FileZilla setup for FTP: connect to your hosting step by step
PrintFileZilla is a free FTP program for Windows, macOS and Linux that copies files between your computer and your hosting account. To connect to TopHost hosting you need four things: the server (ftp.yourdomain or the server IP address), port 21, the FTP username and its password. Save them once in the Site Manager and every later connection takes one click.
What you need before you start
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Host | ftp.yourdomain, for example ftp.example.md. Until the domain points to TopHost, use the server IP address shown in cPanel under General Information, Shared IP Address. |
| Port | 21 |
| User | Your cPanel username for the main account, or the full name@domain of an additional account (How to create an additional FTP account). |
| Password | The cPanel password for the main account, or the password set for the additional account. |
Download FileZilla (the client, not FileZilla Server) only from the official site, filezilla-project.org. The Windows installer may offer extra software along the way; you can decline it.
Step 1. Open the Site Manager
Start FileZilla and open File, then Site Manager. The keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+S on Windows and Linux, Cmd+S on a Mac.
Step 2. Add your site
- Click New site and give the entry a name you will recognise, for example your domain.
- On the General tab, choose Protocol: FTP - File Transfer Protocol.
- Fill in Host and Port as in the table above.
- Set Encryption to Use explicit FTP over TLS if available. With TLS, your password and files travel encrypted instead of as plain text.
- Set Logon Type to Normal and type the User and Password. On a shared computer, choose Ask for password instead, so the password is not stored.
Two optional settings save time later:
- Advanced tab, Default remote directory: enter
/public_htmlif you always work on the primary site. The main account otherwise opens in the home folder. - Transfer Settings tab: leave Transfer mode on Default or choose Passive; tick Limit number of simultaneous connections and set 2 to 4 if the server complains about too many connections.
Step 3. Connect
Click Connect. On the first connection over TLS, FileZilla shows the server certificate and asks whether to trust it. The certificate may carry the name of the hosting server rather than your domain; that is normal on shared hosting. Tick Always trust this certificate in future sessions and confirm with OK.
When the connection works, the right-hand panel lists the folders on the server and the left-hand panel shows your computer. Drag files from left to right to upload them. The queue at the bottom shows progress; anything that did not go through stays in Failed transfers, from where you can start it again. Not sure which folder to open? See Where to upload website files in cPanel.
SFTP instead of FTP
SFTP runs over SSH and works only with the main cPanel username, after SSH access has been switched on for your account. SSH on shared hosting is activated on request, and the port to use is given in Connecting to the server via SSH (not port 22). Additional FTP accounts cannot use SFTP; for them, FTP with explicit TLS is the secure option.
Errors and what they mean
- 530 Login authentication failed. Wrong username or password. For an additional account, type the full
name@domain. Reset the password in cPanel (FTP Accounts, Change Password) or, for the main account, follow Forgotten password: where to reset it. - Connection timed out or could not connect to server. The host name may not yet point to TopHost; try the server IP. If it worked before and stopped after a few wrong passwords, the server firewall has blocked your IP for a while (reasons for an IP block). Send us your IP in a ticket if it does not clear.
- Stuck at "Initializing TLS..." or "Failed to retrieve directory listing". An antivirus, a firewall or the router is usually interfering with the FTP data connection. Switch Transfer mode between Passive and Active, or pause the FTP scanning of the antivirus. Use Only use plain FTP (insecure) only as a short test from a trusted network, never on public Wi-Fi.
- 421 Too many connections. FileZilla opened more parallel connections than the server allows. Lower the limit in Transfer Settings as described above.
- Files arrive with 0 bytes. The disk space is probably full: see File uploaded with zero size.
Keep your saved passwords safe
By default FileZilla stores saved passwords on your computer in a form that other programs can read. Open Edit, then Settings, then Interface, then Passwords, and choose Save passwords protected by a master password. Malware that steals FTP passwords from computers is a frequent way in for site infections.
If you still cannot connect, open a ticket at https://billing.tophost.md/submitticket.php and paste the last lines from the FileZilla message log.
