Secure FTP help from SouthernConnections

SFTP with FileZilla

Your updated files must be placed in their proper places on your SouthernConnections-hosted site. Old-fashioned FTP is not secure enough. Site security requires use of an encrypted connection. That is readily accomplished most simply through the use of Secure FTP (sftp).

SouthernConnections feels that the most usable, free sftp client for Windows is FileZilla. FileZilla was designed to be an extraordinarily capable ftp client. When it was improved to support sftp, none of the ftp conveniences were lost. It is, as a result, easy to install, configure and use.

You may download the installer from http://filezilla.sourceforge.net

Unless you are using Windows 95, you will only need to download the FileZilla_2_2_8d_setup.exe file to a directory on your hard drive.

The My Documents folder is often used for such downloads and will be fine.

Open FileZilla_2_2_8d_setup, select a language and click [OK].

Accept the license terms by clicking [I Agree]. Read them, of course. If your do not agree, there are as we said above other alternatives.

Change any install options you wish to change and click [Next].

Change the installation directory if you wish, and click [Next].

Change the start menu folder if you wish, and click [Next].

Click [Install].

Click [Close].

Configuring FileZilla is equally easy.

Launch the application, either from the start menu or from the FileZilla icon elsewhere.

Open the [File] menu and select [Site Manager].

Click on [New Site].

In the large, white box change “New FTP site” to:

216.235.168.130

“Port” should be set to 22 because 22 is the sftp port.

“Servertype” should be set on [SFTP using SSH2]

In the “Logontype” area select “Normal.”

In the field under “User:” type your username.

Check or leave checked “Don't save password.” Your sftp client is not a secure place to store your password.

There is no need to set a Default remote directory.

You will always go to the root directory of your Web site's space on the server. The server will see to that.

You should set the “Default local directory” to the directory where you plan to process your site updates. You can change it later if you decide to do the processing elsewhere.

Finally, click [Save and Exit].

Try logging on.

One good way to try out FileZilla is by entering the address of your server in the “Address” field of the “Quickconnect” bar. It should be preceded by “sftp,” as follows:

216.235.168.130

Enter your username, password and the port number (22) in their respective fields.

Click [Quickconnect].

If you have made no typing errors, you will connect to the SouthernConnections sftp server. Your account is configured to take you right to your Web server space. You may upload, download and delete files and directories in that space.

You will find that transferring files is a simple matter of drag and drop.

For more information and screen shots of FileZilla, go to to:

http://filezilla.sourceforge.net/documentation