File Manager vs FTP — when to use which.

cPanel gives you two ways to manage files. Both work; one is better for different cases.

File Manager (in-browser)

cPanel → File Manager.

Use when:

• Quick edit to a single file (.htaccess, wp-config.php)
• Browsing the file tree to understand layout
• Uploading 1‑10 files
• You don't have an FTP client installed

Don't use when:

• Uploading hundreds/thousands of files (slow, can time out)
• Uploading large files >50 MB (browser limits)
• Working with binary files at scale

FTP / SFTP

A desktop client (FileZilla, Cyberduck, Transmit) connects to your server and lets you drag/drop like a regular folder.

Use when:

• Bulk upload (an entire site)
• Large files (videos, backups, media)
• Repeated work — sync local → remote during development
• Anything programmatic

SFTP credentials:

Host:     yourdomain.com  (or the server IP)
Port:     22
Protocol: SFTP - SSH File Transfer Protocol
Username: your cPanel username
Password: your cPanel password

You can find these in cPanel → FTP Accounts if you want a separate FTP-only account that doesn't have full cPanel access (good for giving access to a developer).

SFTP vs FTP — always pick SFTP

Plain FTP sends passwords unencrypted. SFTP runs over SSH — encrypted end-to-end. Modern clients support SFTP by default.

We disable plain FTP across our platform. If a client demands "FTP", select SFTP and use port 22.

FileZilla quick setup

1. Download FileZilla Client (free)
2. File → Site Manager → New Site
3. Fill the credentials above with Protocol: SFTP
4. Logon Type: Normal
5. Connect

Your home directory is the entry point. Files for yourdomain.com go in public_html/. Files for an addon domain go in public_html/yourotherdomain.com/.

Permissions cheat sheet

After uploading via FTP, occasionally permissions are wrong:

• Files: 644 (rw- r-- r--)
• Directories: 755 (rwx r-x r-x)
• Sensitive files like wp-config.php: 600 (rw- --- ---)

In FileZilla, right-click → File permissions.

Why "permission denied"

Two common causes:

• Permissions too strict (600 on a public file → 403 forbidden)
• Permissions too loose (777 triggers our security rules → 500 error)

If a file works at home but not when uploaded, fix permissions to 644/755 first.