How do I set up FTP accounts for other users?

Setting Up FTP Accounts for Other Users

Creating separate FTP accounts for team members, developers, or content contributors is a secure way to grant access to your website files without sharing your main cPanel credentials. This guide explains how to set up and manage FTP accounts for other users on your dotCanada.com hosting account.

Benefits of Creating Separate FTP Accounts

• Enhanced security: Avoid sharing your primary cPanel password
• Access control: Limit users to specific directories they need
• Accountability: Track which users made changes to files
• Easy removal: Remove access for specific users without affecting others
• Simplified collaboration: Allow multiple team members to work on different parts of your site

Before You Begin

Before creating FTP accounts, plan out:

1. Which users need access: Determine who needs FTP access to your files
2. Directory permissions: Decide which directories each user should access
3. Storage quotas: Determine if you need to limit how much space each user can use

Creating an FTP Account

1. Log in to your cPanel account at https://{hostname}.mysecureservers.com:2087
2. In the search box at the top, type "FTP Accounts" or navigate to the FILES section
3. Click on FTP Accounts
4. Scroll down to the "Add FTP Account" section
5. Fill in the following information:
   • Login/Username: Create a username for the FTP account (e.g., "developer1" or "contenteditor")
   • Domain: Select your domain from the dropdown (typically your primary domain is pre-selected)
   • Password: Create a strong password or use the password generator
   • Password Strength: Ensure the password is strong (indicated by the meter)
   • Directory: Specify the directory this FTP account can access:
     • Leave blank for access to the entire account (not recommended for security reasons)
     • Enter "/public_html" for access to your main website files
     • Enter a subdirectory (e.g., "/public_html/images") to restrict access to specific areas
   • Quota: Set a storage limit or select "Unlimited"
6. Click Create FTP Account
7. You'll see a confirmation that the account was created successfully

FTP Account Configuration Details

After creating an FTP account, you'll see a summary of the connection details. Make note of these to share with the user:

• FTP Username: The full username (username@domain.com)
• FTP Server/Host: Your domain or server hostname
• FTP Port: Usually 21 for standard FTP
• Quota: The storage limit you set
• Directory: The directory path they have access to

Sharing FTP Credentials Securely

When sharing FTP credentials with users, follow these security best practices:

1. Never email passwords: Send the username and server information via email, but use a different method for the password
2. Use secure messaging: Share passwords through encrypted messaging apps or password managers
3. Temporary passwords: Provide a temporary password and ask users to change it after first login
4. Separate communications: Send the username and password in separate messages

Managing Existing FTP Accounts

Setting Up SFTP (Secure FTP)

For enhanced security, consider using SFTP instead of standard FTP. SFTP encrypts all data, including credentials, providing better protection against eavesdropping.

1. The FTP accounts you create can also be used for SFTP connections
2. Provide these additional details to your users for SFTP:
   • Protocol: SFTP - SSH File Transfer Protocol
   • Port: 22 (instead of port 21 used for FTP)
   • Host: Same as your FTP host
   • Username and Password: Same as FTP credentials
3. Users should configure their FTP client to use SFTP protocol (available in clients like FileZilla, Cyberduck, and WinSCP)

FTP Access Monitoring

Keep track of who is accessing your server via FTP:

1. Log in to cPanel
2. Navigate to Metrics > Visitors or Logs > Raw Access
3. Look for entries related to FTP or check FTP logs specifically
4. Consider setting up an FTP activity notification system if available

Best Practices for FTP Security

1. Create specific accounts: Create separate accounts for each user rather than sharing credentials
2. Use strong passwords: Ensure all FTP accounts have strong, unique passwords
3. Limit directory access: Restrict users to only the directories they need
4. Set quotas: Use quotas to prevent a single user from using excessive disk space
5. Regular audits: Periodically review your FTP accounts and remove ones that are no longer needed
6. Use SFTP: Encourage users to connect via SFTP rather than standard FTP
7. Temporary access: For contractors or one-time collaborators, set a reminder to remove their access when the project is complete

Troubleshooting FTP Access Issues

User Cannot Connect

If a user reports they cannot connect to their FTP account:

• Verify credentials: Double-check the username, password, and server information
• Check format: Ensure they're using the full username (username@domain.com)
• Confirm server: Verify they're connecting to the correct FTP server
• Check port: Make sure they're using the correct port (21 for FTP, 22 for SFTP)
• Firewall issues: Check if their network firewall is blocking FTP connections

Permission Denied Errors

If users receive "Permission Denied" errors when trying to upload or modify files:

• Verify they're not trying to access directories outside their assigned directory
• Check if the directories they're trying to modify have the correct permissions
• Ensure they're not exceeding their quota if one was set

If you need assistance with creating or managing FTP accounts, please contact our support team.