E-Mail has been successfully sent.

What is FTP and how can I use it?


In this article, we describe how you can transfer files from your local computer to your internet storage space. We will guide you step-by-step in this article from the creation of an FTP access to the usage of FTP software.

In order to upload the websites you have created, the following prerequisites have to be fulfilled:

1. You have already ordered a package at STRATO
2. You have installed an FTP program (alternatively: Web-FTP or browser-based FTP)


 

Definition

FTP is the abbreviation for File Transfer Protocol. With this protocol, it is possible to transfer data between your local computer and the storage space of your STRATO hosting package. The FTP transfer protocol is independent of the operating system used and type of connection. In addition to the ability to transfer data via the FTP protocol, it is also possible to display directories, rename them or limit rights.
 
Through an FTP program, you can easily upload files to your storage space or transfer them back to your local computer.
 

With an FTP program, you can also delete files and/or entire directories. If you delete all content, the visitors to your website will no longer see any content.

Simply highlight the content that you do not want and right-click it. If you select the delete option, the content will be deleted from your web space after a security prompt.

Your preconfigured FTP access

Even if you have not yet registered a domain in your STRATO package, the internet storage space of your package is already available to you. Thus, you can already transfer data to it. You need the STRATO master ID and a master password for this. The master ID will be sent to your email by STRATO as soon as you have activated your package.
Beachte auch What is the STRATO master ID and what do I need it for?

Use preconfigured FTP access with master ID

The structure of the preconfigured FTP access is identical in all packages. You need the three pieces of information below in order to connect with the storage space through an FTP program. Where you have to enter the data in the FTP program is described in the lower section of the article.

Serverftp.strato.com
Username(Username)Your domain name (without www., for example, desiredname.de)
PasswordYour master password

You have to select the master password yourself in your Customer Service Area After selecting your order (Your Package button), you can create the master password under the Administration menu item by clicking on Set passwords.
 

Even if you have registered a domain in your package at a later point in time, the possibility remains to connect with the internet storage space with the master ID.

Use preconfigured FTP access with domain names

If your domain was already connected in the package you ordered, you can log in to your internet storage space with the domain name and the master password. Where you have to enter the data in the FTP program is described in the lower section of the article.

Serverftp.strato.com
Username(Username)Your domain name (without www., for example, desiredname.de)
PasswordYour master password

 
Set up more FTP access accounts

 
 
 
Now select the Administration menu item and then manage the FTP access sub-item
 

Depending on the selected hosting package, you have up to 20 FTP accounts available. It may make sense to create several FTP accounts if you would like to give third parties rights to upload content to your storage space.

Through the STRATO password system, it is guaranteed that third parties cannot view your personal data (like bank account, address or similar information).

Now create FTP access by clicking on the Create new FTP access button: Neuen FTP Zugang anlegen klicken:



Now you have to specify a user name and a password that you can use to then log in to the FTP program. The security level of the selected password is displayed next to it.
Beachte auch Our recommendations for good passwords

If you registered several domains in your package, you will also need to select the domain names via the drop-down menu.



The preset start directory (also: root or root directory) is "/". This is the top level of the directory structure. If you would like to limit the rights for FTP access, you can select a directory from the storage space. All of the folders and files above the selected directory cannot be seen. This may make sense, for example, if you would like to have external parties design your sites and private content should be protected against editing.

If you have completed the entries and confirmed by clicking on Save, you will receive a confirmation containing the information entered in the next step.

Usage of the FTP program

The most commonly used method of uploading FTP files is the usage of FTP software. Some browsers also offer the limited possibility to upload/download files via FTP. The usage of an independent software solution should be preferred, because handling is simpler and more comfortable.

FTP programs are available as so-called open source solutions and therefore available free of charge online.
Popular programs are FileZilla, WS_FTP, SmartFTP or also CuteFTP.

These are available for Windows and for MacOS operating systems, however, some are only in English.

Browser-based FTP is no longer offered for Internet Explorer starting with version 7. For the Firefox browser, there is an add-on available free of charge by the name "fireFTP".

In this section, we describe the possibilities of using FTP based on the free software FileZilla. You can download this under externer Linkhttp://filezilla-project.org/download.php?type=client.

