FTP — Uploading Files to the Server

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is a network protocol designed for transferring files over computer networks. It allows you to connect to FTP servers, browse directory contents, and upload or download files.

Connection Information
Uploading Files to the Server
FTP Client Configuration
Hosting Directory Structure
FTP Usage Limitations
Using SFTP
FTP Troubleshooting and Error Resolution

Connection Information

FTP account management is available in the FTP and SSH section of the hosting control panel. To configure an FTP user, click on the user’s name.

On the Properties (Свойства) page, you will find the main connection parameters:

Server address (host): ftp.login.nichost.ru, where login is your unique hosting account name (shown in the top right corner of the control panel).
FTP Username (login): login_ftp.
To reset an FTP user’s password, click Reset Password (Сбросить пароль). The new password will appear in a pop-up window. To have the password sent to your contact email, check Send password to email (Выслать пароль на почту).

Uploading Files to the Server

After creating a site via the Sites (Сайты) section of the control panel, a directory named after the site will appear in your hosting environment. Files must be uploaded to the site's root directory your_domain/docs. You can upload files using one of the FTP clients listed below or via the file manager in the hosting control panel.

FTP Client Configuration

Setup instructions for popular FTP clients such as FileZilla, FAR, Total Commander, iWeb, and others are provided in the article: "Setting Up Popular FTP Clients".

Hosting directory structure

When you connect to hosting via FTP, you will go to home directory. It contains the following files and directories:

Site folders (e.g., login.nichost.ru) — created when a site is added in the control panel
etc — contains hosting configuration files
tmp — for temporary files, such as backup uploads

Each site directory (created via the control panel) follows this structure:

your_domain/docs — website root directory. Upload your site files here (HTML documents, PHP scripts, images, etc.) Full path to website root directory on the server: /home/identifier/your_domain/docs;
your_domain/cgi — for cgi-scripts, accessible at http://your_domain/cgi-bin/;
your_domain/php — for PHP modules, the path is defined by the include_path parameter;
your_domain/errordocs — contains default error pages;

Caution: Do not delete system files or directories — this may disrupt the functioning of your hosting environment.

You can restrict an FTP user’s access to a specific directory — for example, only to a single website’s files. To do this:

Log in to the hosting control panel using your contract number and password.
Go to the FTP and SSH section — a list of FTP users will be displayed.
Select the desired user, then edit the Access (Доступ) field. Click Edit (Изменить), specify the desired path, and save the changes.

Example, to grant an FTP user access only to the files of the site example.com, enter the following path in the Access (Доступ) field: /home/login/example.com/docs, where: login — your hosting service identifier, docs — the root directory of the site

You can find the full path to a directory using the File Manager (Файловый менеджер) section of the control panel. The current path is shown at the top of the page.identifier.mysql is indicated in the top part of the page.

FTP Usage Limitations

A maximum of 10 simultaneous connections is allowed from a single IP address and a maximum of 5 simultaneous connections is allowed per FTP user.
Connections can only be made using FTP users created in the hosting control panel. Anonymous access is not supported.

About using SFTP

SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) is a secure protocol that allows file transfer over an encrypted connection. Compared to FTP, SFTP offers enhanced security and additional features, such as support for symbolic links. Access to virtual server via SFTP.

FTP Troubleshooting and Error Resolution

If you encounter errors when connecting via FTP, follow these steps:

1. Verify Your FTP Connection Details

Start by confirming whether your FTP credentials have recently changed. Check the email address listed in your hosting contract for any notifications. We also recommend resetting your FTP password and attempting to connect again with the new credentials.

2. Check Your FTP Client and Operating System Settings

Make sure your FTP client is configured according to the official instructions. We recommend using FileZilla with passive mode enabled.
Also check the following: Antivirus software Firewall settings Router or other network equipment Make sure your FTP client is allowed network access.

3. Test Your Network Connection

Connection errors or slow file transfer speeds may be caused by technical issues on the route between your internet provider and the hosting server. Use a tool such as WinMTR to diagnose network issues.

If the problem persists, contact technical support and include the following in your message: The exact error message or a screenshot, the results of your network test using WinMTR, and the approximate time the issue occurred.