How can I find and manage my FTP access on LWS Panel hosting?

Procédure

Objective

This documentation is intended for customers with LWS Panel hosting.

It explains how to :

• retrieve your FTP connection settings ;
• change the password for an FTP account;
• create an additional FTP account;
• resolve the main connection errors.

At the end of this guide, you'll know where to find the information you need to connect to your hosting and manage your FTP access.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following:

• an active hosting account with the LWS Panel;
• access to your LWS customer account;
• FTP software installed on your computer if you then wish to connect to your hosting;

What is FTP used for?

FTP is a connection method that allows files to be exchanged between your computer and your web hosting.

Specifically, it is used to :

• send files from your site to your hosting ;
• modify or delete files that are already there;
• organise your folders remotely using FTP software.

Retrieving your FTP connection settings

FTP settings are sent in the delivery email for your hosting. You can also retrieve them at any time from your LWS customer area.

Step 1: Log in to your customer account, then open the hosting in question.

Step 2: In the Files section, click on FTP Account(s).

Step 3: This will take you to the list of your FTP access(es).

Here you will find useful information such as :

• FTP user name ;
• FTP host or server;
• any additional FTP accesses associated with the hosting.

The password is not displayed for security reasons. If you don't know it or have forgotten it, you should change it by following the procedure below.

Changing the password for an FTP account

If you no longer know your FTP password, or if you want to strengthen it, you can change it directly from your LWS Panel. The source article indicates that the new password becomes usable in up to five minutes.

Step 1 : From your LWS customer account, open thehosting where the FTP account you want to change is located.

Step 2 : In the Files section, click on FTP Account(s).

Step 3: Locate the FTP account concerned, then click on the Change button. By default, the main account is present. Depending on your plan, additional FTP accounts may also be displayed.

Step 4: In the window that opens :

• enter your new password ;
• confirm it in the second field;
• Click on the Validate button.

Step 4 : Once the account has been created, it should appear in the list of FTP users at the bottom of the page.

When should I use an additional FTP account?

This type of account is recommended if you want to :

• give access to a service provider without sharing your main access ;
• limit access to a single folder
• better separate the uses or users of your hosting.

How do I delete an FTP account?

Step 1: From your LWS customer account, open thehosting on which you wish to delete FTP access.

Step 2 : In the Files section, click on FTP Account(s).

Step 3 : In the FTP access list, click on the "trash" icon of the account you wish to delete.

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The main FTP account cannot be deleted. However, you can change the password.

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Main FTP connection errors

The password has just been changed but the connection still doesn't work

After a change, the password is not necessarily active immediately.

What should you do?

• Wait a few minutes;
• close and relaunch your FTP software if necessary;
• retype the new password manually to avoid a copy-paste error.

The FTP software asks for a certificate or displays a security alert.

When making a secure connection for the first time, your software may display a message relating to the server certificate.

What should you do?

Read the message displayed by your software and confirm the connection if the information corresponds to the expected server.

This behaviour may be normal for a first connection. It does not necessarily mean that there is a problem.

The domain is not yet pointing to the hosting.

If your domain does not yet point to LWS hosting, you need to use theIP of the web server instead of the ftp.yourdomain.tld address.

What should I do?

If your domain name has not yet been configured or is not yet active on the hosting :

• find the IP address of the server ;
• use this information in your FTP software.

I don't know which account to use

If several FTP accounts are displayed in your panel, use :

• the main account if you want access to all authorised hosting ;
• an additional account if you only need access to a specific folder or if this access has been created for a specific person.

Security tips

To protect your hosting :

• don't share your main FTP account if you don't need to;
• create an additional FTP account if a third party needs to work on a specific folder;
• choose a complex password;
• change your access details if you think they have been communicated by mistake;
• Keep your FTP settings in a safe place.

Conclusion

You now know how to :

• retrieve your FTP settings from your LWS Panel ;
• change the password of an FTP account;
• create or delete an additional FTP account;
• identify the main connection errors and apply the first useful checks.

To configure your FTP software and publish your site with FileZilla, consult the dedicated documentation: