HTML Help: Anonymous FTP

I don't mean to be too discouraging, but if you have to ask this question you probably don't know enough about website security to prevent someone from uploading a virus or trojan to your site, or to keep someone from hacking your web site.

In theory, anonymous FTP is suppose to be safe—in practice, anytime someone has access to your server there are serious security risks.

You should study this issue and make an informed decision about whether you really want to take that risk. I also suggest you talk to your web host's tech support department about this, and talk to one of the higher ups if you can, rather than the lowest person on the totem pole.

If you're sure you want to allow anonymous FTP...

If your web host uses cPanel for their user control panel, and most do, log into cPanel and in the Files section locate and click the icon for Anonymous FTP. In most cases you'll have three options:

1. A checkbox to enable anonymous FTP access. Usually you need only this to allow users to download publicly your files from the directory public_ftp.
2. The second option is to allow anonymous FTP uploads. This one should be left unchecked unless you are fully aware of all the security risks which may follow.
3. Lastly, there is also a box for setting up a message that users will see when they connect so you can inform them of your policies or provide instructions.

Once the anonymous FTP has been enabled, users have to use the following details when connecting:

ftp_address: yourDomain.com
ftp_user: anonymous@yourDomain.com
ftp_password: any or none

If your host uses another control panel you'll have ask them about it, but it may be a very similar procedure. I think vDeck is almost exactly the same if I remember correctly off the top of my head.