The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →To connect an FTP account in SiteLock, first create or obtain the login through your hosting provider, then configure the selected website’s server access in SiteLock. You’ll need the server host, port, username, and password—or an SSH key when using SFTP—and the correct website root directory. SiteLock supports FTP, FTPS, and SFTP; its configuration guide identifies SFTP with SSH as the most secure option.
Before you start: gather the hosting details
SiteLock does not create the hosting account’s FTP user for you. Create one in your hosting control panel or ask your provider for help, then collect the connection details. Your host may use values specific to its platform, so confirm them with the provider rather than assuming a default. See SiteLock’s server-access configuration guide.
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- Server host and port
- FTP username and password, or an SSH key for SFTP
- The directory containing the website files, usually the site’s document root
For SFTP, SiteLock can generate an SSH key for you to download and install on the hosting server. SiteLock’s guide says that for many accounts the usual authorized-keys location is /home/user/.ssh/authorized_keys; verify the correct path and installation method with your host.
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Connect the account in SiteLock
- Select the right website. Sign in to SiteLock and select the intended domain if your account covers multiple websites. Open the Setup Wizard, or navigate to Sites → Manage Website → Settings → Server Access. The dashboard guide documents both routes: How to Navigate Your SiteLock Dashboard.
- Choose how credentials are shared. Same Credentials applies one FTP login across products. Separate Credentials lets you use distinct details for SMART File Scan, Database Scan, and Backup. SiteLock recommends using one FTP user unless you have a specific reason to create multiple users.
- Select the connection protocol. Choose FTP, FTPS, or SFTP. SiteLock describes SFTP with SSH as its most secure option. For FTP or FTPS, enter the host, port, username, and password. For SFTP, enter the connection details and use an SSH key if that is how your server is configured.
- Install an SSH key if you chose key-based SFTP. Generate and download the key in SiteLock, then install it on the hosting server as directed by your provider. The key must be authorized for the FTP/SFTP user you are configuring.
- Set transfer options and file scope. Choose the transfer-speed or connection setting and maximum download time. Use Select Folder to pick the website root directory—the location containing the files SiteLock should scan.
- Save and continue. Confirm the settings and save. SiteLock can then use this server access for the configured product.
Choose access scope and connection settings carefully
Same credentials or separate credentials
Use Same Credentials when the relevant SiteLock products connect to the same server and can use one login. Choose Separate Credentials if SMART File Scan, Database Scan, or Backup needs different account details. Multiple users can make sense for a specific access-control or server arrangement, but SiteLock’s general recommendation is one FTP user unless there is a reason to separate them.
Website-root access or broader access
The account must be able to see the website files, and the directory selected in SiteLock should be the website root. SiteLock says an account restricted to the known document root can let SMART File Scan clean those files. Broader access may help analysts investigate possible sources of reinfection outside that directory. SiteLock’s FAQ advises full access unless there is a specific reason to limit it, while the SMART File Scan wizard lets you choose the file scope. Treat this as a decision about your own server’s access-control needs, not a universal hosting requirement. The FAQ also says the FTP user does not need special permissions simply for SiteLock compatibility: SiteLock FAQ.
Transfer speed versus host connection limits
More simultaneous connections may speed up scans, but a host can impose a connection limit. SiteLock’s guide gives three simultaneous connections as an example that may cause errors when the host limit is lower or multiple SiteLock-protected sites share the same hosting account. This is an operational example, not a general performance benchmark. If scans fail with connection errors, lower the connection setting or ask your provider what limit applies.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Fix an empty folder picker or failed connection
The scanner connects, but no files or folders appear
A frequent cause is that the FTP user’s home directory points to the wrong location. During account creation, a hosting control panel may generate a new directory path and make that empty directory the user’s home, even though the website files are elsewhere. Check the user’s assigned home or directory path in your hosting control panel. If it points to the wrong place, remove and recreate the user with the correct path, then return to SiteLock and select the website root. SiteLock describes this issue in its FAQ.
The connection fails or scans stop with connection errors
- Confirm the host, port, username, and password with your hosting provider.
- For SFTP, check that the public key generated by SiteLock is installed and authorized for the correct server user.
- Verify that the FTP/SFTP user can access the site files and that the selected directory is the website root.
- Reduce simultaneous connections if the host limits them, or ask the provider about the account’s limit.
You need help creating or configuring the user
SiteLock recommends checking the hosting provider’s documentation or contacting hosting support; a website administrator or developer may also be able to create the account. SiteLock Support says it can assist with setup, including configuring access using temporary cPanel or WHM access. Only provide temporary control-panel access through a support process you trust, and follow your host’s security guidance.
Quick Recap
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