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Antihost offers managed WordPress hosting with free migration, one-click staging and a 14-day free trial.
To connect to a WordPress site, use an FTP/SFTP client with the server hostname, protocol, port, transfer-account username, and password or SSH key supplied by your hosting provider. Choose SFTP (or FTPS) whenever it is available: plain FTP sends credentials and file contents without encryption. After you sign in, open the WordPress installation directory—the folder containing wp-config.php—before transferring or changing anything.
What you need before opening an FTP client
FTP access is provided by the hosting server, not by the WordPress dashboard. Your /wp-admin/ username and password normally will not authenticate an FTP connection. Ask the hosting provider for a file-transfer account or create one in the hosting control panel.
- Hostname: the server name exactly as supplied. It may be a host-specific name or an address associated with your account.
- Protocol: SFTP, FTPS, or plain FTP. These are different services; select the one your provider actually enables.
- Port: 22 is the commonly documented default for SSH/SFTP, while 21 is the commonly documented default for FTP. A host may assign a custom port, so its instructions take precedence.
- Username: the transfer-account user, which can differ from both your hosting-control-panel and WordPress users.
- Authentication: a case-sensitive password, an SSH private key, or both, depending on the account.
- Client software: FileZilla and Cyberduck both provide graphical connections on common desktop operating systems.
If no account exists, create a dedicated FTP/SFTP user with access limited to the required site directory. Record the exact protocol and port at the time you create it; an FTP account is not automatically an SFTP account.
FTP, SFTP and FTPS: which protocol should you choose?
The names are similar but the security models are not. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) sends authentication details and transferred data in clear text. Anyone able to observe that connection could potentially read credentials or files. WordPress documentation recommends using SFTP or FTPS instead of plain FTP whenever the host supports either encrypted option.
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| Protocol | How it is protected | Common port | Authentication details | When to select it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTP | No encryption; credentials and data are clear text | 21 is commonly documented | Usually a transfer username and password | Only when the host offers no encrypted alternative and the risk is understood |
| SFTP | Runs through SSH encryption | 22 is commonly documented | Password, SSH key, or the method required by the host | Preferred when available |
| FTPS | FTP protected by TLS | Not stated; follow the host’s instructions | Usually a username and password, with TLS settings handled by the client | Use when the host provides FTPS rather than SFTP |
SFTP means SSH File Transfer Protocol; it is not “secure FTP” and does not use the same service as FTPS. An FTP password may not work for SFTP, and an SFTP port cannot be entered in an FTP profile. If the provider gives you a custom port, use that value instead of assuming 21 or 22.
Connect with FileZilla
1. Collect and verify the account details
Request the hostname, protocol, port, username, and authentication method from the host. If the host requires an SSH key, ask which private-key format it accepts and whether a passphrase is required. Keep the details in a password manager rather than a plain text note. Check every character in the hostname and username; a single extra space or punctuation mark can prevent a connection.
2. Open Site Manager
- Install and open FileZilla.
- Choose File → Site Manager.
- Click New Site to create a profile.
A saved profile prevents repeated typing and lets you keep separate entries for production, staging, and other sites. Give each entry an unmistakable name that identifies the environment.
3. Enter the server and protocol
- Enter the host exactly as supplied. Do not append a slash unless the provider specifically instructs you to do so.
- Open the Protocol menu and select SFTP – SSH File Transfer Protocol when SFTP is available.
- Enter the host’s port. Use 22 only when the host uses the commonly documented SFTP default; use 21 only for a host that actually provides FTP on that port.
Do not substitute a web address for a server hostname unless the host says that address resolves to the transfer service. A website loading in a browser proves only that HTTP or HTTPS works; it does not confirm FTP or SFTP settings.
4. Choose the logon type and authenticate
Select the logon type required by the account. Enter the full username and either the password or the SSH-key configuration. Passwords are case-sensitive. For key-based SFTP, point FileZilla to the private key requested by the host and enter its passphrase if one exists. Never send a private key to support staff or paste it into a chat message.
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5. Save and connect
- Save the profile.
- Click Connect.
