How to Use FTP and FileZilla

FTP transfers data in plain text — not secure. FTPS (FTP Secure) adds SSL/TLS encryption to FTP — safer but more complex to configure. SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) uses SSH for encrypted transfer — safest and most recommended. On BeoHosting we recommend SFTP (port 22), available on all packages without extra setup.

Most common reasons: wrong password (check caps lock), wrong port (use 21 for FTP or 22 for SFTP), firewall blocking the connection (add FileZilla to exceptions), IP blocked on the server (contact hosting support). In FileZilla, check the log at the top of the window for error details. On BeoHosting, after 5 failed login attempts the IP is temporarily blocked — wait 15 minutes or contact support.

Two approaches: (1) Direct upload — in FileZilla navigate to public_html on the server, select all site files on your computer and drag them to the server. For many files this can take a long time. (2) Faster method — zip the files on your computer, upload the .zip to the server, then in cPanel File Manager right-click → Extract. The second method is much faster for sites with thousands of files.

Recommended WordPress permissions: directories = 755, files = 644, wp-config.php = 600 (or 640). Never use 777 — it gives access to everyone and is a serious security risk. In FileZilla, right-click → File Permissions. You can tick "Recurse into subdirectories" to change permissions on all files at once.

Yes, cPanel File Manager is a great alternative for small changes: editing individual files, uploading/downloading smaller files and changing permissions. Pros: no software install needed, runs in the browser, has a built-in editor. Cons: slow for large files or many files, no sync. For serious work (site development, migration) FileZilla is the better choice.