Applies to: Windows hosting customers (the FileZilla steps work for Linux hosting too — only the host and folder names differ)
FileZilla is a free FTP program for Windows, Mac and Linux, and the most common way to publish website files to your hosting. This guide takes you from download to a live site.
What you'll need
- An FTP account — see How to add an FTP account in SolidCP.
- Your server address — shown as Server Name in your client area under Services > your hosting package > Hosting Information (you can also use your domain name once it points at our server).
- FileZilla Client, downloaded from filezilla-project.org (get the Client, not the Server).
Connecting
- Open FileZilla and go to File > Site Manager > New Site. Give it a name like "My Webtech site".
- Enter the details:
- Protocol: FTP — File Transfer Protocol
- Host: your server address • Port: 21
- Encryption: Use explicit FTP over TLS if available
- Logon Type: Normal • User and Password: your FTP account details
- Click Connect. Accept the server's certificate if prompted.
Uploading your site
- The left panel shows your computer; the right panel shows the server.
- On the server side, open your website's folder and then its wwwroot subfolder (e.g.
/yourdomain.co.za/wwwroot). This is the folder visitors see — files outside it are not served. - On your computer, select your website's files and folders, then drag them into the right panel (or right-click > Upload).
- Wait for the transfer queue at the bottom to empty. Failed transfers appear on the Failed transfers tab and can be re-queued with a right-click.
Checking your work
Browse to your domain. Your homepage file should be named one of the defaults — index.html, index.php, default.aspx or similar — so the server knows what to show. If you see an old page, force-refresh with Ctrl+F5; if you see a directory listing error, your homepage file is missing or misnamed.
Frequently asked questions
"Connection refused" or timeouts?
Double-check the host and port, and try from another network — some office firewalls block FTP. Make sure encryption is set to explicit TLS, not implicit.
"530 Login incorrect"?
The username or password is wrong — reset the FTP password in SolidCP (see How to change your FTP account password) and try again.
Related articles
How to add an FTP account in SolidCP • How to use the File Manager in SolidCP • How to add a website in SolidCP
