New to cPanel - Ftp area needed

[Graze]

Hi, I hope I'm at the right place. My domain host set me up with cPanel to control my domain. I kind of understand how it works. I deal in graphics so some files that clients send me are too big for email so I need to set up a ftp area for them to upload files to and then I can get them. I have to do this (upload to ftp) with some of my suppliers so am familiar with using an ftp app like 'fetch'. Can anyone advise me how to set this up?. I guess I need clients to be able to upload, clients not to be allowed to download and me to be allowed to download.
I tried to set this up a while back (using the name 'client' in the ftp address) but just ended up with a folder that was accessible to everyone www.mydomain.co.uk/client
I really hope this makes sense. Thanks
Graze
(I think I may become a regular here.....)

 

[Infopro]

Depending on your needs, sure you could do this. The catch is I would think, if you password protect this area (mydomain.co.uk/client/) which you would probably want to do, any user you give the FTP login credentials to, can modify, download or delete any other files in this directory. You might possibly set permissions on the directory to read/write only I guess to help that. Or, if it's only one person in there this week, and a different person in there next week, simply change the password for the .htaccess that keeps it private. (Password Protect directories icon in cPanel to lock down a directory)

 

[Graze]

Thanks for the quick reply, I thought I had done that, but my problem was that the directory was visible via a web browser. Is that because when I went thru the process of making a ftp directory it put that folder in the root folder? (? where my website lives) rather than the 'public_ftp' folder?
Should all things like this be in the 'public_ftp' folder?
I guess it needs to be password protected, so, if I set the permissions to 'write' only would that stop one client being able to download another clients files? I suppose then, I would always have to access that directory thru cPanel, rather than say "Fetch" (or any ftp app), otherwise it wouldn't let me download them.
Or, is it possible I'm struggling with the basic concept here?
Graze (London UK)

 

[Infopro]

When you create an addon FTP account, where you see the Directory path, you can edit this.
For example you could use:
/home/username/privateftp (the bold cannot be changed)

In doing so, this places the directory outside the /public_html/ directory and therefore not available via browser to anyone. In doing this, no password protection should be needed, there's no way to get there without the FTP account login detail, or cPanel users access. (via cPanel File Manager or cPanel users main FTP login)

If that directory was created inside /public_html/ you will want it password protected as you know, it is available via browser to anyone. With the addon FTP account login credentials, you should be able to access the directory via browser or FTP client if you like.

The htaccess locking that directory down will stop browser access (if user has no password to access it) but not FTP access.


There was a post here recently that was after something similar and is where my comments on setting perms on the directory came from. I'm not able to provide you with a good idea there though, not sure of the best way to go. I do believe it had to do with editing the FTP server config file though, you might search around the forum for that.

To test I just created an addon FTP account outside /public_html/ called testftp. And then set the directory perms and was not able to get the desired result that way.

 

[Graze]

Thanks very much, this is just the sort of info I was hoping for. I will try this later making sure it's outside the public html folder. Actually, just knowing that little bit of info has made me understand the system better. While you're here, can you tell me the difference between the 'public html' and 'www' folders?

ta VERY much

Graze

 

[cPanelTristan]

Hello Graze,

The www folder is simply a symlink (a symbolic link) to the public_html folder. The www folder exists because some people are used to seeing it and associate www with their website content folder, but the actual folder is public_html on the cPanel account. The content in both will be the same as the www folder simply points to the public_html folder.

Thanks!

 

[Infopro]

Thanks very much, this is just the sort of info I was hoping for....

Happy to help!

 

[Graze]

I made the folder in the /home/myusername and it works fab. I just need to get this permissions thing sorted out now.
Thanks guys