- If FileZilla displays a server host-key or fingerprint prompt, stop and verify the fingerprint through the hosting provider’s trusted support channel or documentation.
- Accept the key only when the fingerprint matches. If it does not, cancel the connection and ask the host to investigate.
A changed fingerprint can be legitimate after a server migration, but it can also indicate that you reached the wrong server or that the connection is being intercepted. Do not dismiss a mismatch simply to make the warning disappear.
6. Understand the two-pane window
The local computer is shown on the left and the remote server on the right. The message log at the top records authentication and transfer errors. The remote pane may initially open in the account’s home directory rather than in the WordPress site.
Browse the remote pane until you find the WordPress installation root. The defining check is the presence of wp-config.php; core directories such as wp-admin, wp-includes, and wp-content are normally nearby. Do not assume that a directory named public_html, www, or htdocs is correct without checking for wp-config.php.
7. Transfer a file deliberately
- Confirm the remote path in the right pane and the local source path in the left pane.
- Drag a file or directory between panes, or right-click and choose the transfer command.
- Watch the transfer queue until the item is marked successful.
- Refresh the remote directory and confirm the filename, size, and destination.
For a theme or plugin, upload into the appropriate subdirectory of wp-content. Uploading a folder one level too deep can make WordPress report that the theme or plugin is missing. If a transfer fails partway through, remove only the incomplete destination after confirming it is not a live file needed by the site, then retry.
Connect with Cyberduck
Create an SFTP bookmark
- Open Cyberduck and choose the command to create a new bookmark or connection.
- Select SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol).
- Enter the server, port, username, and password, or select the SSH private key required by the account.
- Save the bookmark and open it.
As with FileZilla, use the provider’s exact port and authentication method. When Cyberduck presents a server fingerprint, compare it with the value supplied by the host before allowing the key. Once connected, navigate to the directory containing wp-config.php and use the browser’s upload, download, rename, and delete commands carefully.
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Find the correct WordPress installation
Hosting accounts often contain more than one site, a staging copy, backups, or parked domains. Editing the first directory you see can change the wrong site. Use this verification sequence before every significant operation:
- Identify the domain or environment in the hosting control panel.
- Locate its assigned document root or account directory.
- Open that directory in the remote pane.
- Confirm that
wp-config.phpis present and thatwp-contentcontains the expected themes and plugins. - Check the site’s URL or environment label in your own records before uploading, replacing, or deleting anything.
Some installations use a customized layout, a symbolic link, or a configuration file outside the web root. If you cannot find wp-config.php after checking the documented document root, ask the host which directory is the actual WordPress root instead of guessing.
Back up before changing server files
Make a current backup of both the WordPress files and the database before uploading replacements, editing code, or deleting directories. An FTP/SFTP download of the files alone is not a complete WordPress backup: posts, pages, settings, users, and many plugin records live in the database. Conversely, a database export cannot restore missing themes, plugins, media, or core files.
- Keep the backup outside the live document root so it cannot be served as a public download.
- Label backups with the site, environment, and date.
- Verify that an archive can be opened and that a database export contains data before starting a risky change.
- For a staging or production pair, confirm which backup belongs to which environment.
Use the narrowest account scope that accomplishes the task. On shared hosting, write access to every directory can let a compromised account alter more sites than necessary. If a transfer account cannot write to the intended directory, ask the host to correct its scope rather than broadly loosening permissions.
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What to do after connecting
Upload a theme or plugin
Upload into the correct subdirectory under wp-content/themes or wp-content/plugins. Preserve the package’s directory structure and avoid uploading a compressed archive unless WordPress or the host specifically supports that workflow. After the transfer completes, activate or update the item from the WordPress dashboard and test the front end.
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Replace a damaged file
Download a copy of the current file first, then upload the known-good replacement to the same path. Keep the original until the site has been tested. If the replacement causes a fatal error, restore the original through the client or use the host’s backup facility.
Edit configuration files
Editing wp-config.php, server rules, or PHP files can take the site offline. Download a backup, use a local editor that preserves plain text and the file’s encoding, and make one small change at a time. Do not add spaces or output before the opening PHP tag, and do not expose database passwords in screenshots or support messages.
