---
title: "Connect to your hosting with FileZilla"
url: "https://inleed.com/helpcenter/connect-with-filezilla"
language: "en"
updated: "2026-11-06"
category: "Web hosting"
type: "guide"
---

# Connect to your hosting with FileZilla

FileZilla moves files between your computer and your hosting. Connect over SFTP with your hosting’s login, or over FTP with a separate FTP account.

## Right guide?

- Need a separate FTP account for someone else?  
  [Create an FTP account](https://inleed.com/helpcenter/create-ftp-account)
- Do you have Storage, not hosting?  
  [Connect to Storage with FileZilla](https://inleed.com/helpcenter/connect-storage)

## Before you start

- You need FileZilla Client. It’s free from [filezilla-project.org](https://filezilla-project.org).
- Have the server name ready. It’s on the **SSH** row under **Hosting Specifics** in the [client area](https://login.inleed.net).

## FileZilla settings

- **Host:** The server name, for example prime2.inleed.net
- **SFTP:** Port 2020, only with the main hosting account
- **SFTP user:** Your hosting’s username (for example s128209) and DirectAdmin password
- **FTP:** Port 21, FTP or FTPS
- **FTP user:** The FTP account’s full name (for example name@yourdomain.com) and password

## How to connect

1. Open FileZilla and choose **File › Site Manager**.

2. Click **New site** and give the site a name, for example your domain.

### A. SFTP (recommended)

You log in with your hosting’s username, the same as in DirectAdmin.

3. Choose the protocol **SFTP - SSH File Transfer Protocol** and fill in **Host** and **Port** with the SFTP values.

4. Set **Logon Type** to **Normal** and fill in **User** and **Password**.

5. Click **Connect**.

6. Tick **Always trust this host, add this key to the cache** and click **OK**.

   The **Unknown host key** box only appears the first time.

### B. FTP

You have an FTP account of your own, for example from your web agency.

3. Choose the protocol **FTP - File Transfer Protocol** and fill in **Host** and **Port** with the FTP values.

   Leave **Encryption** set to **Use explicit FTP over TLS if available**.

4. Set **Logon Type** to **Normal** and fill in **User** and **Password**.

5. Click **Connect**.

## How to know it worked

Your hosting’s folders appear in the right half of FileZilla, and you can drag files there and back.

## If something doesn’t work

### “530 Login authentication failed”, or the password isn’t accepted

**Why:** The wrong username or password, for example your email address instead of the FTP account’s name.

**What to do:** SFTP uses your hosting’s username and DirectAdmin password, FTP the account’s full name. You change an FTP account’s password under **FTP Management** in DirectAdmin.

[Create an FTP account](https://inleed.com/helpcenter/create-ftp-account)

### “Cannot establish FTP connection to an SFTP server”

**Why:** The protocol and the port don’t match.

**What to do:** Use SFTP with port 2020 and your hosting’s username, or FTP with port 21.

### FileZilla can’t connect after several attempts

**Why:** Your IP address has been blocked after failed logins.

**What to do:** Whitelist your IP address and check the username and password.

[Whitelist your IP address in the firewall](https://inleed.com/helpcenter/whitelist-ip-address)

### FileZilla warns about an “Unknown certificate” or an “Insecure FTP data connection”

**Why:** These are warnings, not errors. The connection is still encrypted.

**What to do:** Tick the box to always allow it and click **OK**. With SFTP the warnings don’t appear.

## Good to know

- If you use **Quickconnect**, type `sftp://` before the server name and use port 2020. Otherwise FileZilla tries plain FTP.

## Related guides

- [FTP and SFTP settings for your hosting](https://inleed.com/helpcenter/ftp-settings)
- [Create an FTP account](https://inleed.com/helpcenter/create-ftp-account)
- [Upload files to your website](https://inleed.com/helpcenter/upload-website-files)
- [Whitelist your IP address in the firewall](https://inleed.com/helpcenter/whitelist-ip-address)