 

After you have installed Filezilla, you will find an overview with several empty windows. You can adjust the size of the individual windows to meet your needs. To do this, drag the edge of a window to the desired position while pressing the mouse button. You can also show and hide the window through the View menu item from FileZilla.

The directory structure from your computer will be displayed on the left side. You may already be familiar with this hierarchical tree structure from Windows Explorer.

We have divided the structure of Filezilla into three sub-areas, which we would like to introduce one after another.


Einstellungen und Login / Statusfenster für die Verbindung

Directory structure of your computer / storage space of your STRATO hosting package status
overview of the current transfers / queue


 

1. Navigation area and login

 
In order to connect to your internet storage space with FileZilla, you need to log in to your storage space. You need that information for this that you received when you created the FTP account. You can log in to the storage space in the input bar positioned on the upper edge.

Serverftp.strato.com
User nameHere you can enter your FTP user name and your domain in the format username@desiredname.de. If you use your preset FTP access account, it is sufficient to specify the domain name (without www.) as the user name.
PasswordPlease enter your master password that you assigned in the customer area.
portThis field must remain empty. To the background: By default the FTP protocol connects with port 21, sFTP with port 22.
ConnectingBy clicking on connect, the information entered is transferred to the server and examined. You can re-open past connections if you click on the drop-down menu.
Note about the Server field
In order to set the server protocol, you can insert a protocol name in front of the server name. If no protocol is specified, the standard protocol (ftp://) will be used. You can also specify a complete URL in the form of protocol://username:passwort@server:port. The values in the other fields are then overwritten.


the server manager
With the server manager, you can enter and save your information (server name, user name, password). You do not have to add any entries into the selection boxes again. Furthermore, several FTP accesses can be managed in this manner.

The server manager can be reached in the navigation bar under the file and server manager.


Enter your domain name in the Server field. As a connection type, please select Normal and then enter the created FTP access names and assigned password.

If you create several FTP access accounts through the server manager, it is recommended that you give these memorable names. The rename option is available in the left area for this.


The other options for the server manager (advanced, transfer settings, character set) are irrelevant for a connection to your storage space.

You can now connect with the storage space by clicking on the Connect button.


Status messages
Underneath the input window for your access data, you will find a window with status responses for your commands. This shows you if the connection could not be established, because the password was incorrect for example.

 
The structure of the status messages is always identical. First it specifies which command you entered. In the following, Filezilla outputs the following answer (in the example: 530 Login incorrect).

Even if you assign transfers, you can always follow in this area to see if the desired result was achieved or if errors occurred.

If the FTP program does not establish a connection to the server, this may be due to different reasons. You can find a solution under the following FAQ article:

The FTP program cannot establish a connection to the server


2. Directory structure of your computer / storage space of your STRATO hosting package status
In this window, you can see the directory structure of your local computer. In this area, you can open and close the directory tree by clicking on the + and - symbols. In the Local field, the directory will be shown that you just elected (example: drive f: , directory STRATO)

 
If you have selected the local file or directory which you would like to upload to your storage space, it is now important to select the directory on your internet storage space to which the file should be uploaded.

Thus, you will need to expand the directory tree in the right area (Server) of Filezilla and select the desired sub-directory.

In our example, we have selected a file on the local desktop (photo from Vacation.gif) and would like to upload this to the directory /cgi-data/photoalbum/images of your storage space.

The transfer is started by double-clicking on the file. Alternatively, you can also highlight the file with a right click and select the Upload option


Now the file is on your storage space and can be opened by specifying your domain name, like in our example below: 


http://wunschname.de/cgi-data/fotoalbum/faq/images/Photo%20aus%20dem%20Urlaub.gif

 
3. Transfers and queue
In the field below this, you can see if the transfers are successful or if errors have occurred. This window offers a history of all transfers during your session.


If you would like to upload or download a lot of files, you can also add files to the queue. This allows you to better utilize your available bandwidth and transfer capacity. The files in the queue are processed afterwards following your prioritized transfers. You will be informed about how many transfers are currently in the queue through a traffic light signal.
 

Was this article helpful?
Info: 51e77c241052c534ca147127d30a451dbaead4f7