Filezilla FTP Setup Directions

This document outlines the basic steps for configuring Filezilla FTP client to work with a site hosted on a remote hosting provider. Directions are provided to both a main domain and to a subdomain. Three specific providers are discussed: JustHost.com, Hostmonster.com and Dreamhost.com.

Set up with the main domain

Hostmonster.com or JustHost.com and a Main domain

1. Launch Filezilla
2. Click the "Open the Site Manager" button (top left corner, looks like a computer)
3. Click the "New Site" button, a New Site is created in the Select Entry area
4. Give the site a name - your domain name is suggested
   • In the General area (on the right)
   • Type your domain name (e.g. mydomain.com) in the host text box on the right
   • Change the Logontype to "Account"
   • Type your FTP username in the User text box
   • Type your password in the Password text box
   • Type your domain name in the Account text box
5. Move to the "Advanced" category by clicking on Advanced
   • Click the "Browse" button next to the "Default local directory" text box
   • Navigate to the folder that will hold your website — this should be on your laptop's hard drive or a portable storage device. Never store this folder on a school owned machine.
   • If the folder doesn't exist, create it — your domain name is suggested as the name for the folder
   • Enter "/www" into the Default remote directory text box
   • Turn on the checkbox for "Use synchronized browsing"
6. Move to the "Transfer Settings" tab.
   • Click the "Passive" radio button in the "Transfer Mode" group.
   • Click the "Connect" button — if everything is correct it should connect to your local directory and the remote host.

Dreamhost.com and a Main domain

1. Launch Filezilla
2. Click the "Open the Site Manager" button (top left corner, looks like a computer)
3. Click the "New Site" button, a New Site is created in the Select Entry area
4. Give the site a name - your domain name is suggested
   • In the General area (on the right)
   • Type your domain name (e.g. mydomain.com) in the host text box on the right
   • Change the Logontype to "Account"
   • Type your FTP username in the User text box
   • Type your password in the Password text box
   • Type your domain name in the Account text box
5. Move to the "Advanced" category by clicking on Advanced
   • Click the "Browse" button next to the "Default local directory" text box
   • Navigate to the folder that will hold your website — this should be on your laptop's hard drive or a portable storage device. Never store this folder on a school owned machine.
   • If the folder doesn't exist, create it — your domain name is suggested as the name for the folder
   • Enter your domain name (e.g. mydomain.com) in the Default remote directory text box
   • Turn on the checkbox for "Use synchronized browsing"
6. Move to the "Transfer Settings" tab.
   • Click the "Passive" radio button in the "Transfer Mode" group.
   • Click the "Connect" button — if everything is correct it should connect to your local directory and the remote host.

Your FTP connection from your local working directory to the remote publishing directory should now be setup. With synchronized browsing enabled when you navigate through your local directory it should also move to the corresponding directory on the remote host.

Setting up a Subdomain on your host

Note: A subdomain is treated as if it is a stand alone web site, independent of the main domain site. It is not intended to share resources with the main domain. This means that on your local machine the subdomain web site should have its own folder to hold all materials. This folder should be completely independent of the folder which contains the materials used in the main domain web site. Subdomains however do not require a separate domain name, they simple append the subdomin name to the main domain name. For example, if my main domain is mydomain.com, and I create a subdomain named "cool", then the URL for the subdomain is cool.mydomain.com.

The process for creating a subdomin is slightly different for each of the three suggested hosting companies as outlined below:

Creating a subdomain on Hostmonster.com or JustHost.com

1. Log in to the C-Panel and scroll down to the area entitled "Domains". In the tools list there is a tool labeled "Subdomains". Click it.
2. Enter the name of the subdomain in the first text box.
3. The C-Panel tool will automatically show the path to the new subdomain in the Document Root text box.
4. Unless there is an overwhelming reason not to, accept the default location provided.
5. Click "Create".
6. Log out when done.
7. The setup process typically takes a very short amount of time, but 1-2 hours should suffice before attempting to set up a FTP connection to the new subdomain.

Creating a subdomain on Dreamhost.com

1. Log in to the control panel of your hosting account.
2. Find and click the "Domains" link, then on the "Manage Domains" option.
3. Find and click the "Add a domain / subdomain" link near the top of the page.
4. Define your subdomain and submit the completed form.
5. Click "OK" or whatever the option is to accept the settings and proceed.
6. Log out when done.
7. The setup process typically takes a very short amount of time, but 1-2 hours should suffice before attempting to set up a FTP connection to the new subdomain.

Setting up Filezilla to interact with a subdomain

To create a Filezilla FTP connection that points specifically to the subdomain do the following:

FTP connection to a Hostmonster.com or JustHost.com subdomain

1. Launch Filezilla
2. Click the "Open the Site Manager" button (top left corner, looks like a computer)
3. Click the "New Site" button, a New Site is created in the Select Entry area
4. Give the site a name - your subdomain name appended to the main domain name is suggested (e.g. cool.mydomain.com)
   • In the General area (on the right)
   • Type your main domain name (e.g. mydomain.com) in the host text box on the right
   • Change the Logontype to "Account"
   • Type your FTP username in the User text box
   • Type your password in the Password text box
   • Type your subdomain name in the Account text box
5. Move to the "Advanced" category by clicking on Advanced
   • Click the "Browse" button next to the "Default local directory" text box
   • Navigate to the folder that will hold your new subdomain website. Remember that this folder should be independent of the folder that contains the main domain web site. This folder should be on your laptop's hard drive or a portable storage device. Never store this folder on a school owned machine.
   • If the folder doesn't exist, create it — your subdomain name is suggested as the name for the folder
   • Enter "/www/" followed by the name of the subdomain folder in the Default remote directory text box
   • Turn on the checkbox for "Use synchronized browsing"
6. Move to the "Transfer Settings" tab.
   • Click the "Passive" radio button in the "Transfer Mode" group.
   • Click the "Connect" button — if everything is correct it should connect to your local directory and the remote host.

FTP connection to a Dreamhost.com subdomain

1. Launch Filezilla
2. Click the "Open the Site Manager" button (top left corner, looks like a computer)
3. Click the "New Site" button, a New Site is created in the Select Entry area
4. Give the site a name - your subdomain name is suggested
   • In the General area (on the right)
   • Type your subdomain name (e.g. cool.mydomain.com) in the host text box on the right
   • Change the Logontype to "Account"
   • Type your FTP username in the User text box
   • Type your password in the Password text box
   • Type your subdomain name in the Account text box
5. Move to the "Advanced" category by clicking on Advanced
   • Click the "Browse" button next to the "Default local directory" text box
   • Navigate to the folder that will hold your new subdomain website. Remember that this folder should be independent of the folder that contains the main domain web site. This folder should be on your laptop's hard drive or a portable storage device. Never store this folder on a school owned machine.
   • If the folder doesn't exist, create it — your subdomain name is suggested as the name for the folder
   • Enter your subdomain name (e.g. cool.mydomain.com) in the Default remote directory text box
   • Turn on the checkbox for "Use synchronized browsing"
6. Move to the "Transfer Settings" tab.
   • Click the "Passive" radio button in the "Transfer Mode" group.
   • Click the "Connect" button — if everything is correct it should connect to your local directory and the remote host.

Your Filezilla connections should now be setup and the folder that will store your local files to be used in the web site should now show in the "Local site" panel (on the left) and the remote web site should show in the Remote site panel (on the right) within Filezilla when the site is connected. If any previously established files or folders exist in the local folder they should also be visible on the left. You should not see anything related to the main domain.