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

[krelkor]

im so close to being done! does anyone see a problem with my above posted proftpd.conf, or is the problem somewhere else?

[frodon]

As usual check your directory rights (they must be 777), your directory in your proftpd.conf is defined as a download directory so you won't be able to upload in it according to your proftpd.conf. You should take example on the upload directory in the guide on first post to create your directory configuration in your proftpd.conf file.

And please don't bump the thread like that (3 times a day).

[dbsoundman]

I'm considering setting up all this, but I have a question. I went ahead and created a userftp profile, and made the default directory for that user FTP-Shared, as the tutorial says. However, I'm not quite sure if this will do what I want it to do. What I would like to set up is two profiles: one for myself only, to remotely access all my documents on this computer remotely, and another for whatever guest user to read and write to whatever folder I choose. As it is now, I can't write to the FTP-Shared folder without sudo permissions, meaning that if I wanted to put a file in there for someone else to download through the guest account I would have to do it via command line. I would like to be able to do it so that I don't have to do that...so I could just drag-and-drop. I guess I'm looking to set up a slightly different menu structure in terms of the FTP access. I guess I primarily don't understand why creating a user profile with a separate home directory is advantageous...why couldn't I just create a subdirectory of my home folder (/home/dan) that the guest could read and write to, and make it so that that is the only one that they can access? If this makes any sense...what should I do?

Thanks,
Dan

[frodon]

As it is now, I can't write to the FTP-Shared folder without sudo permissions, meaning that if I wanted to put a file in there for someone else to download through the guest account I would have to do it via command line. I would like to be able to do it so that I don't have to do that...so I could just drag-and-drop.

This is a write management question, my guide is more designed to mount the directory you want in the download and upload directory rathan using them directly. Anyway you can just set you as owner of these directories :

sudo chown -R your_username /home/FTP-shared

I guess I'm looking to set up a slightly different menu structure in terms of the FTP access. I guess I primarily don't understand why creating a user profile with a separate home directory is advantageous...

Security of course. Doing this you're using a user with no rights on your system, no valid shell and locked in his home directory. You're somwhat creating a secure area for your FTP server.

why couldn't I just create a subdirectory of my home folder (/home/dan) that the guest could read and write to, and make it so that that is the only one that they can access? If this makes any sense...what should I do?

It is possible but way less secure as you will have to use your personal account as login and thus give your personal password to your guest. Encryption is inescapable IMO if you do such thing.

[dbsoundman]

I figured it was about security. I was thinking I would use the FTPS setup instead of regular FTP, but I will look into how I could keep it all to that one directory like you say. I figure you probably know better than I do in this area.... I will have to do some research on FTPS just to see how it can be accessed from, say, other computers without Filezilla or something like that, but I'm pretty sure I can google up that info. I will also need to see if I can even get this to work in the first place, because last time I never quite got it working outside of my home network due to weirdness with the software on my home network router and the DSL modem. Hopefully I'll get that all figured out though...I'm sure if I have problems I will post back!

-Dan

[frodon]

The basic FTPS setting i propose in my guide will establish encrypted connection with users using a FTP client configured to use TLS encription but will also allow normal (unencrypted) connection for those who don't have a FTP client.

This is handled by the "TLSRequired off" parameter, i think this setting will give you the flexibility you are looking for.

[Bionic Apple]

Can someone tell me the basics to create a working FTP server using Gproftpd? The first post didn't help me at all. I have been messing around with the settings, yet nothing will work.

[dbsoundman]

All right, I got everything set up, and the server runs. I have a problem though. When I start it up, here is what it says:

:~$ sudo /etc/init.d/proftpd start
 * Starting ftp server proftpd                                                  blackdiamond - 127.0.1.1:1980 masquerading as 76.1.0.243
                                                                         [ OK ]

However, the 127.0.1.1 address is not the correct IP address. According to my router, it should be 192.168.1.xxx. I'm pretty sure this computer is 192.168.1.102. How can I fix this? I did assign a static IP to this computer already, the 192 address. As far as I know that's the only issue, because I can't even access the server from within my home network, so at least for now I'm not having router/modem issues, though I'm almost positive I will when I get to that point...

Thanks,
Dan

[Palcrypt]

Ok, so I got the ftp set up to work. I decided I wanted the ftps to work. The problem is that I am behind a firewall on my router. proftpd's website says this is because with the encrypted credentials the router gets confused with somethings. It says the solution is to set:

TLSRequired auth+data
instead of
TLSRequired off

The problem is when I do that (or just set it to auth) when I restart the server I get this error:
- Fatal: TLSRequired: bad parameter on line 95 of '/etc/proftpd/proftpd.conf'

auth and auth+data are supposed to be valid parameters for TLSRequired. Any suggestions?

[dbsoundman]

I figured out how to fix my wrong-IP address problem by modifying the "hosts" settings in the network connection manager thing. I can now at least detect the FTP server with my laptop, but I get a 530 login error when I try to login. I was going to research this to see if I could figure it out but if anyone has suggestions that would be great as well...

-Dan