What does FTP mean?
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. It is a standard protocol used to transfer files between computers and servers.
With an FTP username, password and server name, you can access the contents of a remote server. For example, you can download files from the server to your own device, or upload files to the server, such as the file structure of your website to your web hosting package.
In other words, an FTP user allows you to access your web hosting from your own device. You can upload files, download files and make changes to the files stored on your hosting account. You can create the login details required for the connection from within your user account.
Creating an FTP user
The process for creating an FTP user depends on the type of hosting package you have in your user account.
For cPanel hosting, the cPanel interface allows you to create a user for the hosting package and then use that user to connect with an FTP client.
It is worth noting that cPanel also includes a File Manager menu item. File Manager allows you to carry out almost all of the same file operations that you can perform with an FTP client, and you do not need to create a separate FTP user to use it. If you connect using an FTP client, the server name is usually cp1.rackhost.hu.
For WordPress-based hosting and general hosting packages, the Rackhost interface provides a separate menu item where you can customise the username and password. The server name will be available in the relevant column.
For every FTP user created for a hosting package, you can also customise the level of access. You can create a user with access to the full contents of the hosting package, which means they can see the root directories of all domains attached to the hosting package, or you can limit access to the root directory of a single domain.
Using an FTP client
After creating the user, the next step is to connect to your hosting package with a program so you can access the files stored there.
If you have cPanel hosting, we still recommend using the File Manager menu item, as it allows you to carry out many useful file management tasks without any additional setup.
If you have another type of hosting package in your account, we recommend using FileZilla, which is free to download. With FileZilla, you can easily connect using your username, password and server name.
Below is a summary of the connection details usually required for each hosting type.
cPanel hosting:
Username: An email address. The domain name attached to the hosting package must appear after the @ symbol.
Password: The password you set.
Server: cp1.rackhost.hu
Port: 21, or leave the field empty.
Other hosting types:
Username: A name starting with the letter c, followed by numbers and a custom identifier.
Password: The password you set.
Server: The name of the relevant server, which is shown in the interface.
Port: 21, or leave the field empty.
After a successful connection, you can start working with the content stored on your hosting package. This may include uploading a completed website, modifying existing files or creating a backup.
When else can creating an FTP user be useful?
A common situation is when an organisation or individual creates the user account in their own name and orders the services for the website that belongs to their activity or business. However, the website developer may need access to the hosting package in order to upload the completed website.
In this case, it can be better to create an FTP user and provide those FTP login details to the developer, rather than giving them direct access to the full user account.
If the developer no longer needs to manage or access the website, you can delete the FTP user. After that, the hosting package can no longer be accessed through that FTP connection.
If you would like to learn more about this topic, or if you would like to access your hosting plan through an FTP connection, you can find further help in our other Knowledge Base articles.