Getting started with free web hosting

Welcome to the getting started with your web hosting account guide.

 

This guide provides information about the basic functions needed to utilize your new web hosting account.

 

This guide assumes that you have verified your email address and received your web hosting account details.

 

Table of contents

  1. Accessing your web hosting control panel (CP)
  2. Understanding your directory structure
  3. Basic HTML help ( html editing software, images, links etc.)
  4. Uploading files with FTP (FileZilla)
  5. Uploading files with your File Manager
  6. Registering a domain name & updating name servers
  7. Adding a top level domain (tld) to your account
  8. Where to get help / support
  9. Upgrading your web hosting plan

#4 - Uploading Files With FTP - FileZilla

Filezilla can be downloaded for free from http://filezilla.sourceforge.net/

 

Once you have the program downloaded and installed; open it up.

 

Getting Connected


 

1. Click "Site Manager".


FileZilla - Site Manager

 

 

2. A window will open called 'Site Manager'. On the left you see a yellow folder that says 'My FTP Sites' and on the right you see 'Site Details'. Make sure 'My FTP Sites' is highlighted. Down in the lower left hand corner click the button that says 'New Site'.

 

FileZilla - New Site

 

 

3. A new FTP site connection will appear, give it a name that will help you to remember what website it is.

 

Example: username.free-web-hosting.biz

 

IMPORTANT: Remember to replace all instances of 'USERNAME' with the username you use when you login to your Free-Web-Hosting.biz control panel.

 

You will now be able to enter all of your information into 'Site Details'. Enter all of your information into 'Site Details'.

 

Host: username.free-web-hosring.biz

Port: 21

Server Type: Leave as FTP

Logontype: Set to 'Normal'

User: Enter your Free-Web-Hosting.biz username

Password: Enter your Free-Web-Hosting.biz password

 

Click 'Connect' down at the bottom

 

FileZilla - Connect

 

 

4. On the left side you will see a panel that says 'Local Site'. There you can browse through all the files currently on your computer. On the right side you will see a panel that says 'Remote Site'. There you can browse through all the files currently on your web site.

 

The remote directory you see on the right side with the index.html file in it is your "Document Root" directory. The index.html file is what you see when you go to: http://username.free-web-hosting.biz

 

FileZilla - Remote Site

 

Uploading a file to your site:

  1. Navigate to the file(s) that you wish to upload on your computer in the left panel.

  2. If you want to upload the file(s) to a certain location on your website (ie. a folder called 'images') make sure you have opened that folder by doubling clicking it in your 'Remote Site' panel. You can also drag entire folders to your remote directory. If the folder you upload does not exist, it will be created.

  3. Select the file(s) (click to highlight them).

  4. Click your file(s) and select Upload.

FileZilla - Upload Files

 

This will upload the file(s) to your website.

 

 

6. If you need to create a folder in your website, do so by right clicking anywhere in your 'Remote Site' pane and selecting 'Create Directory'. Enter a name for your folder and click 'OK'.

 

TIP: You can upload more then one file at a time! To upload more than one file at a time SHIFT+CLICK all the files (as long as they are grouped together). If the files are not grouped together CTRL+CLICK all the files you wish to upload. You can also hold your left mouse button down, then you can select multiple files.

 

Once you have all of the files selected, right click and select upload. You can also upload a folder and all of its contents by selecting the folder.

 

REMEMBER: Local Site is your computer and Remote Site is your website!

 

Downloading Files

Downloading files is the exact opposite of uploading. Select your files in your 'Remote Site' panel and Right Click and select Download. You can copy entire folders, create new folders (Directory), and do everything just the same as when uploading.

 

Renaming Files

You can rename any file or folder by Right Clicking the file and selecting Rename.

 

Deleting Files

You can delete any file or folder in one of two ways. Right Click and select "Delete". Or click to highlight the file and hit the 'Delete' button on your keyboard. It will ask you; 'Really Delete "FileName"' make sure you have selected to delete the correct file, and if you are SURE you wanted it deleted select 'OK'. Once you delete something it is GONE and can only be uploaded/downloaded again if you have a backup copy.

 

Firewall

If you are behind a firewall and/or router you will need to use Passive mode for FTP to get a stable connection. You can see this setting as is shown bellow:

 

Passive Mode

Open FileZilla and go to "My Sites". Select your Free-web-hosting.biz FTP account and click "Advanced". In the "Passive Transfer Mode Settings" check the "Use Passive Mode" option.