How do I set up SFTP for my website?
How to connect via SFTP using your DirectAdmin credentials for secure website file access.
By Yvan Watchman Updated
SFTP lets you upload and manage website files securely over SSH. It encrypts your connection and is faster than FTP. See Why is SFTP more secure and faster than FTP? for details. We recommend SFTP for all your file transfers.
PlanetNode uses OpenSSH for SFTP (not ProFTPD). You connect with your main DirectAdmin account: the same username and password you use to log in to DirectAdmin.
Connection details
- Host: Your domain (e.g.
yourdomain.com) or the server hostname from your welcome email - Protocol: SFTP
- Port: 22
- Username: Your DirectAdmin username
- Password: Your DirectAdmin password
Good to know
Use the same credentials as for DirectAdmin. No separate SFTP account is needed. SSH keys are supported for passwordless login, see How do I add SSH keys to my account?.
Path to your website files
After connecting, navigate to domains/yourdomain.com/public_html to manage your main website files. Your home directory is the starting point.
Recommended SFTP clients
- FileZilla (Windows, macOS, Linux): filezilla-project.org
- WinSCP (Windows): winscp.net
- Cyberduck (Windows, macOS): cyberduck.io
When configuring your client, select SFTP as the protocol and port 22.
SFTP is not FTPS
SFTP and FTPS look alike, but they're different protocols. FTPS is FTP with encryption and doesn't work with these details. So make sure you choose SFTP in your client, for example SFTP - SSH File Transfer Protocol in FileZilla.
FTP vs SFTP
FTP accounts are created in DirectAdmin under FTP Management and work with ProFTPD (port 21) only. FTP doesn't encrypt your password and files, which is why we advise against it. SFTP runs on OpenSSH (port 22) and uses your main account. No setup in FTP Management is needed for it.
Can't connect?
- Check the protocol. If your client is set to FTP or FTPS, switch it to SFTP.
- Try another network. A block can also come from your own router at home. If it works over a hotspot on your phone, check your router's settings.
- Entered a wrong password too often? Then your IP address may be blocked. See My IP is blocked in DirectAdmin, what now?
Still not working? Open a ticket with your domain name, the client you use and the error message.
Additional resources
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