Tutorials

How to Transfer Files Using FileZilla

Upload and download files on your WinterNode game server using SFTP with FileZilla, a free SFTP client for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Last updated: October 27, 2026

4.9

787+ Satisfied Customers

SFTP lets you transfer files larger than 100MB to your game server and keep a more stable connection than the browser-based File Manager. FileZilla is the most common free SFTP client and works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. If you’d rather use a Windows-only dual-pane client, see the WinSCP guide.

SFTP Credentials

Open your server in the Game Panel, click Files in the sidebar, then click SFTP in the Files toolbar.

The Files toolbar with SFTP highlighted and the redacted connection popover open

The Connect with an app popover shows:

  • Host: a full address such as sftp://node.example.com:2022
  • Username: your panel email followed by a period and the server’s eight-character ID, such as player@example.com.abcdefgh
  • Password: the same password you use to log in to the Game Panel

Use SFTP, not FTP or FTPS. You can also click Launch SFTP to open the address in an installed SFTP app.

Downloading FileZilla

  1. Go to the FileZilla Project website
  2. Click Download FileZilla Client
  3. Run the installer and follow the prompts to finish installing

The download button located on the FileZilla website

Connecting to Your Server

FileZilla is a GUI application that lets you browse, upload, and download files on your server through a familiar file-manager interface. The fastest way to connect is the Quickconnect bar at the top of the window.

Use your credentials from the SFTP Credentials section above to fill in the Quickconnect bar:

  1. Copy the panel Host value and paste the full value, including sftp:// and :2022, into FileZilla’s Host field
  2. Copy the panel Username value into FileZilla’s Username field
  3. Enter your GCP password in the Password field
  4. Leave FileZilla’s separate Port field blank because the panel Host already includes port 2022
  5. Click Quickconnect

The Quickconnect login area for the FileZilla client with fields for the host, username, password, and port

Uploading and Downloading Files

Once connected, your local files appear on the left and the Remote Site on your server appears on the right. Drag and drop between the two panes to transfer files in either direction.

  1. Navigate to the folder you want to transfer from on one side
  2. Navigate to the destination folder on the other side
  3. Drag the file or folder from one pane to the other
  4. Watch the progress under the Queued files tab at the bottom of the window

Speeding Up Transfers of Many Small Files

If you really need to transfer a large amount of small files, or your bandwidth isn’t being fully utilised for multiple large files, you can increase the number of files FileZilla transfers at the same time.

Increase concurrent transfers
  1. Open FileZilla
  2. Select Edit → Settings from the menu bar
  3. Select Transfers on the left side of the Settings window
  4. Under Concurrent transfers, change Maximum simultaneous transfers to a value between 1 and 10
  5. Click OK

Troubleshooting

FileZilla: Authentication Failed

The Authentication failed error means FileZilla reached your server but was rejected during login. This is almost always a password problem.

  1. Confirm you are entering your Game Control Panel password. This is the same password you use to log in to the panel website. There is no separate SFTP password
  2. If you recently changed your panel password, update the stored password in FileZilla
  3. Check that the Username exactly matches Username under Files > SFTP, including the email, period, and eight-character server ID
  4. If you have forgotten your password, reset it from the panel login page

FileZilla: Could Not Connect to Server

The Critical error: Could not connect to server error means FileZilla could not reach the SFTP service at all.

  1. Wrong connection address. Go to Files, click SFTP, and copy the Host value again. Paste the full sftp://host:2022 value into FileZilla’s Host field rather than typing it manually
  2. Wrong port. The SFTP port is included in Host. Leave FileZilla’s separate Port field blank so it uses 2022 from the Host value
  3. Firewall or VPN. Temporarily disable any VPN or third-party firewall software on your computer and try again. Some VPNs block non-standard SFTP ports
  4. Network issue. If you can reach the Game Panel website but not SFTP, your ISP or local network may be blocking the connection. Try from a different network (such as a mobile hotspot) to confirm

Still Not Working?

If none of the above resolves your issue, contact our support team with:

  • The exact error message from FileZilla (screenshot is ideal)
  • What you’ve already tried

Frequently Asked Questions

No. WinterNode does not offer SSH access for game servers. Use SFTP to manage your files instead.

Your SFTP password is the same as your Game Control Panel login password. There is no separate SFTP password.

This means FileZilla reached your server but was rejected during login. Make sure you are using your Game Control Panel password. If you recently reset it, update the saved credentials in FileZilla as well.

FileZilla works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. If you are on Windows and prefer a single-window dual-pane view, try WinSCP instead. See the WinSCP guide for setup steps.

Back to Help Center