Managing FTP Accounts on cPanel

OuiHeberg - Technical Documentation
Complete guide to create and manage your FTP accounts

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What is FTP?

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is a standard protocol for transferring files between your computer and the web server. It is one of the fastest and most efficient methods to manage your website files.

FTP Advantages:

• Fast transfer of large files
• Management of multiple files simultaneously
• Direct access to the server directory structure
• Possibility to resume interrupted transfers
• Precise control over access permissions

Available Protocols

Protocol	Port	Security	Recommendation
FTP	21	❌ Not encrypted	⚠️ Avoid
FTPS (FTP over TLS)	21	✅ SSL/TLS encrypted	✅ Recommended
SFTP (SSH FTP)	22	✅ SSH encrypted	✅ Recommended

💡 Tip: Always use FTPS or SFTP to protect your credentials and files during transfer.

Popular FTP Clients

Client	Platforms	Free	Link
FileZilla	Windows, Mac, Linux	✅	filezilla-project.org
WinSCP	Windows	✅	winscp.net
Cyberduck	Windows, Mac	✅	cyberduck.io
Transmit	Mac	❌	panic.com/transmit

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Default FTP Accounts

When you create a cPanel hosting, two special FTP accounts are automatically created:

Main FTP Account

• Username: Your cPanel username
• Password: Your cPanel password
• Access: Entire hosting space (root directory /)
• Usage: Complete administration

Logs Access Account

• Usage: Downloading raw log files
• Access: Logs directory only

⚠️ Important: These special accounts cannot be modified or deleted.

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Accessing the FTP Accounts Interface

Logging into cPanel

1. Log in to your OuiHeberg client area
2. Access your hosting and click on Access cPanel

Locating the FTP Accounts Tool

In cPanel, look for FTP Accounts in the Files section.

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Creating an FTP Account

Step 1: Accessing the Creation Form

In the Add FTP Account section, you will find the form to create a new account.

Step 2: Fill in the Information

Field	Description	Example
Log In	FTP account username	webmaster
Domain	Associated domain for the account	mysite.com
Password	Secure password	Use the generator
Password (Again)	Password confirmation	Identical
Directory	Authorized access directory	public_html
Quota	Disk space limit (MB)	Unlimited or value in MB

Understanding the Full Username

The complete FTP username is formed as follows:

[login]@[domain]

Example: If you enter webmaster for the domain mysite.com, the complete username will be:

[email protected]

Step 3: Configure the Access Directory

The Directory field is crucial as it determines where the FTP user can access.

Important Rules:

• The user cannot navigate above the specified directory
• The user can access all files and subdirectories in this directory
• cPanel automatically pre-fills a directory based on the username

Directory Configuration Examples

Directory	Granted Access	Use Case
/	Entire account (root)	Main administrator
public_html	Main website only	Webmaster
public_html/blog	Blog subdirectory only	Blog writer
public_html/uploads	Uploads folder only	Media manager
public_html/mysite.com	Specific addon domain	External developer

Step 4: Set the Quota

The quota limits the disk space the FTP user can utilize:

• Unlimited: No limit (uses the total account space)
• Value in MB: Strict limit (e.g., 500 for 500 MB)

💡 Tip: Set a quota for third-party accounts to prevent a user from filling up all disk space.

Step 5: Create the Account

Click on Create FTP Account. A confirmation message will appear:

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Managing Existing FTP Accounts

All your FTP accounts are listed in the FTP Accounts section.

Available Actions

Action	Description
Change Password	Modify the password
Change Quota	Modify the disk space limit
Delete	Delete the account
Configure FTP Client	Get connection settings

Changing the Password

1. Click on Change Password next to the relevant account
2. Enter the new password (use the generator for a strong password)
3. Confirm the password
4. Click on Change Password

Modifying the Quota

1. Click on Change Quota next to the relevant account
2. Enter the new value in MB or select Unlimited
3. Click on Change Quota

Modifying the Access Directory

⚠️ Important: It is not possible to modify the directory of an FTP account after its creation.

Solution: Delete the account and recreate it with the correct directory.

Deleting an FTP Account

1. Click on Delete next to the relevant account
2. Choose the deletion option:

Option	Description
Delete	Deletes only the FTP account (files remain)
Delete the User's Home Directory	Deletes the account AND all files in the directory
Cancel	Cancel the operation

⚠️ Attention: If the directory is public_html, choosing "Delete the User's Home Directory" will delete your entire website!

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Configuring an FTP Client

Getting Connection Settings

1. In the list of FTP accounts, click on Configure FTP Client
2. The connection information will be displayed:

Connection Settings

Setting	Value
Host / Server	ftp.yourdomain.com or server IP
FTP Port	21
SFTP Port	22
Username	[email protected]
Password	Your FTP password
Encryption	Explicit TLS (FTPS) recommended

Configuring FileZilla

FileZilla is the most popular free FTP client.

Quick Configuration (Quickconnect):

1. Open FileZilla
2. Fill in the quick connect bar:
   • Host: ftp.yourdomain.com
   • Username: [email protected]
   • Password: Your password
   • Port: 21
3. Click on Quickconnect

Configuration with Site Manager (recommended):

1. Open FileZilla
2. Go to File > Site Manager
3. Click on New Site
4. Configure:

Setting	Value
Protocol	FTP - File Transfer Protocol
Host	ftp.yourdomain.com
Port	21
Encryption	FTP explicit TLS if available
Logon Type	Normal
Username	[email protected]
Password	Your password

5. Click on Connect

Configuring WinSCP

1. Open WinSCP
2. In the connection window:

For SFTP (recommended):

Setting	Value
Protocol	SFTP
Host name	yourdomain.com
Port	22
Username	Your cPanel username
Password	Your cPanel password

For FTPS:

/home/user/ ├── .htpasswds/ ├── .trash/ ├── etc/ ├── logs/ ├── mail/ ├── public_ftp/ ├── public_html/ ← Root of your main site │ ├── .htaccess │ ├── index.php │ ├── wp-content/ │ └── addon.com/ ← Addon domain ├── ssl/ └── tmp/

Important Directories

Setting	Value

Directory	Description	Recommended FTP Access
public_html	Main website files	Webmasters
public_html/[addon]	Addon domain files	Specific developers
mail	Email data	❌ Do not grant access
logs	Log files	Administrators
ssl	SSL certificates	❌ Do not grant access

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Practical Use Cases

Case 1: Granting access to a web developer

Objective: Allow a provider to modify the site without access to emails or other data.

Configuration:

• Login: developer
• Directory: public_html
• Quota: Unlimited or as needed

Case 2: Restricted access for a writer

Objective: Allow only image uploads in a specific folder.

Configuration:

• Login: writer
• Directory: public_html/wp-content/uploads
• Quota: 500 MB

Case 3: Access to an addon domain only

Objective: A client manages their own site hosted on an addon domain.

Configuration:

• Login: client-siteB
• Directory: public_html/siteB.com
• Quota: 1000 MB

Case 4: External backup account

Objective: Allow a backup service to retrieve files.

Configuration:

• Login: backup
• Directory: public_html
• Quota: Unlimited

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Troubleshooting

❓ Error "530 Login incorrect"

Possible Causes:

• Incorrect username or password
• Domain missing in the username (e.g. user instead of [email protected])
• Non-existent FTP account

Solutions:

1. Ensure you are using the full username: [email protected]
2. Reset the password in cPanel
3. Check if the account exists in the FTP Accounts list

❓ Error "530 User cannot log in, home directory inaccessible"

Cause: The directory assigned to the FTP account does not exist or has been deleted.

Solutions:

1. Recreate the directory via File Manager
2. Delete and recreate the FTP account with a valid directory

❓ Error "Connection timed out"

Possible Causes:

• Firewall blocking port 21
• Passive mode not enabled
• FTP server unavailable

Solutions:

1. Enable passive mode in your FTP client
2. Check that port 21 is not blocked by your firewall/antivirus
3. Try using port 22 (SFTP) instead

❓ Error "425 Can't open data connection"

Cause: Issue with transfer mode (active vs passive).

Solution: Enable passive mode in your FTP client settings.

In FileZilla:

1. Go to Edit > Settings
2. Connection > FTP
3. Check Passive mode

❓ Unable to see files after connection

Possible Causes:

• Empty directory
• Hidden files (starting with .)
• Incorrect directory configured

Solutions:

1. Enable display of hidden files in your FTP client
2. Check the directory configured in cPanel
3. Manually navigate to public_html

❓ Slow or failed transfers

Solutions:

1. Reduce the number of simultaneous connections (max 2-3)
2. Temporarily disable antivirus
3. Use binary mode for non-text files
4. Check your internet connection

❓ SSL certificate error

Cause: The server's certificate is not recognized by the client.

Solution: Accept the certificate on the first connection. In FileZilla, check "Always trust this certificate".

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Security Best Practices

🔒 Essential Recommendations

Practice	Importance
Use FTPS or SFTP (never plain FTP)	⭐⭐⭐ Critical
Strong passwords (16+ characters)	⭐⭐⭐ Critical
One FTP account per user/project	⭐⭐ Important
Limit access to necessary directories	⭐⭐ Important
Set appropriate quotas	⭐ Recommended
Remove unused accounts	⭐⭐ Important
Regularly change passwords	⭐ Recommended

🛡️ FTP Security Checklist

• [ ] All accounts use unique and complex passwords
• [ ] Each account is limited to the necessary directory
• [ ] Temporary accounts are deleted after use
• [ ] Connections use encryption (FTPS/SFTP)
• [ ] Quotas are set for third-party accounts
• [ ] The main cPanel account is not shared

⚠️ What NEVER to do

• ❌ Share your main cPanel credentials
• ❌ Grant access to / (root) to third parties
• ❌ Use the same password for multiple accounts
• ❌ Leave unused FTP accounts active
• ❌ Use unencrypted FTP on public networks

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File Permissions

Recommended Permissions

Type	Permission	Numeric Value
Directories	rwxr-xr-x	755
PHP Files	rw-r--r--	644
Config Files	rw-------	600
.htaccess Files	rw-r--r--	644

Changing Permissions via FTP

In FileZilla:

1. Right-click on the file/folder
2. File Permissions...
3. Enter the numeric value or check the boxes
4. Click OK

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Summary

Step	Action
1	Access FTP Accounts in cPanel
2	Fill out the form: Login, Domain, Password
3	Configure the access directory (crucial!)
4	Set the quota if needed
5	Click on Create FTP Account
6	Set up your FTP client with the settings
7	Connect via FTPS or SFTP
8	Transfer your files!

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Quick Login Information

Keep these details handy:

═══════════════════════════════════════════
 FTP CONNECTION DETAILS
═══════════════════════════════════════════
 FTP Host      : ftp.yourdomain.com
 FTP Port      : 21
 SFTP Port     : 22
 Encryption    : Explicit TLS (FTPS)
 
 Username      : [email protected]
 Password      : [your password]
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