Mat Bao hosting: basic cPanel management (login, File Manager, FTP)

On Mat Bao hosting that runs cPanel, you can handle four basic admin tasks yourself: logging in to the control panel, managing files with File Manager, connecting over FTP with FileZilla, and creating separate FTP accounts for other people. The steps below summarise Mat Bao's official support documentation.

Before you start: check which control panel your Mat Bao hosting uses

This guide applies to hosting plans that use cPanel. Not every plan uses the same panel: according to a roundup on the blog of AZDIGI (another hosting provider), Mat Bao's Cloud Hosting plans come with Plesk or DirectAdmin. So before following along, check your service handover email or the service management page to see which panel your plan uses. If it is not cPanel, menu and button names will differ.

Have these ready:

• Your login for the id.matbao.net service management page.
• The hosting username and password, or the ability to reset the password on id.matbao.net.
• The domain attached to the hosting, or the hosting server name sent to you by email.

Logging in to cPanel on Mat Bao hosting

AI-generated illustration

There are two ways to log in. The first is simpler for non-IT staff.

Option 1: through the service management page

1. Log in to the id.matbao.net service management page.
2. Select the hosting service you want to manage and open the cPanel admin page from there.
3. If you have forgotten the hosting login, use the Change password function on id.matbao.net to reset it; the new details are sent by email.

Option 2: log in directly by address

1. Open a browser and enter an address in one of two forms: http://your-domain:2082 or https://hosting-server-name:2083. The server name looks like s2dxxx.cloudnetwork.vn, where the xxx part is in the email Mat Bao sends you.
2. Enter the hosting username and password.
3. Click Log in to reach the cPanel interface.

Prefer the https address on port 2083, since that connection is encrypted.

Managing files with File Manager

File Manager is the cPanel tool for viewing, uploading, editing and organising website files in the browser, with no extra software to install.

First-time settings

1. In cPanel, find and open File Manager.
2. Open Settings and set the default folder to public_html/www so later visits go straight to the website's root folder.
3. Tick Show Hidden Files to display hidden files such as .htaccess (the file that controls the site's redirects and permissions).

The hosting comes with two system folders, cgi-bin and .well-known. Mat Bao advises not to delete or modify them, to avoid errors during operation.

Uploading a file

1. Select the public_html folder in the folder tree on the left.
2. Click the Upload button on the toolbar.
3. Choose a file on your computer and wait until it shows complete.
4. Click the Go back to… link to return to File Manager and check that the file is on the host.

Creating a folder and understanding web paths

1. Select the root folder in the tree on the left.
2. Click New Folder and enter a name (no spaces or Vietnamese diacritics is best).
3. Click Create New Folder.

Files in a subfolder are reachable at the matching web path. For example, if a docs folder inside public_html holds an image logo.png, its address is https://your-domain/docs/logo.png.

Hiding a folder's file listing

If someone types a folder's address without a file name, the browser may show a list of every file inside. That is unsafe for internal documents. Mat Bao's suggested fix:

1. Use Notepad or Notepad++ to create an empty file named exactly index.php.
2. Upload it into the folder you want to hide.
3. When someone opens the folder's address, the host loads index.php as the home page and shows only a blank page.

This only hides the listing; it does not lock the files. Anyone who knows an exact file name can still open it, so do not keep sensitive data (contracts, payroll, customer records) in the website's public folders.

Other common actions

All of these start with a right-click on the file or folder:

Connecting over FTP with FileZilla

AI-generated illustration

FTP is handy when you need to upload or download many files at once. You need an FTP client; Mat Bao's documentation uses FileZilla, a free program that runs on most operating systems.

1. Install FileZilla and open it.
2. In the quick-connect bar, set Host to your website's domain (you can use the host's server name or IP address if the domain does not point to the host yet).
3. Enter the hosting Username and Password.
4. Leave Port blank or enter 21 (the default FTP port).
5. Click Quickconnect.
6. Once connected, the left pane shows your computer and the right pane shows the host. Open public_html to see the website files.

To upload, open the target folder in the host pane, then right-click the file in the computer pane and choose Upload. To download, right-click a file in the host pane and choose Download. Text files can be edited directly with Edit.

Creating a separate FTP account for someone else

When you outsource web design or need staff to upload product images, do not hand out the main hosting password. Create an FTP account limited to one folder instead:

1. In cPanel, open FTP Accounts.
2. Set a username and password for the new account.
3. Specify the folder the account may use, e.g. /public_html/docs/.
4. Set the maximum disk space the account may use.
5. Click Create FTP Account.

The login for this account takes the form username@your-domain. In FileZilla, Host stays as your domain; only the username and password change. When the job is done, delete the account or change its password.

Other admin tasks in cPanel

Mat Bao's support centre has separate guides for three next steps: creating a database, managing domains (Domains) and backing up the website. According to the official cPanel documentation, tools are grouped by category, for example:

• Databases: MySQL Databases, MySQL Database Wizard, phpMyAdmin.
• Domains: Domains, Redirects.
• Files: File Manager, Backup Wizard, Disk Usage.
• Email: Email Accounts, Autoresponders.
• Security: IP Blocker, Hotlink Protection.
• Software: MultiPHP Manager.

Tool names can vary slightly with the cPanel version the provider installs, so if you cannot find an item, use the search box in cPanel.

When to look at other options

If the person handling IT part-time finds the English cPanel hard to use, or the business is comparing options before renewal, you can compare other services with servers in Vietnam such as iNET Cloud Hosting (Vietnamese-language OnePanel) or AZDIGI Hosting. If you need servers abroad, see Hostinger Web Hosting. For pricing and specs, check each product page or the provider's pricing page.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I log in to cPanel on Mat Bao hosting?

Go through the id.matbao.net service management page, or type an address like https://hosting-server-name:2083 (or http://your-domain:2082) and enter your hosting username and password.

What if I forget my Mat Bao hosting password?

Use the Change password function on id.matbao.net to reset the hosting login. The new details, including the server name, are sent to your email.

Why can't I see the .htaccess file in File Manager?

It is a hidden file. Open Settings in File Manager and turn on Show Hidden Files to display it.

Can someone upload files without getting my hosting password?

Yes. Create a separate FTP account under FTP Accounts, limited to one folder and a disk quota. That person logs in with a name like username@your-domain.

Does this guide work for Plesk or DirectAdmin plans?

Not fully. The steps and button names here are for cPanel. Plans using Plesk or DirectAdmin have a different interface, so check the matching guide in Mat Bao's support centre.