How to use an ftp program

If you are a MAC user, this is for you. Transit has a 7-day free trial, which is enough time to decide if you want it or not. FreeFTP is another popular client for windows. It is easy to use and requires just a click of the button to connect to your server. This is another popular client for Windows. It comes with security features like bit AES encryption and login authentication encryption. Apart from these, some internet browsers come with in-built clients, through which you can download files from your web browser.

This is a method of authentication that limits file system access to authorized users only. You may also see your FTP login details in your cPanel dashboard. If you have problems finding your login credentials, contact your web hosting provider for help. The protocol sends user names, passwords, and all information in plain text.

No WordPress site can function without a database. Follow these steps to create one. At this point, create an FTP connection to your server. Unzip the file to extract the WordPress folder.

The folder contains all files you need to create your WordPress site. Next, go back to FileZilla. The screen is divided into two sections — local site and remote site. The local site section displays files on your computer while the remote site section displays your website files. When the upload completes, we have successfully created a database and uploaded WordPress. The next step is the easiest of all. Next, input your database name, username, and password the same details you used while creating a database.

The Database Host and Table Prefix fields should be left the way they are. Then, click Submit. Finally, fill in your site title, username, password, and email address. Then, click Install WordPress. This step takes you straight to your WordPress dashboard. You can start writing posts, installing plugins, and changing the appearance of your site from here. This is where you upload the files. Now, you have successfully uploaded your files. However, the uploaded files are not in the WordPress media library.

The next step shows how to make your files visible. The page opened will show you a list of files downloaded using FTP. To do this, download the WordPress plugin. Plugins come in a zip format. That is where WordPress checks for plugins. Next, upload the folder you extracted from the zip file into the plugins folder. Now, visit your dashboard to activate your newly installed plugin.

Browse the folders on the right to see what's on the server. Browse the folders on the left to see what's on the local drive. Right-click a file and select Upload or Download.

Did this summary help you? Yes No. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article parts. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Article Summary. Part 1. FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol, and is a connection method designed for transferring files from a remote server to local computer, and vice versa.

FTP is often used in corporate and academic settings, and is the primary way of managing webpage servers. Understand the parts of an FTP address. When you come across FTP addresses on a webpage, they are usually denoted in the same way as a usual webpage address—with a couple of exceptions: For example, you might see ftp. This means that the address is ftp.

You will need both of these when connecting to the FTP server. If the FTP requires a username, it may be written as username ftp. If no username is specified, then you will usually need to enter "anonymous" as the username when you connect. Note that you are not actually anonymous when you connect to a public FTP; the host can see your IP address. Determine how you prefer to connect. There are three main ways to connect to FTP servers: via visual clients, via browser-based clients, or through the command line.

Downloading and installing a visual client is the most widely used and easiest way to connect to an FTP, and also affords you the most power and control over the process. The majority of this guide will focus on using an FTP client. A visual client is essentially just a program which allows you to enter the necessary FTP address and port; the program does all of the hard work from there.

To connect to an FTP through a web browser, simply enter the FTP address into the address bar just like any other website. You may be asked for login credentials, and then you can browse the directories. Using a browser is usually much slower and less reliable than using a designated client. If you're interested in how to connect to an FTP using the command line, see the final section of this guide. Part 2.

Download FileZilla. Using a client to connect will often lead to faster uploads and downloads to the FTP server, and FileZilla is one of the most popular FTP servers available. Click the green Download button below the "FileZilla" heading. FileZilla is the example for this article, but you can use virtually any FTP client in the same way. This process will vary depending on your computer's operating system: Windows — Double-click the downloaded FileZilla setup file, click Yes when prompted, click I agree , click Next four times, uncheck the box on the Driver Update page, click Next , uncheck the box on the WinZIP page, and click Next.

Mac — Double-click the downloaded FileZilla DMG file, click and drag the FileZilla app icon onto the "Applications" folder icon, and follow any on-screen instructions until FileZilla begins installing. Enter your FTP server's information. Username — You'll enter the login username here if there is no username, enter anonymous. Password — The password to log into the FTP server goes here leave blank if there isn't a password.

Port — The FTP server's port number goes here. It's near the upper-right corner of the FileZilla window. When a request is received, the server uses this port to control the connection and opens a separate port for transferring file data.

The original FTP clients were command-line programs for Unix operating systems. Microsoft later released the Windows FTP client with a graphical interface. There are many FTP clients available for different operating systems. A lot of them are free, but there are also premium FTP clients that have extra features, such as the option to automatically transfer files on a set schedule. When you open your FTP client, you will see several different boxes that you will need to fill out:.

To connect to an FTP server, you need a username and password as set by the server administrator; however, some servers follow a special convention that accepts any client using "anonymous" as its username. You must also select a mode for the FTP transfer. A common error when using FTP is attempting to transfer a binary file such as an image, program, or music file while in text mode, causing the transferred file to be unusable.

You may want to go to the startup properties and change the default local folder to the folder on your computer where you are keeping your web page files. Every FTP client is a little different, but the interface typically has two main panels:. Locate the file you want to transfer on the left side and double-click it to make the file appear on the right side.

It's also possible to move files from the hosting server to your computer. You can also view, rename, delete, and move your files around. If you need to create new folders for your files, you can do that too. Make sure to set up the folders on your hosting service exactly the same as you set them up on your computer so that you will always send files to the correct folders.