How to use FileZilla to Connect FTP Server

1. First, install FileZilla on your PC and enter your host, username, and password then you will get this.

The left side shows, your computer directory, and the right side show the directory of your web server. To transfer files, you can simply drag and drop from left side to right side or you can select that file and right click on that file then choose upload option. You can also make a new folder and move folders just like in your own computer.

2. If you don’t want to type your information each time then you can use the site manager. Reach it by selecting file/site manager and then you will get such type of window.

Now go to Login Type drop-down box and change the setting to normal and enter your username and password and click OK to save and connect.

While choosing the protocol option you have to choose FTP or SFTP. Let’s discuss this two protocol.

FTP:-

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard network protocol and developed in the 1970s to allow two computers to transfer data. Where one computer acts as a server to store information and other acts as a client. Clients initiate conversations with the server by requesting to download a file. By using FTP client can upload, download, delete and copy files from a server. The FTP protocol typically uses port 21 as its main reason to communicate. This connection called as control connection.

The FTP client will usually authenticate itself by sending username and password. Once the connection established file gets transferred. The control connection remains stable until the end of an exchange of files. FTP requires a block of ports to remain open on either client firewall or at server firewall to perform Data connection. For security reasons, companies are limiting the number of ports and looking for an alternative solution to keep the port closed so that information will get secured.

SFTP:-

SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) is a new protocol developed in the 1990s, which allows for the transfer of files and other data over a connection that has been secured using Secure Shell Protocol (SSH). This protocol communicates over a secure connection. SFTP send a binary 0xBC and then “file.txt”. This is the difference between FTP and SFTP. The SFTP protocol is faster because of its fewer data crossing the wire.

Since SFTP runs with SSH it is very secure. There is a very secure data transformation. This is a plus point for system administrators who are trying to enforce corporate security policies. SFTP server software is able to deliver a much richer and more detailed set of data about the files, such as the permission, date, time, size and other information.

3. While choosing Encryption type you will get four options in menu bar such as given below.

Explicit FTP over TLS:-

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) provides a mechanism to perform connection between client and server and transferring data between them. Once the connection is made a secure SSL connection is established via port 21. This is a standard way of protecting data.

Implicit FTP over TLS:-

Implicit FTP is actually more strict than explicit FTP when it comes to establishing a secure connection. The entire FTP session is encrypted. This is also called as a deprecated protocol because this protocol is no more current standard. You have a choice while choosing between implicit and explicit FTP.

Plane FTP:-

While using plane FTP encryption is not provided at connection side also at data transfer side. This protocol does not contain any SSL so that plane FTP is less secure than any other FTP protocol.

4. While choosing a transfer setting next to the advanced setting you will get three options and you will get this type of window.

Default Mode:-

The default mode is a recommended mode where a client asks to the operating system for a machine’s IP address for a number of free ports.

Passive Mode:-

In passive mode, a client has no control over what port the server chooses for the data connection. A server is allowed to establish an outgoing connection to ports since the client controls which port to use for the connection.

Active Mode:-

In Active mode, the server opens a socket and waits for a client to establish a connection. By default, the server asks the operating system for machine IP address and for a number of free ports. This configuration only works if you are connected to the internet directly. If you are not connected to the internet directly you have to tell FileZilla your external IP address.

5. You can upload a file by double-clicking on it. You can in below image Hello file is transferred from the client machine to the server.

6. After uploading a file you can check whether you uploaded file is present at cpanel or not. Just log in to cpanel and go to file manager. If your file is uploaded successfully then it will be available there. As you can see in below image hello file is present at file manager that means our transmission of a file is successfully completed.

Plesk Control Panel:-

Plesk is a control panel available on windows based hosting accounts. It lets you easily manage many aspects such as files, applications, and emails hosted in our account.

By using Plesk we can transfer files from local machine to server. Follow given steps to transfer files.

1. Login to FileZilla and Plesk Control Pane
2. On the remote side, open your website directory. (go to filee->httpdocs)
3. Click on the upload button and select your files from a local side.
4. Click on the open button and upload.