Title: Weird issue with plugins Last modified: November 11, 2016 --- # Weird issue with plugins * Resolved [elrid](https://wordpress.org/support/users/elrid/) * (@elrid) * [9 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-issue-with-plugins/) * Hi there, * I’m hoping somebody will be able to help me, I’m not exactly a newcomer to WordPress, so I’ve seen a lot of strange issues cropping up on client sites, but this one takes the cake. * When I try to upload a plugin, I get an error saying “Unable to create directory uploads/2016/11. Is its parent directory writable by the server?” (though the CHMOD for my uploads is 777) and cannot upload the plugin. Simultaneously, if I upload the plugin via FTP, it simply doesn’t show up in my plugins page. * However, if I try to install a plugin by searching for one in the ‘add new’ section of my admin panel, that all works perfectly and I can use the free plugins available, so the issue is primarily with a paid plugin we’re using * I think it’s going to be a bit of a long shot, but has anyone here encountered a similar issue? If so, do you have any pointers for dealing with it? * Thanks, El Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total) * Moderator [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/) * (@sterndata) * Volunteer Forum Moderator * [9 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-issue-with-plugins/#post-8424006) * > Simultaneously, if I upload the plugin via FTP, it simply doesn’t show up in > my plugins page. * OK, you’re going to not like me for this, but are the directories you’re accessing via FTP the ones actually used for your site? Check the names and IP addresses. * Thread Starter [elrid](https://wordpress.org/support/users/elrid/) * (@elrid) * [9 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-issue-with-plugins/#post-8424073) * Hi Steve, * Haha, I appreciate any response, don’t worry 🙂 I’m assuming (I know, that’s a bad move) they are the correct directories – I’m using the site’s IP when connecting through FTP * Additionally, if I install a plugin from the plugin search available in WordPress, I can see this directory appear in the FTP * Does that sound right? * Thanks, El - This reply was modified 9 years, 6 months ago by [elrid](https://wordpress.org/support/users/elrid/). * Moderator [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/) * (@sterndata) * Volunteer Forum Moderator * [9 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-issue-with-plugins/#post-8424096) * > Additionally, if I install a plugin from the plugin search available in WordPress, > I can see this directory appear in the FTP * OK, that’s good! * When you login via FTP are you logging in as the same user under which PHP is running? If you look at the user owning wp-content and the successfully installed plugins, is it the same user as you’re using for ftp? * Thread Starter [elrid](https://wordpress.org/support/users/elrid/) * (@elrid) * [9 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-issue-with-plugins/#post-8424124) * Hi Steve, * Now that I’m not sure about – how would I check that? * If it helps, I’m definitely on an administrator account, * Also, a bit of extra information I think I should have added earlier, we recently moved this site over to a new server at a different hosting company, * Do you think it could be related to that? * Thanks, El * Moderator [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/) * (@sterndata) * Volunteer Forum Moderator * [9 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-issue-with-plugins/#post-8424134) * Do you have shell access? If so, ls -l and look at the owners. If not, filezilla will show you ownership of files and directories. * Thread Starter [elrid](https://wordpress.org/support/users/elrid/) * (@elrid) * [9 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-issue-with-plugins/#post-8424203) * Hi Steve, * Unfortunately not, but I can see the owner in Filezilla – not sure how I missed it at first, It looks to me as if I’m on the correct account, * If I upload a file, it’s the same user number as every other file I can see in Filezilla * Thanks, El * Moderator [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/) * (@sterndata) * Volunteer Forum Moderator * [9 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-issue-with-plugins/#post-8424261) * who owns wp-content/uploads/2016 ? Is it the same owner as wp-content, wp-content/ uploads, etc? * Thread Starter [elrid](https://wordpress.org/support/users/elrid/) * (@elrid) * [9 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-issue-with-plugins/#post-8424283) * Hi Steve, * It is indeed – everything I can see through FTP belongs to the same user. * Quick semi-related question, though, why is it that uploading a plugin uses the uploads folder rather than the plugins folder? (please feel free to skip over this – the plugin issue is far more important than my curiosity) * Thanks, El * Moderator [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/) * (@sterndata) * Volunteer Forum Moderator * [9 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-issue-with-plugins/#post-8424319) * plugins should be uploaded to wp-content/plugins, not uploads. And, if you’re uploading them via FTP, you must unzip them locally, not upload zips. * You may need to contact your host to resolve the permissions issue. * Thread Starter [elrid](https://wordpress.org/support/users/elrid/) * (@elrid) * [9 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-issue-with-plugins/#post-8424684) * Hi Steve, * Don’t worry, I’ve been uploading them to the plugins directory 🙂 I just found it strange that the error I get mentions permissions with the uploads folder and not the plugins one * I’ve contacted our client now to try and get their hosting details – hopefully we’ll be able to get a resolution from their hosting company * Is it possible to leave this thread open so that when I get a response I can come back and update it? (I hate finding threads that end with no resolution – I’d like to try and ensure that anyone stumpling across this post in the same boat at least gets some sort of direction out of it) * Thanks, El * Thread Starter [elrid](https://wordpress.org/support/users/elrid/) * (@elrid) * [9 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-issue-with-plugins/#post-8434550) * Hello to anyone visiting this thread from the future, My apologies for the issue you’re experiencing, * I’m afraid I’ve no further insight into this issue – I done as Mr. Stern above suggested and got my client to contact their host in order to resolve the issue. I haven’t heard from them, but they managed to get it all fixed on their end. * If anyone stumbling across this has a similar issue, I’m afraid you’ll have to contact your hosts to get it all sorted out. * Best of luck, and thanks again for the help, Steve! * Thanks, El Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total) The topic ‘Weird issue with plugins’ is closed to new replies. ## Tags * [ftp](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/ftp/) * [Install](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/install/) * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/) * 11 replies * 2 participants * Last reply from: [elrid](https://wordpress.org/support/users/elrid/) * Last activity: [9 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-issue-with-plugins/#post-8434550) * Status: resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics