Member Avatar for MeTc123

Hello,

I'm currently working on a website for a client it's my first project,
I've developed a few pages and would like to upload them to my web host and enable people to view the website via the domain.

www.

I'm not really 100% sure how to upload & and organise my files.

Can anybody help me?

Thanks!

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by MeTc123

Dani AI

Generated

A concise, practical follow-up that addresses the specific error sequence OP reported and the useful pointers from , and .

When a site returns "Forbidden — You don't have permission to access / on this server" and then the server reports a missing ErrorDocument, the usual causes are: incorrect file/directory permissions or ownership, a restrictive .htaccess entry (or password protection), or an ErrorDocument directive pointing to a file that does not exist or is unreadable. The steps below prioritize low-friction checks that resolve most cases.

Steps to troubleshoot and fix

  • Confirm the site’s document root matches where files were uploaded (public_html, www, httpdocs, etc.). OP had moved files but the server root mapping is the usual culprit.
  • Check directory and file permissions: directories need the execute bit so the webserver can traverse them; files must be readable by the webserver. Typical safe values are 755 for folders and 644 for files.
  • Inspect .htaccess for deny/auth rules or incorrect ErrorDocument lines. An ErrorDocument that points to a non-existent path produces the extra 404.
  • If the host uses suPHP/lsphp, ensure files are owned by the account (not root) and are not world-writable.
  • If there is no SSH, use an FTP client (FileZilla or Dreamweaver’s Remote view) to verify placement and to set permissions; hosting support can check server-side ownership and error logs.

Small, copy-paste examples

# SSH (when available)
chmod 755 public_html
find public_html -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
find public_html -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;
# .htaccess (allow access + index priority)
DirectoryIndex index.html index.php
<IfModule mod_authz_core.c>
  Require all granted
</IfModule>
<IfModule !mod_authz_core.c>
  Order allow,deny
  Allow from all
</IfModule>
ErrorDocument 403 /403.html

Dreamweaver note and a final caution
Confirm Dreamweaver’s remote root is set to the host’s document root so uploads land in the right place. Avoid 777 permissions; if the above checks fail, request the host to read the server error_log and confirm account activation/ownership — most hosts will fix ownership or reveal a server-side block.

Recommended Answers

All 13 Replies

Member Avatar for pritaeas

Your webhost provides (ftp) access for you. You can use an ftp client to upload your files. If your host provides a control panel (e.g. cPanel) you can also use this web interface to upload your files.

Member Avatar for MeTc123

Thanks,

From the control panel I have many options, one of which is the
"File Manager"

I assume this is where to manage the files

once uploaded how to I make the website "live"

Thanks!

Member Avatar for pritaeas

Normally the default folder is something like www or public_html. If you put your files there, they are automatically live.

Member Avatar for almostbob

Thanks,
From the control panel I have many options, one of which is the
"File Manager"
I assume this is where to manage the files
once uploaded how to I make the website "live"

Thanks!

the control panel file manager is not the best way to manage files,
the descriptive text explains the filemanager as when you don't have access to an ftp program.
a standalone ftp client usint ftp settings supplied by the host, is much better, as thunderbird is better than a webmail interface
ftp allows synchronizing, you dont have to remember what files are altered
allows better access control

this new,
should read the helpscreens on the control panel about ftp and install one of the listed ftp cllients -the listed clients usually have detailed howtos in the control panel helpscreens

I remember,
such a sense of achievement when I got the first site running.
a greater achievement when it was running right

:thumbsup: good luck

Member Avatar for MeTc123

the control panel file manager is not the best way to manage files,
the descriptive text explains the filemanager as when you don't have access to an ftp program.
a standalone ftp client usint ftp settings supplied by the host, is much better, as thunderbird is better than a webmail interface
ftp allows synchronizing, you dont have to remember what files are altered
allows better access control

this new,
should read the helpscreens on the control panel about ftp and install one of the listed ftp cllients -the listed clients usually have detailed howtos in the control panel helpscreens

I remember,
such a sense of achievement when I got the first site running.
a greater achievement when it was running right

:thumbsup: good luck

Thanks for the reply,

I'm currently using Dreamweaver CS4 & have "successfully" configured my FTP settings to work with my host, still slightly confused but I'm confident I'm getting there.

I've loaded my website files (to the public_html folder) however when I try to access the domain externally (via it comes up with an error message highlighting "I don't have the permissions to access this website"

does this sound familiar? have I loaded the files incorrect?

This seems to be the last stumbling block keeping me from accessing my website!!!!!! (I know... patience)

Help!

& Thanks for the continued help.

Member Avatar for kfawcett

Do you have the index.html in the public_html folder or in another subfolder?

Who is your host?

Member Avatar for almostbob

have you set an .htaccess file
have you set any passwords
has the account been recently established and not made it through whatever process the host uses to create new accounts yet

Member Avatar for MeTc123

Do you have the index.html in the public_html folder or in another subfolder?

Who is your host?

The index.html is in a sub folder, bad?

and the host is [/url]

Edited by MeTc123 because: spelling mistake
Member Avatar for almostbob

when you load http://www.thissite.com what you actually get is http://www.thissite.com/index.html the server displays the derfault filename from its list of default names or gives an error

It sort of annoying when the server list runs htm html php and you upload a new version of the site in php, and the old version still runs as html, took days to notice

either move all files & folders up one level so your index.htm|hrtml|php is in the root, or put a new index file in the root redirecting to the subfolder <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0;url=http://www.thissite.com/folder/"> <<-one of many redirect methods
the second choice is better if you plan to later host two(or more) sites on the same space

Edited by almostbob because: n/a
Member Avatar for MeTc123

when you load http://www.thissite.com what you actually get is http://www.thissite.com/index.html the server displays the derfault filename from its list of default names or gives an error

It sort of annoying when the server list runs htm html php and you upload a new version of the site in php, and the old version still runs as html, took days to notice

either move all files & folders up one level so your index.htm|hrtml|php is in the root, or put a new index file in the root redirecting to the subfolder <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0;url=http://www.thissite.com/folder/"> <<-one of many redirect methods
the second choice is better if you plan to later host two(or more) sites on the same space

I've moved the files to the root, (including the index.html)

"public_html"

when I try to access the website it says . . .


Forbidden

You don't have permission to access / on this server.

Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.

Member Avatar for almostbob

is it a user site at an isp or a purchased domain
the free webspace at isp is often accessed differently
If using a control panel, read the help screens about exactly where the files go, and how to access can't stress how much the placement is dependent on the provider
my free space files go in the html_public folder and are accessed as
my domain resides in a www folder and is accessed as mysite.com

Member Avatar for kfawcett

If you can tell us who your host is we might be able to help determine where to put your files and if there are any other issues. Otherwise you could call your host's tech support and have them help you out. Most of them are good about help with these types of issues.

Member Avatar for MeTc123

Just want to say thanks, this is a solved thread!

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