For enhanced FTP security through SSH, we recommend SecureFX by VanDyke Software. You can download SecureFX at the following URL:
http://vandyke.com/products/securefx/
Once you have downloaded and installed SecureFX on your local PC, you can establish a connection to your virtual server account by following these directions:
Open the SecureFX program from your local PC.
The Connect window, which contains over 200 pre-configured FTP sites, appears:
Click the New Session icon from the Connect window. The New Session Wizard appears, as shown below:
In the 'Host address' field, enter the domain name or IP address of your account. Keep the default Port setting (21).
Click Next to bring up the following screen:
For the Protocol, select FTP over SSH2.
SECURITY ALERT: To log in securely over an encrypted session, you MUST select FTP over SSH2 (or another available SSH protocol) as your login protocol. A connection using only FTP is not considered secure.
Click Next to bring up the following screen:
Enter the Username and Password for your account (you may need to uncheck 'Anonymous login').
Click Next to bring up the following screen:
On this screen, you can specify an optional initial directory. For example, if you type /www/htdocs into the 'Initial directory' field, you will be taken to that directory automatically each time you connect to the session through SecureFX.
NOTE: The initial directory must be entered as a full path starting from the root ( / ) directory, and must be a directory that the user has permission to access. If these conditions are not met, a default directory will be set for you automatically.
Click Next to bring up the final screen of the New Session Wizard:
If you choose, you may enter a descriptive name for your session in the 'Session name' field, as well as a brief session description in the 'Description' field. Although these fields are optional, they may help you keep track of multiple accounts.
If you do not specify a Session name, it will be set as the value of the Host address.
Click Finish to add the session to the list of stored sessions available from the Connect window, as shown below:
Select your account and press Connect.
After you connect to your virtual server account, you will have two windows open within the SecureFX program -- one for your local computer, and one for your virtual server:
You can now copy files between the two windows by dragging and dropping from one window into the other.
For additional information on SecureFX, please refer to the SecureFX documentation contained on the Van Dyke Technologies Web site: