Create the account first: in cPanel go to FTP Accounts, then Add FTP Account. Set the directory carefully, because that is the only folder the account can reach.
Connect with these settings:
- Host - ftp.yourdomain.com, or your server IP if the domain has not propagated yet
- Username - the full username including the domain part
- Port - 21 for FTP, 22 for SFTP
- Encryption - choose explicit FTP over TLS
Prefer SFTP where your client supports it. Plain FTP sends your password in clear text across the network.
If the connection hangs after login rather than failing outright, switch your client to passive mode. That fixes it the vast majority of the time.
