How to Use SFTP to Edit Game Server Files (FileZilla and WinSCP)

SFTP vs FTP: why the protocol setting matters

SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) runs over SSH. Plain FTP is an older, unrelated protocol, and FTPS is FTP with TLS added. They are not interchangeable: an SFTP server will refuse an FTP client. The FileZilla documentation notes that SFTP servers typically use port 22 by default while normal FTP uses port 21. A game host may use a different port for SFTP, so the number in your panel wins over any default.

WinSCP's own troubleshooting page lists a protocol mismatch (SFTP selected against a server that only supports FTP, or the reverse) and an incorrectly entered non-standard port as common causes of a refused connection. If something fails immediately, check these two settings first.

What you need from your control panel

Open your server in the control panel and look for the file access or SFTP connection details. You need four values:

• Host (an address or hostname)
• Port
• Username
• Password

Copy them rather than retyping, because a trailing space or a character that looks similar (0 and O, l and 1) is a classic cause of failed logins. The username may not match your account name, so use exactly what the panel shows. ChicagoServers servers support SFTP access using the connection information shown in the control panel.

How to connect with FileZilla

1. Open the Site Manager

   Use File, then Site Manager, and create a new site. A saved site is safer and faster than the Quickconnect bar because the protocol is explicit.

2. Set the protocol to SFTP

   In the Protocol dropdown, choose the SFTP - SSH File Transfer Protocol entry, not FTP.

3. Enter host and port

   Paste the host from the panel. Enter the port the panel gives you; the FileZilla documentation says the port field is only needed when it differs from the standard one, and a game host's may.

4. Choose the logon type and credentials

   Set Logon Type to Normal and enter the username and password. 'Ask for password' makes FileZilla prompt each session and remember it only for that session, which is safer on a shared PC.

5. Connect and accept the host key

   On the first connection FileZilla shows an unknown host key dialog. If you typed the host yourself and it is correct, accept it and tick the box to trust it for future connections. A later warning that the key has changed means the server's identity differs from before; do not continue until you know why.

How to connect with WinSCP

1. Open the Login dialog

   WinSCP shows it at startup. Create a new site.

2. Set the file protocol to SFTP

   Pick SFTP from the File protocol dropdown. FTP and SCP are separate choices.

3. Enter the host name and port

   Paste the host. WinSCP's documentation says the port is usually left blank so the default is used (22 for SSH), but enter the port from your panel if it is different.

4. Enter the user name and password

   WinSCP advises against saving passwords with the site. If you do not store it, WinSCP prompts at login.

5. Save and log in

   Press Save to keep the site, then Login. Accept the host key prompt the first time if the host is the one you typed.

Uploading mods and config files

Which folder holds mods or configs depends entirely on the game: a Minecraft mods or plugins folder, a Rust oxide or carbon folder, a Valheim BepInEx plugins folder and so on. Your game's documentation or your mod's install instructions will say where files belong. If a folder you expect is missing, the server may need to start once so the game creates it.

• Upload mods in the form the mod author provides (a .jar, .dll or folder). Do not unzip an archive unless the instructions say to.
• Match versions: a mod built for a different game version is the most common reason a server will not start after an upload.
• Upload one change at a time, restart, and check the console for errors before adding the next.
• Large uploads may be faster inside a single archive and extracted with the panel's file manager if it supports that.

WinSCP's transfer mode defaults to Automatic, which picks text or binary per file by extension. Binary files like mods must never be transferred in text mode. If you are unsure, set transfer mode to Binary for mods and archives.

Editing config files safely

1. Download a copy first. Keep the original with a date in its name.
2. Stop the server before editing if the game writes configs back on shutdown. Some games read the file at startup and write their in-memory settings back when they stop, so edits made while running can be lost. ARK's INI files are a well-known example.
3. Use a real text editor such as VS Code or Notepad++. Many game servers run on Linux and expect Unix line endings (LF), and a stray byte order mark can break parsers in some games. Keep files in UTF-8 unless the game says otherwise.
4. Change one thing at a time and keep the file's exact format: quotes, indentation and commas in JSON, XML and INI files all matter.
5. Start the server and read the console to confirm the setting loaded.

In FileZilla, using View/Edit opens a temporary local copy and offers to upload when you save. In WinSCP, opening a remote file in an editor works similarly. For small edits, an editor that opens remote files over SFTP (WinSCP has one built in) avoids the download-edit-upload cycle altogether.

WinSCP can convert line endings in text mode for older protocol versions; its documentation suggests keeping the Unix server format as the default, which suits most servers.

Common SFTP errors and fixes

Frequently asked questions