTP account.

For more information on FTP Clients, please see Recommended FTP Applications. Also, to set up your FTP account, please read How to Create an FTP Account to learn more.

Summary

Learn how to manage your website using FTP (File Transfer Protocol). This article will help you locate your FTP accounts, find your FTP credentials, and set up your preferred FTP client for secure file transfers. You will also discover essential FTP settings, including the domain, username, password, port, and directory, to efficiently transfer and organize your files.