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FTP accounts let you transfer files to your hosting without sharing your main cPanel password. Each account can be restricted to a single directory, which is what makes them useful for giving a developer or an agency access to one site and nothing else.
Prerequisites
  • A Web Hosting service with OnetSolutions
  • Access to your cPanel account
  • An FTP client such as FileZilla, WinSCP, or Cyberduck

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Creating an FTP Account

1

Log in to cPanel

Access your cPanel account through the OnetSolutions dashboard.
2

Open FTP Accounts

In the “Files” section, click “FTP Accounts”.
3

Enter the account details

Fill in the “Log In” field with the username you want. cPanel appends your domain automatically, so the full username becomes user@yourdomain.com — this complete form is what you enter in your FTP client, not just the short name.
4

Set the directory

The “Directory” field controls what the account can reach. cPanel pre-fills it based on the username; replace it with the directory you actually want to grant, for example public_html/staging.
5

Set a quota and create

Leave the quota “Unlimited” or set a size in MB, then click “Create FTP Account”.
The directory you set is a boundary, not a suggestion — but only if you set it deliberately. Leaving it at the account root gives access to every site on the hosting account, which defeats the purpose of a separate account.

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Connecting

Use these settings in your FTP client:
Always choose an encrypted connection. Plain FTP sends your username and password across the network in clear text, where anyone on the path can read them. In FileZilla this is “Require explicit FTP over TLS”.

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Special Accounts

cPanel shows accounts you did not create, listed under “Special FTP Accounts”. These map to the hosting account itself and cannot be deleted. Use a dedicated account for day-to-day transfers rather than the main one.

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Troubleshooting

The most common cause is an incomplete username. FTP accounts require the full user@yourdomain.com form, including the domain. Entering just user fails even when the password is correct.
Some networks block outbound port 21. Try switching your client from active to passive mode, which is the default in most clients and works through more firewalls.
Check where you actually landed. Files must be inside public_html for the main domain, or the document root of the subdomain or addon domain concerned. Uploading one level above is a frequent mistake.
The account’s directory restriction is doing its job. Confirm the target path is inside the directory set when the account was created.
Delete FTP accounts you no longer use. An account created for a contractor two years ago is a credential still valid today — removing it takes a click and closes a door you forgot was open.