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How Do I Find My FTP Server?

Published Aug 29, 2025 4 min read
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You find your FTP server by locating its address (IP address or hostname), username, and password.

The method varies based on your server's location, such as a web host, your local network, or a third-party provider. These are the three essential pieces of information required to connect with any FTP client.

For a web hosting provider

If you have a website hosted by a company, your FTP details are provided in one of these ways:

  • Welcome email: Upon signing up, your host likely sent you a welcome email containing your FTP server name, username, and password.
  • Hosting control panel (cPanel or hPanel): Log in to your hosting account and navigate to the control panel, like cPanel or hPanel. Find the section for "FTP Accounts" or "Files". Your FTP hostname is often your domain name (ftp.your-domain-name.com), while the username and password can be found or reset in this section.
  • Host's dashboard: For some hosts, you can find the FTP details directly in your account's dashboard or management interface. Look for a section detailing your server information or network settings.

For a local network server

If you are running an FTP server on your own local network (at home or in an office), the server's address will be its private IP address.

  • On Windows:
    1. Open the Command Prompt by typing cmd in the Start menu search bar.
    2. In the command prompt window, type ipconfig and press Enter.
    3. Look for your computer's "IPv4 Address." It will likely be in the format 192.168.x.x or 10.0.x.x. This is your server's address for others on the same network.
  • On macOS:
    1. Open Terminal from Applications/Utilities.
    2. Type ifconfig or ipconfig getifaddr en0 and press Enter.
    3. Your local IP address will be displayed.
  • On Linux:
    1. Open a terminal window.
    2. Use the ip a or ifconfig command to view your network configuration. Your local IP address will be listed.

For external access to a local server

To access a local FTP server from outside your network, you need to use your public IP address and configure port forwarding on your router.

  • Find your public IP address:
    1. Open a web browser on any device connected to your network.
    2. Search "What is my IP address" on Google, or visit a site like whatismyip.com. The displayed address is your public IP.
  • Configure port forwarding: Log in to your router's administration page. Find the "Port Forwarding" section and set it to direct incoming requests on port 21 (the default FTP port) to your FTP server's local IP address.Note: FTP is an insecure protocol and is not recommended for external access. Consider using SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol), which uses port 22.

For third-party services

If you're using a third-party service, like a cloud platform or a rented virtual server, your FTP details are typically available in your account's dashboard.

  • Example (Azure): For a service like Microsoft Azure, you would log into the Azure Portal, navigate to the appropriate website or instance, and find the deployment credentials in the settings or dashboard.
  • Example (DreamHost): DreamHost users can find their details on the "Manage Websites" page under the "Content" tab.

For unknown or legacy servers

If you can't find your server information through the above methods, and it was set up by someone else, try these steps:

  • Check existing client settings: If you have an FTP client (like FileZilla) that is already connected, open its "Site Manager" to view the saved server information.
  • Search for server software: If it's a server on your network, you can check what software is running. On a Linux system, use dpkg -l | grep ftp to list installed FTP packages.
  • Use network tools: Use command-line tools like netstat -tanp on Linux to list listening ports and identify the process associated with the FTP port (typically port 21).

Summary of key steps

To find your FTP server:

  • Identify the server type: Is it a web host, a local server, or a third-party service?
  • Log in to the appropriate control panel: This could be your hosting provider's cPanel, your server's operating system, or a cloud service's dashboard.
  • Look for FTP or server information: The hostname/IP, username, and password will be listed here.
  • Use network commands: For local servers, ipconfig (Windows) or ifconfig (macOS/Linux) will reveal the internal IP address.
  • Check welcome emails: Search your inbox for emails from your hosting provider that contain setup details.
  • Review existing clients: If a client is already connected, check its saved site settings.
  • Troubleshoot network issues: If you can't connect, check firewalls and ensure you are using the correct connection mode (active vs. passive).
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