Troubleshooting connection and transfer errors
There is no connection attempt
Recheck the hostname, protocol, and port in the saved profile. A typo in any one of these fields can prevent FileZilla or Cyberduck from reaching the service. Confirm that a firewall, VPN, or office network is not blocking the selected port, then test using the host’s documented settings rather than switching randomly between FTP and SFTP.
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Compare the username, password, protocol, and port with the account record at the host. Passwords are case-sensitive, and copying a trailing space can invalidate one. Confirm that the account is active and assigned to the intended site. For SFTP, ask whether the account accepts a password, an SSH key, or a custom SSH port; do not assume that an FTP password is valid for SFTP.
“Could not retrieve directory listing” in FileZilla
- Open the client’s transfer settings.
- Choose Passive transfer mode.
- Save the setting and reconnect.
Passive mode allows the server to establish the data connection in a way that works with many firewalls and network address translators. If the error continues, confirm the protocol and port with the host and check whether the account is restricted to a particular directory.
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SFTP connects but rejects the key
Verify that the private key belongs to the public key installed for this account, that the client can read the key format, and that any passphrase is correct. Ask the host whether it requires a different key, a password instead, or a custom port. Never solve a key problem by disabling host-key verification.
The host-key fingerprint changed
Cancel the connection until the new fingerprint is verified. A planned server move can produce a legitimate change, but an unexpected change requires the host to explain it. Remove an old saved key only after that confirmation.
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The account may be able to log in but lack write permission for the selected directory, or the directory may belong to another site. Confirm the path and account scope. Ask the host to grant the minimum necessary permission or to place the account in the correct document root; do not recursively make every file world-writable.
Files upload but the site does not change
Confirm that you uploaded to the active site’s root rather than a staging or backup directory. Check the remote filename and capitalization, because many servers distinguish upper- and lowercase names. Clear application or page caches only after verifying the file is in the correct location, and review the transfer log for skipped or failed items.
The connection works, but the remote pane is empty
You may be in a restricted home directory, using an account with no assigned site path, or connected to the wrong service. Ask the host for the account’s starting directory and document root. Do not try to navigate above a restricted account by changing paths manually unless the provider documents that behavior.
FileZilla and Cyberduck compared
| Consideration | FileZilla | Cyberduck |
|---|---|---|
| Encrypted protocols | Supports SFTP and other transfer modes; select the encrypted option supplied by the host | Supports SFTP and other transfer modes; select the encrypted option supplied by the host |
| Password and SSH-key use | Profile fields support the authentication method required by the account, including SSH-key configuration for SFTP | Connection bookmarks support a password or the host-required SSH private key |
| Saved connections | File → Site Manager → New Site | New bookmark, then open the saved bookmark |
| Directory-listing controls | Provides Transfer Settings, including Passive mode for listing failures | Uses its own connection and transfer controls; follow the host’s troubleshooting guidance if listings fail |
| Best fit | Users who want a two-pane interface, detailed transfer queue, and explicit transfer-mode controls | Users who prefer a bookmark-based file browser and a compact graphical workflow |
Neither client changes the security of the underlying protocol. A saved FTP profile still sends FTP data without encryption; a saved SFTP profile remains encrypted. The host’s supported service, not the application’s name, determines which protocol you should use.
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- Confirm the site and environment before connecting.
- Use SFTP or FTPS instead of plain FTP whenever the host supports it.
- Verify the hostname, protocol, port, username, and authentication method character by character.
- Accept a host key only after checking its fingerprint with the host.
- Locate
wp-config.phpbefore treating a directory as the WordPress root. - Back up both files and the database before making changes.
- Transfer the smallest necessary set of files and monitor the queue for errors.
- Keep permissions as restrictive as practical and ask the host to fix account scope when access is denied.
- Close the client when finished and remove temporary credentials from shared computers.
Key distinction to remember
Your WordPress dashboard login controls WordPress. FTP or SFTP credentials control access to files on the hosting server. Use the server account supplied by the host, prefer encrypted transport, verify the destination directory, and keep a restorable files-and-database backup before changing production files.
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