FTP (File Transfer Protocol) moves files between your computer and a server, but it sends everything, including your username and password, as plain text. SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) does the same job over an encrypted SSH connection. Use SFTP. Most FTP clients support it once you give them port 22, and it's the modern default.
Why plain FTP fell out of favor
FTP was designed in the early 1970s, long before encryption was a standard expectation for internet traffic. It authenticates with a username and password sent in cleartext, and it transfers file contents the same way. On public wifi, a compromised router, or an ISP link, anyone positioned between you and the server can read your login and your files in transit.
FTP also uses a clumsy connection model: one channel for commands, a separate one for data, opened dynamically on other ports. That makes it awkward to firewall and easy to misconfigure. SFTP fixes both problems. It runs entirely over a single encrypted SSH connection (port 22), so there's one port to allow and nothing readable if someone intercepts the traffic.
FTP vs SFTP vs FTPS
Three acronyms get confused constantly:
- FTP: no encryption. Avoid it.
- FTPS: FTP wrapped in TLS. Encrypted, but keeps FTP's split command/data channel model, which still causes firewall headaches.
- SFTP: a completely different protocol built on SSH, despite the similar name. Single connection, encrypted, and the one to use.
If a tool or host gives you a choice, pick SFTP over FTPS when you can. It's simpler to configure correctly and less prone to silent misconfiguration.
Setting up SFTP
You need three things: a host address, credentials, and an SFTP-capable client (FileZilla, Cyberduck, WinSCP, or the sftp command in a terminal are all common choices).
On Flashcloud, FTP account credentials are created and managed from FTP Accounts on your service page in the portal. Connect to your server's hostname (shown under Details on your service page in the portal) on port 22 instead of the traditional FTP port 21. Same username and password, different protocol underneath.
A typical command-line connection looks like:
sftp username@yourdomain.com
From there you get an interactive shell with commands like put, get, ls, and cd for moving files in and out.
When you don't need FTP at all
For quick edits, uploading a handful of files, or anything you'd normally reach for FTP to do, File Manager in the portal does the job in a browser with no client setup or port to worry about. It's often the faster option for one-off changes, and it skips the credential-management step entirely.
If a connection won't authenticate
If SFTP refuses your credentials, double check you're using port 22, not 21, and that you're using the FTP account's own username and password rather than your portal login. If it still won't connect, open a ticket through Support in the portal and our team can check the account directly.