Upload your website
Once you have your website files ready to go online, now it's time to upload your website. Uploading involves transferring your HTML files from your computer to a Web Server. Uploading website files is in general copying website files from your computer to some specific folder on the Server.
There are many ways that you can transfer files and folders to and from your hosting account. Some Hosting providers have a system online which lets you upload files through your web browser. The best way to upload your web site is via FTP. FTP means File Transfer Protocol. An FTP program help you to transfer files from your computer to webserver. Every FTP client needs 4 things:
| Host | This is your primary hosted domain name (website name) , or your hosting account IP address. |
| FTP User Name | Your hosting account user name. |
| FTP Password | Your hosting account password. |
| Port Number | Port number (Usually port 21) |
There are lots of FTP Client programs available online for free. FileZila is the one of the popular program in this kind. FileZilla is a program that actually lets you transfers files over FTP. It's free, available for Windows and Mac OS and you can download it from http://filezilla-project.org/ .
Uploding Files using FileZilla FTP Client Program
First thing that you should download and install FileZilla in your computer. Go to the http://filezilla-project.org/ page and obtain the appropriate version for your system.
Once installed the program , start the program and you will see four text boxes at the top, which you will use to enter your login information.
Enter your Website name or IP Address of Host , FTP Username , FTP Password and Port number and click the QuickConnect button. All these information you will get from your hosting provider . FileZilla will now try to connect to the server. If the connection is successful you will get a screen like the following :
The window on the right side represents the files and folders on your web-server. Depending on the features and administration tools your hosting provider has bundled with your account, you might see a range of folders here. Usually you won't need to go into them. But you should select appropriate folder on the server to upload files. The left side window represent the files and folders on your computer, so you need to navigate your way to wherever you are keeping the files you have got ready for your website.
Once you have located your website files on your computer, simply select and drag the files from the Local Site Section and drop them to the Remote Site directory that you wish. You could also right-click and select "upload". You can select multiple folders at once, and Filezilla will upload the folders and everything inside them. While your website files are uploading to the hosting server, you will be able to see the upload progress in the bottommost window pane in FileZilla.
Thats all , now you uploaded your website successfully. Once you have copied all the files you can go ahead and check your website online typing http://www.yourwebsite.com into the browser line.