How to Upload a Website Using FTP

FTP basics in two minutes

Use SFTP, not plain FTP. Plain FTP sends the password where anyone on the path can read it. SFTP encrypts the login and the files, and on cPanel it uses port 22.

Credentials — Take the hostname, username and password from the hosting welcome mail, or from cPanel under FTP Accounts. The main cPanel user can connect without a second FTP user.
Connect — In FileZilla open Site Manager, choose SFTP, enter the hostname, set the port to 22, and connect. Accept the server key the first time.
Upload — The left pane is your computer. The right pane is the server. Open public_html on the right and drag the site files into it.
Homepage — index.html or index.php must sit directly in public_html for the primary domain.
Permissions — Directories 755, files 644. FileZilla can show and set both.

On the command line the same job is sftp user@hostname, then change into public_html and put the files. A shell login is a different tool, covered in how to connect with PuTTY only when the plan includes SSH. The panel side is cPanel hosting.

Getting your FTP credentials

You need four values: hostname, username, password, and port. The hostname is often the server name in the welcome mail, or the domain once DNS already points at the hosting. The username for the main account is the cPanel username. An extra FTP account is a longer name, usually with the domain after an @ sign.

Port 22 is SFTP. Port 21 is FTP. If the login works and the site does not change, you uploaded to the wrong folder. Check the remote path before you upload again.

Connecting with FileZilla over SFTP

FileZilla is a free client. Create a site, set the protocol to SFTP, enter the host and port 22, choose normal logon, then connect. The first connection asks you to trust the host key. That prompt is expected once. If the key warning appears again later, stop and email support@webji.services before you accept it.

Indian freelancer's desk with a laptop showing a website, potted plant and coffee in warm window light — how to upload a website using ftp

To edit a file that is already online, download it, change the copy on your computer, and upload it back to the same path. Uploading a second copy into a new folder does not replace the live file. That is the whole of editing a site over FTP.

What goes where: public_html and index files

The primary website is the contents of public_html. Addon domains use the directory cPanel shows for that domain. Match the remote folder to that screen before you drag files.

index.php or index.html in the document root is the homepage.
A project folder left wrapped around those files makes the domain open the wrong path.
Mail directories are not part of the website. Do not delete them to clean an upload.

Common connection failures

Most failed logins are the protocol or the port, not a dead server. Use SFTP and 22 first. Then check the username: the cPanel user is not always the same string as the domain.

Connection timed out — the port is blocked on your network, or the hostname does not resolve. Try the server hostname from the welcome mail.
Authentication failed — the password is wrong, or the client-area password is not the panel password.
Connected, but the folder is empty or wrong — you are in the account home, not in public_html.

Permission errors after upload

A 403 after upload usually means the directory is not executable for the web server, or a file is not readable. Set directories to 755 and files to 644. Mode 777 is not the fix.

If only PHP files fail and a static file opens, the problem is PHP or the account, not the transfer. Note the status code and mail support@webji.services.

Browser-based alternatives and WordPress uploads

cPanel File Manager can upload a zip and extract it when you do not want a desktop client. That path is how to upload a folder in cPanel. WordPress media uploads inside wp-admin are for images and documents on an existing site. They do not publish the site's code.

Shared hosting does not include root access. Root is for a VPS or a dedicated server, and on an unmanaged plan you handle the operating system. Shared hosting is enough for this SFTP upload. Email support@webji.services if the welcome mail has no hostname.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I upload my website using FTP?

Connect with an SFTP client such as FileZilla on port 22, open public_html, and drag the site files in. index.html or index.php must sit directly in that folder.

What is the difference between FTP and SFTP?

FTP on port 21 sends the password unencrypted. SFTP on port 22 encrypts the session. Use SFTP for a cPanel upload.

Where do I upload files — public_html?

Yes for the primary domain. An addon domain uses the directory shown for that domain in cPanel, which is not always public_html itself.

How do I use FileZilla to upload my site?

Create a site with protocol SFTP, port 22, your hostname, and the cPanel username and password. Connect, open public_html on the remote side, and drag the files across.

Why can't I connect to FTP?

Check SFTP and port 22 first, then the username and password. A timeout points at the hostname or a blocked port. An authentication error points at the password.

Which files go in the root folder?

The homepage file, index.html or index.php, and the rest of the site folders. Do not leave them nested inside one extra folder, and do not upload them over the mail directory.

Is WebJi® an Indian company?

Yes. WebJi® is headquartered in Jaipur, Rajasthan and has operated since 2005. Billing, support and governance all run from India.

Do you provide GST invoices?

Every purchase and renewal gets a GST invoice with our GSTIN, and hosting prices are quoted exclusive of 18% GST. Claim input credit as applicable.