Fix FTP-SSL (FTPS) connection errors on GARMTECH Hosting

On GARMTECH hosting, website files are uploaded using FTP-SSL (FTPS). If your FTP client cannot connect, the issue is usually one of these: wrong host, wrong encryption mode, firewall blocking passive ports, or incorrect login.

Correct connection settings (GARMTECH Hosting)

• Protocol: FTP
• Encryption: Require Explicit FTP over TLS (FTP-SSL / FTPS)
• Port: 21
• Host: your server hostname (shown in My.GARMTECH; example s###.garmtech.com)
• Username: your hosting system user or a dedicated FTP user (Plesk → FTP Access)
• Password: the password for that FTP user

Why the hostname matters: FTPS uses an SSL certificate. If you connect to the server by domain name that is not on that server (or DNS is not updated yet), you may get certificate warnings or handshake errors.

Step-by-step: FileZilla quick fix

1. Open FileZilla → File → Site Manager.
2. Create a new site and set:
   • Host: your server hostname
   • Port: 21
   • Protocol: FTP - File Transfer Protocol
   • Encryption: Require explicit FTP over TLS
   • Logon Type: Normal
3. Open the Transfer Settings tab and select Passive mode.
4. Connect.

Common FTPS errors and what they mean

“530 Login authentication failed” / “Login incorrect”

• Verify the exact username (Plesk → domain/subscription → FTP Access).
• Reset the FTP user password in Plesk and try again.
• Make sure you are connecting to the correct server hostname (especially if you have multiple services).

“TLS handshake failed” / certificate mismatch warning

• Use the server hostname as Host (not the domain name).
• Make sure encryption is set to Explicit FTP over TLS (not “Implicit FTPS”).
• Update FileZilla to a recent version (older clients may fail with modern TLS settings).

Timeout / “Connection timed out” / “Could not connect to server”

• Test from a different network (some офисные/корпоративные сети block FTP).
• Enable Passive mode in your FTP client.
• If you use a local firewall/antivirus, allow FileZilla (or your FTP client) network access.

“425 Can’t open data connection” / directory list is empty

This almost always points to a passive mode / firewall issue.

• Switch to Passive mode.
• Try again from a different network (home hotspot is a quick test).

Alternative: upload without FTP

If you only need to upload a few files, you can use Plesk File Manager (Plesk → Files) to upload and extract archives directly on the server.