HOWTO : Create a FTP server with user access (proftpd)

[frodon]

The following command locks users in their home directory:

DefaultRoot ~

Keep only this DefaultRoot command in your config file.

[ReplicateThis]

After giving up the fight to make Samba and Windows 7 play nice, I am trying the old fashioned FTP approach to share files from a Linux server to a Win7 client. After noticing very few GUI options for FTP servers, I thought this guide would be a godsend. My hopes came crashing down, however, when I noticed this from my terminal...:

padraic@devon-2:~$ sudo aptitiude install proftpd gproftpd
sudo: aptitiude: command not found
padraic@devon-2:~$ sudo aptitude install proftpd gproftpd
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Reading extended state information       
Initializing package states... Done
Note: selecting "proftpd-basic" instead of the
      virtual package "proftpd"
Couldn't find any package whose name or description matched "gproftpd"
Couldn't find any package whose name or description matched "gproftpd"

I know I used aptitude instead of apt-get, but aside from that detail I entered the command as listed in step 1. I haven't read quite all 16 pages of this thread quite yet, but is there a workaround to still get the GUI aspect of this?

[kon_nos]

Hello all.

I've followed the guide, and I have a problem trying to find out if it works.

Every time I use a standard sudo /etc/init.d/proftp command it sais: ProFTPd is started from inetd/xinetd. (even if i use the stop command).

When I use the force-stop i get
Warning: ProFTPd is started from inetd/xinetd (trying to kill anyway).
* Stopping ftp server proftpd [ OK ]

but when i use the force-start I get
* Starting ftp server proftpd athena - fatal: Socket operation on non-socket
[fail]

As you can assume I can't even login. My servertype is inetd, and not standalone. Should i try the standalone?

My proftpd.conf is most of it the example i found:

# This sample configuration file illustrates configuring two
# anonymous directories, and a guest (same thing as anonymous but
# requires a valid password to login)

ServerName			"Athena"
ServerType			inetd

# Port 21 is the standard FTP port.
Port				21

# If you don't want normal users logging in at all, uncomment this
# next section
#<Limit LOGIN>
#  DenyAll
#</Limit>

# Set the user and group that the server normally runs at.
User				proftpd
Group				nogroup

# To prevent DoS attacks, set the maximum number of child processes
# to 30.  If you need to allow more than 30 concurrent connections
# at once, simply increase this value.  Note that this ONLY works
# in standalone mode, in inetd mode you should use an inetd server
# that allows you to limit maximum number of processes per service
# (such as xinetd)
MaxInstances                    30

# Set the maximum number of seconds a data connection is allowed
# to "stall" before being aborted.
TimeoutStalled			300

# We want 'welcome.msg' displayed at login, and '.message' displayed
# in each newly chdired directory.
DisplayLogin			welcome.msg
DisplayChdir			.message

# Our "basic" anonymous configuration, including a single
# upload directory ("uploads")
<Anonymous ~ftp>

  # Allow logins if they are disabled above.
  <Limit LOGIN>
    AllowAll
  </Limit>

  # Maximum clients with message
  MaxClients			5 "Sorry, max %m users -- try again later"

  User				ftp
  Group				ftp
  # We want clients to be able to login with "anonymous" as well as "ftp"
  UserAlias			anonymous ftp

  # Limit WRITE everywhere in the anonymous chroot
  <Limit WRITE>
    DenyAll
  </Limit>

  # An upload directory that allows storing files but not retrieving
  # or creating directories.
  <Directory uploads/*>
    <Limit READ>
      DenyAll
    </Limit>

    <Limit STOR>
      AllowAll
    </Limit>
  </Directory>
</Anonymous>

# A second anonymous ftp section.  Users can login as "private".  Here
# we hide files owned by root from being manipulated in any way.

<Anonymous /usr/local/private>
  User				bobf
  Group				users
  UserAlias			private bobf
  UserAlias			engineering bobf

  # Deny access from *.evil.net and *.otherevil.net, but allow
  # all others.
  <Limit LOGIN>
    Order			deny,allow
    Deny 			from .evil.net, .otherevil.net
    Allow			from all
  </Limit>

  # We want all uploaded files to be owned by 'engdept' group and
  # group writable.
  GroupOwner			engdept
  Umask				006

  # Hide all files owned by user 'root'
  HideUser			root

  <Limit WRITE>
    DenyAll
  </Limit>

  # Disallow clients from any access to hidden files.
  <Limit READ DIRS>
    IgnoreHidden			on
  </Limit>

  # Permit uploading and creation of new directories in
  # submissions/public

  <Directory submissions/public>
    <Limit READ>
      DenyAll
      IgnoreHidden			on
    </Limit>

    <Limit STOR MKD RMD XMKD XRMD>
      AllowAll
      IgnoreHidden			on
    </Limit>
  </Directory>
</Anonymous>

# The last anonymous example creates a "guest" account, which clients
# can authenticate to only if they know the user's password.

<Anonymous ~userftp>
  User				userftp
  Group				nobody
  AnonRequirePassword		on

  <Limit LOGIN>
    AllowAll
  </Limit>

  # Hide all files owned by user 'root'
  HideUser			root
  

  # Deny write access from all except trusted hosts.
  <Limit WRITE>
    Order			allow, deny
    Allow			from 10.0.0.
    Deny			from all
  </Limit>
</Anonymous>

[Return Privacy]

Hi,
I tried to follow this and install Proftpd, it doesn't work at all. Won't install or work.

[ZnoteOT]

The following command locks users in their home directory:

DefaultRoot ~

Keep only this DefaultRoot command in your config file.

Thanks, your a life saver!

[ZnoteOT]

I think I messed a bit up. Any command I can do to view all the users I have added to the server? like proftpd -ls or something?

Some command that gives me a list of the usernames I have added? Or view a document?

[frodon]

If you followed the tutorial the users you created are system users therefore you just need to manage your system users.

The file /etc/passwd should contain all the users you created (and a bit more).

[jsra]

Hello,

how can one set maximum size of a directory?
Is it even possible to set such option?

I really tried to find a solution for this but i could not find it anywhere.

Thanks for any reply.

[frodon]

It seems you didn't choose the good keywords, what you are looking for is how to handle "quotas" with proftpd. Here are 2 links which should be a good start point for you :
http://www.proftpd.org/docs/howto/Quotas.html
http://www.castaglia.org/proftpd/mod..._quotatab.html

I'm sure you will find many other good websites and examples over the web or in the proftpd forum.

[killboymota]

dude, as soon as i got connected i get disconnected!

Looking up xxxxx
Trying xxxxx
Connected to xxxx
Disconnecting from site xxxx
Waiting 30 seconds until trying to connect again