FilePort Pro

Connect to DreamHost with SFTP or FTP from the Browser

DreamHost runs its own control panel and is SSH/SFTP-forward: SFTP over SSH is the recommended way to move files to and from your hosted site, with plain FTP available as a secondary option. FilePort Pro runs in the browser, so once your DreamHost user has FTP or shell access enabled you can upload files straight from a web page — no software to install and no desktop client to configure.

Connect Now — access your DreamHost files

DreamHost is SSH/SFTP-forward

DreamHost is a shared-hosting provider that manages its own control panel rather than handing you a cPanel — unlike hosts such as GoDaddy or Bluehost, which front your account with cPanel. That difference matters for file transfer: DreamHost treats SSH, and therefore SFTP, as a first-class feature. Each user in the DreamHost panel can be granted FTP access, shell (SSH) access, or both, and the panel is designed around per-user access rather than one global FTP account. With shell access enabled, SFTP simply rides the SSH connection on port 22, and that's the path DreamHost expects you to use. The panel also includes a web-based file browser for small jobs, but for a theme, a site archive, or a folder of assets, a real FTP/SFTP client is faster and more reliable than walking a panel uploader.

Find or create your DreamHost user

DreamHost doesn't hand out separate FTP accounts the way cPanel hosts do. Users live in the DreamHost panel, and the same user can have FTP and/or shell access enabled individually. The exact menu labels can vary, so confirm what your panel shows, but the general path is:

  1. Log in to the DreamHost panel (the panel link appears when you sign in to your DreamHost account).
  2. Open the users area — on typical accounts this is under Users → Manage Users; some panels show an FTP Users section instead. The exact label can vary, so confirm what yours shows.
  3. Pick the user you want to use, or create a new one. The panel shows the username and lets you set or reset the password.
  4. Enable the access you need for that user: FTP for plain FTP, and Shell (SSH) for SFTP. A user with shell access can log in over SFTP with the same username and password — there's no separate SFTP password.

The hostname you connect to is your domain — commonly ftp.yourdomain.com — the same value you'd use for SSH. Use exactly what the panel shows for your account rather than assuming.

FTP vs SFTP on DreamHost

SFTP (port 22) is the connection to prefer. It runs inside the encrypted SSH session, so your username, password, and the files themselves are protected in transit, and it works with the same login you use for SSH once shell access is enabled.

Plain FTP (port 21) works with just FTP access enabled, but it sends your password — and file contents — in cleartext by protocol design. If you use it, expect passive mode (the standard on shared hosts; FilePort Pro connects over passive-mode FTP). Because FilePort Pro relays your connection, your credentials pass through our server to reach yours, as with any hosted client. The connection between your browser and FilePort Pro is served over HTTPS, and your DreamHost credentials are held in memory only for the active session — they are never stored or logged.

Connect to DreamHost with FilePort Pro

With your host, username, and password in hand, connecting is quick:

  1. Open FilePort Pro — it lives in the browser, so there's nothing to install.
  2. Choose SFTP (port 22) for an encrypted connection, or FTP (port 21) if you only have FTP access enabled.
  3. Enter the hostname, username, and password exactly as the DreamHost panel shows them.
  4. Click Connect — you land in the file list and can browse folders with breadcrumbs, upload files by clicking or dragging them in, and download what you need, including whole folders as a ZIP archive.

One honest note: if you connect over plain FTP, your password travels unencrypted by protocol design. FilePort Pro warns you before making a plain-FTP connection and recommends SFTP whenever your server supports it. If you only have FTP access enabled, connect without installing software using the free web FTP client.

Upload files to your DreamHost website

Your site's public files belong in the folder the DreamHost panel maps to your domain — the directory visitors hit when they load your site. Uploading with an FTP or SFTP client is usually faster and more reliable than a panel-based uploader, especially for a site archive, a theme, or a whole folder of assets: you connect directly, navigate to the right folder, and drag files in with visible progress. If you're not certain which folder maps to your domain on your specific account, confirm it against the file browser in the DreamHost panel rather than guessing.

A note on DreamHost SFTP security

Because FilePort Pro relays your connection, your DreamHost credentials pass through our server to reach yours — never "credentials never leave your browser." They're held in memory only for the active session, never stored, never logged, and the session ends when you disconnect or after about 15 minutes of inactivity. Since SFTP is available on DreamHost once shell access is enabled, prefer it over plain FTP so your login and files stay encrypted end to end. See our security page for how FilePort Pro handles your credentials.

Frequently asked questions

Does DreamHost recommend FTP or SFTP?

DreamHost is SFTP/SSH-forward: SFTP over SSH on port 22 is the recommended, encrypted way to move files, while plain FTP on port 21 is a secondary option. SFTP is the safer choice whenever the user has shell/SSH access enabled, because your login and files stay encrypted in transit.

How do I find my DreamHost FTP/SFTP credentials?

Sign in to the DreamHost panel and open the users area — on typical accounts it is under Users → Manage Users (or an FTP Users section; the exact label can vary, so confirm what yours shows). There you can pick or create a user, set the password, and enable FTP and/or shell (SSH) access for that user. The hostname is your domain, commonly ftp.yourdomain.com. Use exactly what the panel shows.

Does DreamHost use cPanel?

No. DreamHost runs its own control panel rather than cPanel. Users, FTP, and SSH access are managed directly in the DreamHost panel, so you won't find a cPanel-style FTP accounts screen on a DreamHost account.

Can I connect to DreamHost from the browser without installing software?

Yes. Once your DreamHost user has FTP or SFTP access enabled, you can connect with a browser-based client such as FilePort Pro — nothing to install — and browse folders, upload files, and download what you need, including whole folders as a ZIP archive.

More host guides

DreamHost runs its own panel, but the same connect-and-upload ideas apply across hosts. See the guide for your setup:

For more on browser-based transfers, see the web SFTP client. Questions about what we store? Read the privacy policy or the security page.

Get started — connect to DreamHost from your browser

No install, no sign-up, no credentials stored. Connect Now — access your DreamHost files

Prefer an encrypted transfer? Use SFTP. Questions about what we store? Read the privacy policy.